Hill Country – BBQ in the Big Apple

A few months ago I took a trip to Austin Texas to visit  family and eat BBQ . It was my first time in Texas and I could not wait to try authentic Texas BBQ. As I walked through the airport in Houston the smell of BBQ  wafted through the air.  Arriving in Austin I could hardly wait for dinner. The first stop was a place called the Salt Lick. The name should have been a hint that something was wrong, but looking at the enormous line of people waiting  to be seated  made me think that the place had to be good. Sadly, I was mistaken. I had traveled all the way to Texas for lousy BBQ when the best was in my own backyard. Hill Country, in the Flatiron district, is finger licking good BBQ.   The place has zero ambiance and you have to wait on line for your meat and a separate line for sides.  It isn’t about the atmosphere…its about BBQ.   The space is cavernous…perhaps that is the point – a man-cave for sure!   You order the brisket and ribs  by the half pound or pound & it is served on sheets of paper with as much white bread as you like. Perhaps not the best place for a romantic date night unless the date is super fun and cool eating meat out of paper!  The BBQ brisket & spareribs just melt in your mouth & the sauce is top notch and a full bottle sits on the table so you can have as much as you like. My favorite sides are the beer braised cowboy pinto beans , camp fire baked beans and the mashed sweet potatoes with  cinnamon.  Don’t show up if you don’t have an appetite – There is no point.  They also have a fully stocked bar and a waitress will serve you drinks if you’d like.  So at least your drinks will be served to the table!

www.HillCountryNY.com