Holsters Texas Bar B Q & Catering

11/29/09 So I never thought I'd be posting a review from the Northeast Mall in Hurst, TX, but hey, why not? Maybe I'll do Bill Miller next! Got the $8.99 one meat plate. There were 2 distinct types of brisket included. One was extremely lean, but good enough. The other had a good amount of fat in it and was also good enough, suprising for mall food, C+. The funny thing is, my 18 month old daughter loved it. Didn't want to stick with just one slice of brisket though, she wanted to eat one bite out of each slice. Maybe she wanted a wide sampling to help me with this post! The sides were also about average, C+. The mall cole slaw was mall cole slaw, but the garlic potatos were a nice change. The dinner roll was probably microwaved in a plastic bag. The BBQ sauce was of the dark, sugary-spicy, ketchup variety, but what else would you expect? In all, the meal was overpriced for the quality, but fit the bill for a BBQ fix after a mall adventure with 2 kids during the holidays...

Sam's

11/23/09 Sam's BBQ on E. 12 Street in Austin. Old school joint with poloroid photos everywhere. Small dining area, but outdoor porch made for a great lunch when it's 73 degrees outside (the flies were there, but only for great bbq). Down to business: Brisket was good and moist, a little too much fat for my taste but definitely B, B+. Was pleasantly surprised how good the sausage was. Definitely not just to have it on the menu, they did it right. Maybe it's from Elgin? Mutton was offered, but I had too much on my plate already to try it. The sauce was sugary and deep red (like Rudy's but not as peppery). The meats sampled were awesome, but the potato salad and beans were bland. Not bad, just bland. My kids would probably love 'em. On to the final stage of the adventure, banana pudding. It was awesome! Crushed Nilla Wafers everywhere, no shoratage here! All in all I'd say the meats and dessert qualified Sam's for one of the better BBQ venues in Austin, easily. She even gave us all logo keychains after our meal. I guess paying $13 for a meal has it's perks after all!