1st visit to Smoke in the Hills BBQ (Boerne, TX)

Last night, I paid my visit to Random Beer Garden in Boerne. It's really great venue. A field with food trucks, a stage for live music, a play area for kids, and a covered bar with TVs and 80+ craft beers. One of the food trucks was Smoke in the Hills BBQ. It was the first of 3 food trucks I ordered from. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of the trailer, but I took some pics of my meal: brisket, pulled pork, potato salad, green beans, pickles, onions, & bread. And also some pics of the venue. It was a great venue and beautiful weather. Too bad my Spurs lost. Win or lose, Go Spurs Go!

Bar D BBQ (Boerne, TX) has closed.

Don't know when it happened, but Bar D BBQ in Boerne has shut down. Very best wishes to Perry and all of the Bar D family.

Last pics from Fritze's

Out back at Fritze's

More from Fritze's

Lunch #3 in Boerne: Fritze's BBQ & Catering

My final stop of the day in Boerne was Fritze's BBQ & Catering, on the north end of Main Street. Fritze's was opened in December 2007 by David Fritze, with whom I had the pleasure of spending the better part of my visit. Housed in a former furniture store, Fritze's is decked out in comfortable Texas decor, with seating available in the main dining area, the front and back patios, and the beer garden (in which the host live music from time to time).

Unlike most Texas BBQ joints, Fritze's uses an indoor rotisserie to cook their meats. They have one smoker out back, but it's not used unless the rotisserie is on the fritz (pun intended). Fritze's does a large catering and drive-thru business, and they always strive to be family friendly. They have daily specials, even do BBQ baked potatoes, and, according to David, "will never fry anything." David told me the next menu endeavor will be breakfast tacos.

As this was my third lunch of the day, my appetite wasn't huge, so I sampled the brisket, pulled pork, sauce, and green beans. The brisket was similar to the brisket I had earlier in the day at Bar D BBQ: thinly sliced and smokey; the pulled pork was thin and stringy, with a mix of inside and outside cuts; the green beans (my first side of the day) were served hot, but that's all I remember about them (The vegetables at Fritze's come with unlimited free refills.); and the sauce was great: thin, peppery, tangy, and piping hot. David sent me home with a half chicken, which I reheated in my oven and downed that night for dinner (very good). Next time I'm there, the main event will be the half chicken with sauce.

David, Katie, and everyone at Fritze's were wonderful hosts, and it seems like they've got a good thing going at 926 North Main Street in Boerne. It was easy to see that David, who's spent his entire career in various positions in the food/beverage industry, truly loves what he does. Stop in to see him, next time you're in Boerne, and stay tuned for more pics.

The rest from Riverside

Lunch #2 in Boerne: Riverside Market

After my first lunch at Bar D BBQ, I continued on down Main Street and stopped for a second lunch at Riverside Market, in the center of town (491 South Main St.). Akin to Rudy's, Riverside is inside a gas station/convenience store. Riverside is no-frills. Not a place for big groups or a place to soak up the atmosphere, but it's a great place to stop in for a quick lunch.

I wanted to still have some room left for my third stop, so I simply ordered a slice of brisket and a slice of pork loin ($1.08, including tax). The thick slices were pretty dry. If I return, I'll probably give the half chicken a try.

Last pics from Bar D BBQ

More from the pit at Bar D

Close-ups from Bar D

Stop 1 of 3 on first visit to Boerne: Bar D BBQ

The first of my 3 BBQ lunches in Boerne on Wednesday, August 26, was at Bar D BBQ (1481 South Main St.). Bar D, conveniently located just off I-10 and open daily, had only been open for 3 months when I stopped in. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by Merry, who took me under her wing and kept me comfortable my entire visit. She seemed to love working at Bar D, and I appreciated her spirit and passion so much.

I tried the turkey, brisket, a pork rib, and a quarter chicken (dark). The turkey was cool (not hot or warm) yet moist and flavorful. Definitely not overcooked and dry, as we find it at many places. The brisket was sliced thin, and it had a nice smokey flavor. The pork rib was chewy but at least, like the brisket, was smokey. The half chicken was fantastic. Hot and moist, with a cracked-pepper rub. Easily the best thing I tried, followed by the brisket, the turkey, and the pork rib. I didn't try the sausage but left with a link. The 18-ingredient sauce was too sweet for my tastes.

After lunch, Perry, the owner, was kind enough to show me the pit and answer some questions. Perry, Merry, and everyone at Bar D were gracious hosts. If y'all are reading this, thank you again for your hospitality! More pics on the way.