REVIEW: Brooks Place BBQ (Cypress). The Meat of It: Great central-TX style BBQ without the crazy lines. Despite the accolades, still humble and honest. And no saggy pants! TL;DR After opening his eyes to the world of real BBQ for the first time at Corkscrew, my buddy Pinoy T wanted to know more (and eat more as well). Decided to opt for some variety and check out a food truck in a Kroger parking lot in Cypress. His first words were dafuq? Its a tiny run-down food truck with 3 benches and thats it. Tried to explain to him this place is legit. Listed in Texas Monthlys Top 50 in 2013 and recently Chronicles Alison Cooks Top 100 Restaurants in Houston, this little parking lot shack is the real deal. Like all the times Ive been here, theres never a line. Now theyre serving venison sausage. Pinoy T getting all excited (a venison virgin). Brisket: What a great brisket here! It was moist and tender. Rendered well for the most part. The bark is very thick and seasoned well. Has a good smoke ring with good smoky flavor throughout. The burnt ends were sweet and moist. More of a classic CenTex approach than the neoCenTex uber-rendered take. Score: 17 Ribs: Same smoky rub on the pork ribs as the brisket. Not fall-off-the-bone tender but the meat was tender nevertheless. Good smoky flavors. Didnt require sauce. Score: 17 Sausage: Im a sucker for venison sausage. Wasnt gamey at all, but did add an extra layer of flavor to the sausage. Has the right balance of spices. Good smoky flavor. Good snap casing. Good coarse texture. Score: 19 Sides/Sauce: Definitely has a nice kick to it. A bit on the spicy side, it goes well with the strong smoky flavors of the meats (although the meats dont need it). Tried some new items. Cranberry cole slaw was quite refreshing. Creole okra, normally not a big fan but Trent does it right here. A must try for sides. Score: 17 Mulletude: Theres not much to the place, its quite basic and simple. Bring a marker with you and sign your phone number or the John Hancock to the wooden tables as you eat. If Trent isnt busy, hell come hang out with you and talk BBQ. Despite the accolades, theres no quest for glory or any pretense. Just making an honest living and making his fans happy. Hes constantly waving hi to his many regulars as they stop by or drive by in the parking lot. Hes an old-school guy youd love to have a beer with while munching on some good brisket. Make sure you dont show up with saggy pants and boxers exposed though. Score: 17 OVERALL: 87 MEAN: 84.5 STANDARD DEVIATION: 1.7
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 06:09:26 +0000