The Ranch House

FORT WORTH: The Ranch House
5532 Jacksboro Hwy.
Ft. Worth, TX 76114
817-626-5532
Open Thur-Sat 10:30-9
http://www.ranch-house.net/

Update: This joint is CLOSED.

2009: After a quick search for information on this joint, I came away with little as its web presence was small. So small I had doubts that it would still be open. Walking into the dimly lit dining room was a jolt on a sunny Texas summer day. The neon did little to help the adjustment, but I bellied up to the bar for my to-go order. As I enjoyed my Budweiser I noticed how few folks were in the dining room, and how many seemed to just be there for a quick drink. I fully expected to take a few bites of what came out of this kitchen and quickly forget that it ever happened.

I could smell the smoke coming through the plastic bag as I walked to the car. Sitting inside, I opened the lid to find four well smoked ribs and thick slices of beautiful brisket. The ribs had a black crust and deep red color below it. The meat was tender if a bit dry, and the pork had a deep smokiness. Brisket slices were lean with little intramuscular fat, but it was perfectly tender and just moist enough. The robust smokiness so permeated the meat, it was hard to tell where the crust stopped and the rest of the meat began. This was simply good meat that didn't need a bit of the dark sweet and spicy sauce.

After visiting nearly 200 joints trying BBQ all over the state, I can often determine the quality of the 'cue before it even arrives on my plate, but this place was different. Despite a meager lunch crowd and a menu full of non-'cue items, this joint delivers the good stuff. Meat smoked this well should simply be drawing bigger crowds.

Rating ***

Cliff Cafe to Become BBQ Joint

Update: From the Oak Cliff edition of the Advocate - "Can't wait to find out what's in store for the Cliff Cafe? Did you hear the rumor that they're installing a smoker? We heard that, too. Unveiling of the Cliff Cafe's new concept is still some six weeks away, but maybe you can get a glimpse of what's in store at a Belmont Hotel picnic Aug. 6. The restaurant's new chef, Tim Byres, is going to be working the grill. The media release promises "BBQ and fixin's." Besides that, they'll have $2 beers with a $5 cover. The party, at the hotel's glam-tastic pool, starts at 7 p.m. The King Bucks play from 9-11 p.m."

I'll see you there.

- BBQ Snob

According to the Dallas Observer, the Cliff Cafe is about to get a facelift and a concept overhaul. The owners, who also own the wildly popular Bolsa, are looking to turn it into a "semi-upscale barbecue joint, adhering loosely to Bolsa's local and seasonal mantra." You know I can't wait to see how this upscale BBQ joint comes to fruition. Austin and Houston each have one (Lambert's and Beaver's), so I guess it's DFW's turn. Here's hoping that brisket is always in season.

- BBQ Snob

Robinson's Bar-B-Que

FORT WORTH: Robinson's Bar-B-Que
1028 E. Berry St.
Ft. Worth, TX 76110
817-924-1009
Open M-W 10-7, Thur 10-9, F-Sat 10-10, Sun 10-4
http://www.robinsons-bbq.com/

Billing themselves as a Kansas City style BBQ joint, this joint is unapologetic about slathering their meat with the house made sauce that is bottled for sale on the front counter. A rib plate and a sliced brisket sandwich were on my mind, and shortly after I ordered, a big bag of food was passed to me over the counter. I headed back to the car to get my camera and headed back out front. As I took a picture of the sign out front, Mr. Robinson swept up outside. We started talking and he let me know he'd been around for 35 years, and wondered how this was only my first trip. He mentioned that he smokes his meat in an Oyler pit with hickory, at which point I made it right back to the car to dig in.



The consistent slices of brisket had an impressive crust and smoke ring, but just a hint of smoke was peeking below the sweet sauce with a twang of vinegar. The moist and tender meat was perfectly cooked, but it was a bit roast-beefy and all that flavorful fat had been trimmed away.



The tender ribs had a roasted flavor in the thick meat, while again the sauce covered up any smokiness. Well rendered fat swam beneath the layers of meat and sauce. The flavor was pleasing, but it was just passable as Texas BBQ. I haven't made it to KC yet, but if this is a good version of the style, then Texas BBQ isn't looking to lose it's crown in my book.

Rating **