I went to a pop up today for Redbird BBQ, a place that will be opening right next door to my second home 
Neches Brewing Company in Port Neches, Texas. Redbird will open later this year, hopefully in July or August.
The owner, Amir Jalali, is from Port Neches and has worked for Goldee's in Fort Worth for the last year and a half. Goldee's was the No. 1 barbecue joint on the Texas Monthly Top 50 list. (He has also worked at other places but I don' remember where at the moment.) Very nice guy and passionately devoted to making the best BBQ that he can.
I forgot my phone today so I couldn't take any pictures, I'll post some from Redbird's and Neches Brewing Company's facebook pages. I arrived at 10:30am, they didn't start serving until noon. I hung out in the brewery and had a few beers but saw that the line was getting long so I went out and got a place. The line continued to form on down the block so I would estimate at least 300 people showed up. Then problem is there were only 200 plates of food available so I know there were a few disappointed folks but, hey, that's Texas BBQ. They passed out samples of the brisket while we waited. It is February in Texas so naturally it was hot and we were cussing at the sun a bit, I mean if it this hot now, what's June through August going to be like? (For those who don't know, Texas doesn't usually have seasons as most people know them; we have about 20 different forms of summer).
Each plate came with brisket (I got two slices - one each flat and point plus some burnt ends), chopped brisket, one pork rib, two types of BBQ sauce Texas and mustard, red beans and rice, cornbread pudding, cole slaw with house made garlic croutons, a house made roll, cinnamon honey butter, and house made pickles and onions.
I'm not the best at describing things so I'll just say WOW! This was seriously good BBQ. The smoke ring on the brisket was about 3/8" and the flavor was right on. I made a sandwich with the roll and the chopped brisket using both sauces and I would do it again - the roll is nice and moist with a butter and yeast note to it. The rib was perfectly cooked with a nice bite, a little sweeter that a lot of Texas ribs but I liked that and I would eat a whole slab.
The red beans and rice are some of the best that I've had with a nice spicy kick. The corn bread pudding was surprisingly good too; usually when I have ordered this side at a BBQ joint I'm like 'Ok, this is cornbread with creamed corn added' but Redbird's was a step above what I've had at other places.
Dessert was banana pudding, of course. I wolfed it down even though I was stuffed.
Washed it all down with some nice beers from Neches Brewing Company and I'm now ready for a nap.
The price for all of this: plate lunch was $35.00 and the banana pudding was $5.00. I didn't finish it all, I will eat the rest for supper tonight.
I'm really happy that SE Texas will now have two great BBQ joints.
For those on facebook here is a video:
Neches Brewing Company in Port Neches, Texas. Redbird will open later this year, hopefully in July or August.The owner, Amir Jalali, is from Port Neches and has worked for Goldee's in Fort Worth for the last year and a half. Goldee's was the No. 1 barbecue joint on the Texas Monthly Top 50 list. (He has also worked at other places but I don' remember where at the moment.) Very nice guy and passionately devoted to making the best BBQ that he can.
I forgot my phone today so I couldn't take any pictures, I'll post some from Redbird's and Neches Brewing Company's facebook pages. I arrived at 10:30am, they didn't start serving until noon. I hung out in the brewery and had a few beers but saw that the line was getting long so I went out and got a place. The line continued to form on down the block so I would estimate at least 300 people showed up. Then problem is there were only 200 plates of food available so I know there were a few disappointed folks but, hey, that's Texas BBQ. They passed out samples of the brisket while we waited. It is February in Texas so naturally it was hot and we were cussing at the sun a bit, I mean if it this hot now, what's June through August going to be like? (For those who don't know, Texas doesn't usually have seasons as most people know them; we have about 20 different forms of summer).
Each plate came with brisket (I got two slices - one each flat and point plus some burnt ends), chopped brisket, one pork rib, two types of BBQ sauce Texas and mustard, red beans and rice, cornbread pudding, cole slaw with house made garlic croutons, a house made roll, cinnamon honey butter, and house made pickles and onions.
I'm not the best at describing things so I'll just say WOW! This was seriously good BBQ. The smoke ring on the brisket was about 3/8" and the flavor was right on. I made a sandwich with the roll and the chopped brisket using both sauces and I would do it again - the roll is nice and moist with a butter and yeast note to it. The rib was perfectly cooked with a nice bite, a little sweeter that a lot of Texas ribs but I liked that and I would eat a whole slab.
The red beans and rice are some of the best that I've had with a nice spicy kick. The corn bread pudding was surprisingly good too; usually when I have ordered this side at a BBQ joint I'm like 'Ok, this is cornbread with creamed corn added' but Redbird's was a step above what I've had at other places.
Dessert was banana pudding, of course. I wolfed it down even though I was stuffed.
Washed it all down with some nice beers from Neches Brewing Company and I'm now ready for a nap.
The price for all of this: plate lunch was $35.00 and the banana pudding was $5.00. I didn't finish it all, I will eat the rest for supper tonight.
I'm really happy that SE Texas will now have two great BBQ joints.
For those on facebook here is a video:
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