Come Visit the New Site! http://gastronomyblog.com/

March 12, 2007
Cuisine: BBQ

5204 RR-2222
Austin, TX 78731

Phone: 512-346-3664
Website: http://www.countyline.com/

–

Appetizer: Fresh Baked Whole Wheat Bread ($2.49)

Entree I: Lighter Combo - Beef Ribs, Sausage, Beans, Coleslaw, Potato Salad ($10.99)

Entree II: Pork Rib Combo ($14.99)

Lighter Combo - Beef Ribs, Brisket, Beans, Coleslaw, Potato Salad ($10.99)

Peach Cobbler a la Mode ($4.8

–

The County Line is located in the “Hill Country” of Austin, which is a gorgeous area that reminded me a bit of California and my colleagues of Massachusetts. The restaurant overlooks an idyllic lake and lush green hills—the perfect scenery for some down home goodness. The smell of smoked meat wafted in the parking lot air beckoning us to enter the restaurant.

After a long day of work, my colleagues and I were ready to settle in for some great BBQ. We started off with some freshly baked whole wheat bread that we had heard good things about. The bread was warm, sweet, and fluffy. My colleagues spread some honey butter on theirs, but I found the bread satisfying on its own.

Our main courses arrived soon after the bread was delivered. Since I wanted to try a few different meats, I ordered the Lighter Combo with beef ribs and sausage. The sides included beans, coleslaw, and potato salad. Unfortunately, the sides were totally disappointing. The beans and potato salad were blander than bland and the coleslaw was doused in creamy mayonnaise. The state of sides in Texas is a travesty. I pushed the sides aside and focused on the meats. The sausage was a real winner—the crisp casing unleashed a savory blend of flavors in every bite and the sauce was tangy and sweet, which I really liked. The beef ribs were difficult to eat and yielded very little meat. I hate it when hard work isn’t rewarded.

My colleague Helen also ordered the Lighter Combo, but with the beef brisket rather than the sausage. She commented that the ribs were fatty and tasteless, but really liked the brisket a great deal. She jazzed up her sides by pouring some of the extra BBQ sauce on them. My other colleague Josh went for the Pork Rib Combo, which I should have ordered in retrospect. He is a fan of pork ribs and The County Line’s did not disappoint. He thought the sauce could have been a touch more spicy.

Since the sides were lacking, we all had room for dessert and shared a Peach Cobbler a la Mode. The ice cream was good, but the actual cobbler was made of canned peach pie filling which was a let down.

April 11, 2007
Cuisine: BBQ

Austin-Bergstorm International Airport
3600 Presidential Blvd, Austin, TX 78719

Phone: none
Website: http://www.saltlickbbq.com/

–

Brisket and Sausage Platter - Coleslaw, Potato Salad, Beans, and Bread ($9.95)

–

The original Salt Lick restaurant is located in Driftwood, Texas located 30 miles outside of Austin. Since I was in Austin for business rather than pleasure, I had to settle for the satellite location in the airport. Hey, I’ll take what I can get.

My brother was in Austin a month ago and highly recommended that I try The Salt Lick. He proclaimed it to be the best brisket and sausage he had ever had. My friend Esme, an Austin native, also recommended that I check the eatery out.

I stepped off the plane and immediately headed to The Salt Lick for some highly anticipated BBQ. With the glowing recommendation from my brother, I ordered the Brisket and Sausage Platter, which came with coleslaw, potato salad, beans, and white bread.

The sausage and brisket were both good, but I liked the sausage a little more because of the spices. The brisket was tender and had a little trim of fat that I definitely didn’t remove. The best thing about The Salt Lick is their unique sauce, which is mustard and vinegar based rather than ketchup. Mmm! While the meat rated high, the sides were unfortunately lacking. The beans, coleslaw, and potato salad were all tasteless; although I must commend The Salt Lick for steering clear of mayonnaise.

The Salt Lick was a good introduction to Central Texas BBQ, but made me miss the wonderful sides in Birmingham, Alabama.

October 21, 2006
Cuisine: Southern, BBQ

1912 11th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL

Phone: 205-320-1060
Website: http://www.jimnnicks.com

–

Appetizer: Homemade Cheese Biscuits (half dozen)

Entree I: Pulled Bar-B-Q Pork Sandwich- Served on an Old Fashioned bun, Bar-B-Q sauce, pickles, one trimming (macaroni and cheese)

Entree II: Pulled Pork Bar-B-Q Kitchen Plate - Served with homemade cheese biscuits, two trimmings (Fresh Cut Fries and Cinnamon Apples), Bar-B-Q sauce and pickles

–

Gastronomer: Jim ‘N Nick’s is my favorite BBQ joint in Birmingham. The last time I visited, the Astronomer and I ate at Jim ‘N Nick’s twice in two days! Sadly, we were only able to dine at Jim ‘N Nick’s once during this visit due to time constraints.

Astronomer: Jim ‘N’ Nick’s is probably the one restaurant in Birmingham that I visit every single time I go home. My BBQ cravings are seldom satisfied in the northeast, and nobody in Alabama can match Jim ‘N’Nick’s for the total BBQ experience. My friends and I love it so much, a bunch of them got jobs there.

Appetizer:
Gastronomer: We started off our meal with a half dozen cheese biscuits. I’m not sure how they got their name since they are most definitely muffins, but when something is SO tasty it doesn’t really matter. It’s hard to describe exactly why these biscuits are so delicious. They’re warm, crisp around the edges, moist within, sweet, and slightly cheesy. These little gems are heavenly.

Astronomer: I was considering skipping the usual extra order of cheese biscuits in order to save room for the rest of the meal, but the Gastronomer helped me see my foolishness, so we went for it. Thank goodness. The cheese biscuits were amazing as always–the perfect concoction of soft, slightly sweet, somewhat cheesy deliciousness. Two more cheese biscuits came with my main course, bringing me to a total of 5 on the day. Mmmm…

Entree I:
Gastronomer: For my entree I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese. I also requested some extra BBQ sauce since I’m a saucy girl. The sandwich came with a heaping portion of pulled pork, a bit of sauce, and two pickles. The meat was perfectly moist and flavorful and the sauce was sweet and tangy. The pickles added a great contrast. The mac and cheese was mushy in that southern kind of way, creamy and delicious. Until my next visit, I’ll be dreaming about pulled pork and cheese biscuits.

Entree II:
Astronomer: For my entree I ordered my staple, the pulled pork platter with fries and cinnamon apples. The Gastronomer scoffed at my choice of sides, but I finished the meal delightfully satisfied. Whether or not they are a true southern classic, I maintain that Jim ‘N’ Nick’s fries go extremely well with barbecue. Like most of the BBQ places in Alabama, Jim ‘N’ Nicks has a unique sauce that really sets them apart. I have no idea how to describe its subtleties, but it’s awesome. The cinnamon apples are always a nice closing to the meal once I have stuffed myself on meat. As often happens on this sort of outing, neither of us had any room for desert.