Comeaux's Bar-B-Que

Photo by Nicholas McWhirter

PORT ARTHUR: Comeaux's Bar-B-Que
1848 Bluebonnet Ave.
Port Arthur, TX 77640
(409) 982-3262
Open Tues-Sat 2-10

It was a dark night in Port Arthur and the rain was coming down in sheets. We drove down a long street where it seemed every street lamp was out, so the tiny building with the light on out front was easy to spot off in the distance. Comeaux's is open late, so we ducked our heads and charged through the rain to the front door. Just inside the door wasn't so much a dining room as a waiting area clad in paneling with a window looking into the kitchen. Mr. Comeaux who's been running this place for greater than twenty-five years stood at the window to take our order.

Pork ribs were sold out for the night, but they still had 'pork bones' left. These are basically pig spine with tiny morsels of meat still clinging to the bones. The tiny bit of protein wasn't really worth the trouble.

Brisket slices were certainly more substantial than the pork bones, but there was something odd about them. They had a deep rosy color all the way through, and the flavor was of beef jerky. It struck me that they had been cured in some way before being smoked. The meat was chewy and incredibly salty, and not at all pleasant.

The other menu items were obligatory, since we were really here to try the spicy beef links. They were worth the trip. These all beef links had a great kick from the spice and the garlic and even had a nutty flavor to them. The tough beef casings were somewhat loosely packed to allow for easier extraction of the beefy stuffing. All-in-all these were a great example of this Southeast Texas specialty, and reason enough for me to return for another visit to Mr. Comeaux.

Rating **