Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Fred's Bar-B-Q

IRVING: Fred’s Bar-B-Q
808 East Irving Boulevard
Irving, TX 75060
972-579-7655
Open M 11-6, Tue&Thur 10-6, W 10-6, F-Sat 10-9


Most storefronts in this strip mall bear Hispanic titles, so a name like "Fred's" really stands out. The service behind the counter was friendly, and the joint was busy with mainly to-go orders just an hour before closing. I ordered a sliced brisket sandwich and ribs. Unfortunately, I watched the lady behind the counter remove the nice black crust from the tender brisket before it was sliced. This removed any smoke flavor that may have existed in this less than stellar brisket. Although it was tender, it was nothing more than decent roast beef. On the other hand, the ribs were standout. These large spare ribs were incredibly tender with a remarkably smoky dark crust. The smoke line was prominent, and the smoke flavor permeated the meat. These were some of the best ribs I've had in DFW, and with a better brisket, this place could rank quite a bit higher.

Rating **


Fred's Barbecue on Urbanspoon

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DISCLAIMER:

Each joint is judged on the essence of Texas 'cue...sliced brisket and pork ribs. Sausage is only considered if house made. Sauce is good, but good meat needs no adornment to satisfy. Each review can only be based on specific cuts of meat on that particular day. Finally, if the place fries up catfish or serves a caesar salad, then chances are they aren't paying enough attention to the pits, so we mostly steered clear.

-THE PROPHETS OF SMOKED MEAT