Saturday, September 18, 2010: Chief's BBQ & Grill (Austin, TX)

I had heard of Chief's BBQ & Grill but had no idea it's just a 5-minute drive down the street from the house. Brad and I hit it up for lunch a couple of Saturdays ago. Since we were the only ones dining in, I didn't get the funny glances from nearby patrons I usually get when I start snapping close-ups of the food. Not that I care; just saying.

The guy behind the counter was very friendly. Not surprisingly, he was wearing a Red Sox hat. (We Sox fans are good people.) Brad and I split a 3-meat plate (brisket, pork ribs, and ham). I didn't have the fries, and the green beans and corner didn't really have any taste (I didn't care, b/c I rarely get sides - it was just a good deal.), but the meats were good. The brisket was a tad too dry, but the flavor was on, and the smoke ring was prominent. The pork ribs had a great crust to them. I would have liked a bit more meat on them, but they were not fatty at all. I would get them again. And I would definitely order the ham again. The pieces were pretty thin, but that won't be a problem next time when I order all meats, b/c I'll load up on the ham and stack the pieces. All in all, 3 good meats. I'll go back - and not just b/c it's so close to home but b/c it will be a good protein fix.

Brad's scores - Brisket: 7.5; Ham: 7.5; Pork ribs: 8.25; Fries: 8; Overall experience: 7.68

Drew's scores - Brisket: 7.2; Ham: 8.75; Pork ribs: 8.6; Overall experience: 7.88

Overall Man-Up score: 7.78