2018 - Ovilla, Texas

Another day that ends in "Y".  Another great day for barbecue.  Here's my video from my adventure in Ovilla, Texas at Franks Holy Smoke Bar B Que.

My sister told me about a barbecue joint in Ovilla, Texas.  After visiting my 92 year old Dad in the DFW area, I figured I would check this place out on my way back to Austin.  Ovilla is a tiny speck of a town south of Dallas.  It might have a traffic light, but I didn’t see one as I drove through town.  However, they do have Franks Holy Smoke Bar B Que.  This is not to be confused with the Holy Smoke BBQ joint in the small Swedish town of Nyhamnsläge.

The Texas version of Holy Smoke is located at 705 West Main Street in what used to be a small general store. Abraham Franks started off selling barbecue next to a car wash in Ovilla.  He moved uphill to the current location after two other barbecue joints came and went.  I arrived there around lunch time.  Daughter Rhonda prepared my order of moist brisket and pork ribs and gave me a big helping of pickles and onions.  I got some iced tea and settled in to eat.

The brisket was a little fatty, but had a really good smoky flavor.  Tender, with a nice outer bark.  A lot of barbecue joints serve St. Louis style ribs where the outer flap of meat has been removed. Not here.  The outer flap was chewy and had a rich smoky flavor.  The meat on the bone was very tender and juicy.  Good ribs.  There was a squeeze bottle of sauce on the table.  A typical tomato based sauce with a nice savory taste, it went well with the meat.

A. D. Franks

After I ate, I had a chance to meet and talk with Mr. Franks, a big man with an easy smile.  He was kind enough to take me out back and showed off his big smoker.  He grew up in Lockhart and started barbecuing when he was a kid.  Like we do in central Texas, he uses post oak for smoking his meats.  He and his family are super people who love what they are doing.  Their pride shows through in the barbecue they serve.

When you drive through Ovilla, be sure not to blink or you might miss it.  Better yet, roll down the car windows and let the sweet smell of barbecue guide you in.  Frank’s Holy Smoke Bar B Que – good barbecue, great people.

I rate this barbecue one Hook ‘Em!

2018 - Ft. Worth

It's getting hot in Texas.  Think I need to cool down with some great barbecue.  Here's my video from a recent trip to Ft. Worth.

It was that time again when I needed to travel to the Dallas – Ft. Worth area to visit my 92 year old Dad.  I decided I would drive through Ft. Worth this time around.  It is actually ten miles closer to Austin than Dallas is.  Ft. Worth is also the home of Heim Barbecue, one of the Top 50 best joints as ranked by Texas Monthly in 2017.

I had the pleasure of eating at Heim in October 2016 (Texas Passions episode 7).  This was just a couple of months after they moved into their location at 1109 Magnolia Avenue, just south of downtown.  This area is seeing a renaissance as new restaurants and boutique shops open.  On that first trip, I got to meet and talk with Travis Heim.  I told him how much I enjoyed his barbecue and mentioned how good it might be once they figure out what they are doing.

The restaurant was packed with people when I got there, but there was no line.  Cody took my standard order of a half pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  When my order was ready, I went to get pickles and onions, but they were out of onions.  I waved at the folks at the counter and Lauren quickly refilled the bin with sliced onions.  I got some iced tea and wedged my way in between some other patrons. 

The brisket was unbelievably good.  Buttery, great outer bark, smoky flavor, tender and juicy.  Absolutely delicious.  The pork ribs were equally impressive.  They had a rich, sweet flavor, the tender meat easily biting from the bone.  I got a squeeze of their sauce just to say I did, but was so taken by the meat that I can’t really say anything about the sauce.

After I ate, I had a chance to talk with Eric.  I told him the barbecue was even better than I remembered.  He said Heim will be opening a second location in October 2018 that will be three times the size of their current restaurant and will include a music venue.  I asked about quality control and he responded that the same team who made the current smokers are at work making them for the second joint. 

Emma and Travis Heim

The good folks at Heim Barbecue have certainly figured things out.  Their barbecue is outstanding and they easily rank among the elite of the Texas barbecue joints.

I rate this barbecue two Hook ‘Ems!