Today I tried out the newest BBQ joint in SE Texas: 1701 BBQ. They are located at 1701 Calder, Beaumont, Texas. As you can see they used their address for their name. They have been open for 10-14 days, M-F only, and they have had lines around the building from the git-go. They started as a food truck a few years back - I have had their fare before and even commented that they needed to open a fixed location restaurant. I have heard good things about their current operation and talked with their Pitmaster D-Ray last week when he came to the local brew pub to hang out for awhile. He recommended the turkey breast and several other people I talked with said the same.
They open at 11am. I arrived at 12:20 and they were out of pulled pork and turkey breast (I have never seen a BBQ joint run out of turkey breast before running out of the other meats). By the time I got into the building they were out of pork ribs and links (I was only three people away from entering the building when I got in line). I ordered brisket and a beef rib - that is all they had - and by the time I finished checking out they were out of brisket.
I sat down to try this new found BBQ ambrosia, and ambrosia it is. The beef rib the best I've ever had. I usually can't finish a whole beef rib since it is so rich and fatty but I ate this one in 3 minutes. The brisket was moist, tender, 1/8 -1/4" smoke ring, good bark, and very tasty. I had to stop myself from eating all 1/2 lb of it (remember - I ate a whole beef rib) but it was soooo good. The only sides I got were brisket beans - yum - and a Shiner Bock. They came by the tables and gave out free Karbach Crawford Bock to those of us still eating after they ran out of food.
I went to the local brew pub at 1:45pm and one of my friends was there - he had left 1701 just before I arrived and he had some pork ribs so I got to try them as well : Perfect, not fall off the bone but good and tender with an easy bite to pull the meat off the bone. Very moist with a great flavor (dry rub, no sauce).
All in all, very comparable to the good Central Texas BBQ joints (but I only have to drive 20 miles instead of 150 miles). I'm very happy to have this new brick and mortar BBQ restaurant in town, especially since our local BBQ scene is lacking - Dickie's is considered one of the better places around here.
They open at 11am. I arrived at 12:20 and they were out of pulled pork and turkey breast (I have never seen a BBQ joint run out of turkey breast before running out of the other meats). By the time I got into the building they were out of pork ribs and links (I was only three people away from entering the building when I got in line). I ordered brisket and a beef rib - that is all they had - and by the time I finished checking out they were out of brisket.
I sat down to try this new found BBQ ambrosia, and ambrosia it is. The beef rib the best I've ever had. I usually can't finish a whole beef rib since it is so rich and fatty but I ate this one in 3 minutes. The brisket was moist, tender, 1/8 -1/4" smoke ring, good bark, and very tasty. I had to stop myself from eating all 1/2 lb of it (remember - I ate a whole beef rib) but it was soooo good. The only sides I got were brisket beans - yum - and a Shiner Bock. They came by the tables and gave out free Karbach Crawford Bock to those of us still eating after they ran out of food.
I went to the local brew pub at 1:45pm and one of my friends was there - he had left 1701 just before I arrived and he had some pork ribs so I got to try them as well : Perfect, not fall off the bone but good and tender with an easy bite to pull the meat off the bone. Very moist with a great flavor (dry rub, no sauce).
All in all, very comparable to the good Central Texas BBQ joints (but I only have to drive 20 miles instead of 150 miles). I'm very happy to have this new brick and mortar BBQ restaurant in town, especially since our local BBQ scene is lacking - Dickie's is considered one of the better places around here.
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