2017 - J. Leonardi's BBQ

Texas Passions - J. Leonardi's BBQ.  Season 2, episode 6

A look at the barbecue served at J. Leonardi's BBQ in Austin, Texas.

A friend called me up and asked me if I would like to go to lunch.  I told him there was a barbecue joint in east Austin that I wanted to try.  I had been hearing good things about it and needed to check it out for myself.  He said yes and I said yes, so off we went to J. Leonardi’s BBQ.  I sure am glad my friend called. . .

J. Leonardi’s opened in 2016.  They are located just behind a gas station and serve barbecue out of a trailer at 1149 ½ Airport Blvd. at the intersection of Oak Springs Drive.  My friend and I were driving south on Airport trying to find them.  I was about to keep going when my buddy spotted smoke coming from a smokestack.  As we walked up, we were surrounded by the sweet aroma of mesquite and oak.  If the smell was any indication, we were in for some good barbecue.

I ordered my usual half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  These were served with a cup of sauce and some pickles and onions.  The brisket was superb: great outer bark, deep smoke ring, meat so tender you could easily cut it with a plastic fork.  Really good.  The baby back ribs were meaty and tender, with a sweet glaze on them.  The meat easily pulled from the bone when I bit into it.  Their sauce was a thick, sweet red sauce that was a good compliment to the meat.

My friend got a two meat plate with brisket and sausage.  Like me, he really enjoyed the brisket.  I stole a bite or two of his sausage.  Very tasty, as were the side of beans he had gotten.  After we finished eating, Jerome the pit master gave me a quick tour of the pits.  At the time, he was cooking smoked cabbage.  My friend and I had never tried that, so Jerome was kind enough to give us a free sample.  Peppery with a deep smoky flavor.  Delicious.

J. Leonardi’s has several covered picnic tables to eat at.  They have a small stage where live music is served up.  We were enjoying music from James Brown as we ate our lunch and talked with Jerome and other members of their crew.  Their prices are very reasonable and the smiles are free.

J. Leonardi’s – great barbecue, super friendly staff, good music to enjoy.  A hidden gem in the Austin barbecue scene.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!

2017 - Valentina's Tex-Mex BBQ

Texas Passions - Valentina's Tex-Mex BBQ.  Season 2, episode 5

A look at the barbecue served at Valentina's Tex-Mex BBQ in Austin, Texas.

Every few years, “Texas Monthly” magazine publishes its list of the Top 50 barbecue joints in the state.  They recently published their list for 2017, the magazine cover loudly proclaiming that this is the Golden Age of Texas Barbecue.  Seven different joints in Austin made the list (the most of any city in Texas).  At one time or another, I have eaten at six of the Austin seven.  Looks to me like I have a new BBQ joint to discover.

Valentina’s Tex-Mex BBQ serves “fusion food”, in this case barbecue fused with tacos.  In Austin, we’ll wrap almost any kind of food in a tortilla.  Breakfast tacos, brisket tacos, you name it.  Somebody will probably open an Italian restaurant and serve spaghetti and meatballs in a tortilla.  Hmmm….  There’s an idea. . .

Brisket taco. . . yum yum

Valentina’s Tex-Mex BBQ is located at 11500 Manchaca Road in far south Austin. (That is pronounced MAN-shack. If someone pronounces it man-CHAKA, people in Austin would immediately know you ain't from around here.)  I live on the northwest side of town, but good barbecue is always worth a road trip.  And I was not disappointed.

Their menu has two sides – the Tex side and the Mex side.  

I ordered some moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs from the Tex side and a brisket taco from the Mex side.  The brisket taco was served on a homemade flour tortilla with guacamole and homemade tomato-serrano salsa.  The flavors blended together beautifully, even though the taco was just a bit greasy.  The brisket I was served was juicy, tender, and full of smoky flavor.  Covered with a dark outer bark, it went down really good.  The ribs were a little lean with a sweet glaze on them.  The meat had to be bitten off the bone, but was very tasty. There was a bottle of their sauce on the table.  It was a bit thin, but a nice compliment to the meat.  The note on the bottle said it would self-destruct if removed from the property. Cute…

Valentina’s currently serves their barbecue from a food trailer, but will soon move to a brick-and-mortar home (possibly at the same location).  The menu items on the Tex side were a wee bit expensive, but BBQ prices have been rising all across the state.  Prices on the Mex side were lower ($5 for the brisket taco).  And they had a couple of dishes on the Mex side that I will want to sample later.

Valentina’s had the music turned up – a mixture of Mexican Conjunto and rock and roll – that was fun to hear.  They have a number of picnic tables and I chose to sit in the large shaded area.  There wasn’t much of a line when I got there, but it was long and the parking lot full by the time I finished eating.  I suspect Valentina’s lines will get even longer as a result of the “Texas Monthly Effect”. 

If you are in south Austin, you gotta give Valentina’s a try. 

\

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!