HOUSTON: Goode Co. Texas BBQ 5109 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77098
713-522-2530
Open Daily 11-10
www.goodecompany.com
Goode Company is BBQ for the people. The masses do not obsess about smokerings and brisket snot, rather they enjoy a bevy of tasty side items, cold beer, and good desserts to go along with their 'cue. Did you say jalapeno cheese bread? Pile it on too. How about a gluten-free menu? Why not. While I consider many of these items superfluous to a great plate of smoked meat, I too see the value in one of the best slices of pecan pie I've sank my teeth into, especially after a long day of barbecuing around Houston. The sweetness was a welcome respite after so much meat, but I had saved a little pocket of my stomach for some more protein.
Duck on a BBQ menu? Yes, in addition to the traditional smoked meats, Goode Co. also offers smoked duck, Czech sausage, and spicy sliced pork. These are items not often found on a BBQ menu in Texas, so I had to add them to my order of brisket and pork ribs. I was thankful for the option to order a plate of just meats, and to not have to take the obligatory bite of potato salad and beans that I had no room for.
I began with the duck. Much of the smoke was trapped in the plasticy skin, so the meat had little smoke. While the flavor was great, and oddly more like pork than duck, the meat was a bit dry. I was hoping for more punch from the spicy pork, and while it was moist and tender, it lacked spice altogether, and had little flavor. Brisket also lacked flavor and smoke. I thought that to be nearly impossible with the kitchen employing the use mesquite smoke, but it may have all disappeared in the fat that completely eliminated from each slice. Not even a dunk in the sauce helped as it tasted more like a roasted tomato sauce than BBQ sauce. Beginning to get discouraged by this member of the elite Texas Monthly Top 50, I moved on to the gem of the plate. Czech sausage was deeply smoky and boldly seasoned. This very coarsely ground sausage had visible chunks of fat interlaced with well spiced meat, all encased in a beautifully snappy casing. Ribs were also good. They tasted like they'd been sitting for a while, but the heavy black pepper rub helped bring them to life. They had a bit more smoke than the rest of the meats, and along with the sausage helped to salvage this otherwise lackluster offering. Now where's the rest of that pie?
Rating ***
The Goode empire includes a wonderful taqueria and two fish places, all cooking with mesquite. I realize the mission here is BBQ but if you're in Houston and in the mood for something out of the water you can't beat the fish house on Westpark. Specifically the mesquite grilled redfish.
ReplyDeleteThere's one other "intangible" type aspect of Goode's that a devoted bbq hound may not appreciate. It is the perfect place to take out of town guests who want to try barbecue. Not that it's the best food, but it feels like a barbecue restaurant. The narrow inner room to get food, the country music soundtrack, the patio seating - all conveniently located right in the middle of Houston with none of that "where the hell are we going" associated with a trip to Pierson's.
ReplyDeleteBest pecan pie ever. I was disappointed with the barbecue, though.
ReplyDeleteHow is it that you're not big as a house? ;)
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of the sauce here which is best enjoyed with jap cheese bread as your edible utensil.
ReplyDeleteYou are dead right about the pecan pie here. I believe that pecan pie occupies the top of the pie pyramid and Jim Goode's fruit-of-the-state-tree pastry is the top of the pecan pie pile.