“Barbecue may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start.” – Anthony Bourdain
It’s been a minute since we’ve made a BBQ pilgrimage and I was ready to make something happen. While searching around for our next destination lots of options were on the table. We had mentioned going back to Franklin’s, Snow’s is on our bucket list as well. However, we have a gaggle of guys with kiddos and responsibilities so planning road trips requires a bit more tactful planning and prior approval from the higher-ups. Thankfully Goldee’s Bar-B-Q is only a stone’s throw away from all of us in Dallas proper. Even more impressive is that this is the number one ranked BBQ place per Texas Monthly’s list.
We’re professionals when it comes to waiting in line for food and for any Texas BBQ that is worth it be prepared to wait. If it takes 14+ hours to make one of the best briskets on the planet you can wait a few hours to ensure that you get a slice.
We left my house just after 7am to grab our buddy and we ended up arriving at Goldee’s just after 8am. Which I will recommend as the perfect time on a Saturday morning to arrive. There were a good 30-40 people ahead of us but no fear of anything being sold out with our location in line. I was surprised to see a pile of lawn chairs available for folks who did not show up with their own which is a lovely service. Now out of the 100 in the pile, I bet only 4 were still operable, but they are technically still chairs. My advice is to bring your own like we did and pack a cooler with water and beer. Because life-changing brisket hits different when you sit in a lawn chair with some breakfast beers and good company.
The accolades earned by Goldee’s from Texas Monthly and Michelin are completely deserved. They have one of the best pork ribs that I’ve ever had. The rub was sweet and the meat was tender. Pork Belly, which is not typical on a BBQ menu, was outstanding but I believe that they could have gone crispier but that’s just me. We had a spirited debate as we got into the trailer about the proper way to pronounce “Laotion” which we all agreed is a weird way to say “something from Laos”. After we learned from Google the correct pronunciation we grabbed a Laotion sausage link out of spite and it was worth it, fantastic. We avoided the turkey and sausage but the group in front of us had high praise for the turkey. Now the brisket, oh that brisket. I am a fatty slice believer but they made an effort to make sure everyone gets half fatty and half lean. That was the best lean I’ve had. Perfect chew, wasn’t dry, added with their house BBQ sauce was fantastic. The sides were delicious as well, grab the slaw, tater salad, beans, and cheesy grits, and eat every slice of bread. They make it in-house and it was incredible.
The best item on their menu surprisingly was the Banana Pudding. And let me tell y’all, I don’t just hate bananas I LOATHE BANANAS. They are disgusting….
but… that was the most delicious thing on their menu. Buttery graham crackers, smooth pudding, and perfectly balanced banana flavor. Goldee’s converted me but I doubt anyone will come close to recreating that experience for me, but I will gladly verify if they can.
Based on my previous experiences I would rank Goldee’s on the same level as a Cattleack Barbeque and Franklin Barbeque. If you have a chance, take a Saturday, camp out in line, offer some strangers a beverage, and share the experience with the best of friends, or make some new ones in line while you wait.
Cheers Y’all,
William
W Is For Will 