Epic Fail

Say what? Texas snubbed in best barbecue rankings in favor of . . . Georgia: A lesson in ridiculous lists

Signs and commercials advise people "Don't mess with Texas," but it appears not everyone got the memo. TripAdvisor, which describes itself as "the world's largest travel site" but is more likely to be your mom's favorite way to plan her girls weekend in Cape Cod, compiled a list of the Top 10 U.S. states for barbecue.

Texas came in third. North Carolina came in second, which, sure, some people think pork in vinegar counts as barbecue, so OK. Georgia came in first. WTF Trip Advisor?

The fault, of course, lies in how the rankings are compiled, which is based on how many people voted for a barbecue restaurant. Lots of people voted for lots of places in Georgia, so it's magically the state with the best barbecue.

Georgia came in first. WTF Trip Advisor?

Of course, Texans see things differently. When Texas Monthly published its list of the state's 50 best barbecue joints, it called them "the best in the world." After all, a little bragging is very Texan.

Texas and North Carolina each have multiple, distinctive regional styles that distinguish each state's barbecue from any other. What exactly is Georgia barbecue?

Writing for the Southern Foodways Alliance, John T. Edge notes that Georgia barbecue "is not restricted to one style" but that barbecue in Georgia is "an event, where the bonds of community are celebrated, the tethers of tradition strengthened."

Is that a fancy way of saying it's an excuse to get drunk? Because it seems like every SEC football weekend provides a similar opportunity, with or without smoked pork shoulder.

Dallas TV station WFAA went so far as to track down Georgia-based barbecue blogger Dustin Moody, who said TripAdvisor's work is "one of the more bogus lists I’ve seen. Texas is still number one for me."

At least TripAdvisor users had the sense to rank Austin's Franklin Barbecue as the country's best, even if they snubbed other worthy spots like Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor or Snow's BBQ in Lexington (both Texas top five). Strangely, no North Carolina joints, not even the world-renowned Lexington Barbecue, make the Top 10. Three spots in Georgia did, of course.

Oh, TripAdvisor. Never stop being you. It just means the rest of us won't have to compete with quite as many other people at actual barbecue joints people care about.

TripAdvisor readers snubbed Texas barbecue in a recent poll.

Photo by: Kimberly Park

TripAdvisor readers snubbed Texas barbecue in a recent poll.

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What's Eric Eating Episodes 518 and 519

Meet the men behind River Oaks' new destination for bowls and broth

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Honest Mary’s founder Nelson Monteith and COO Andrew Wiseheart joined CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant that just opened its first Houston location in the River Oaks Shopping Center (2047-A West Gray St).

Monteith shares that he started the restaurant in 2017 in order to fulfill his vision of a restaurant which could serve food that’s fast, fresh, and affordable. A trained chef who operated pioneering Austin restaurant Contigo, Wiseheart joined the group to bring both culinary expertise and operational acumen to the grouping company.

Part of what sets Honest Mary’s apart is that diners can add cooked vegetables to the rice and proteins at the heart of every bowl. The “Market Sides” section includes an array of roasted vegetables — including sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, and Brussels sprouts — as well as black beans, maple-glazed carrots, and green lentils. Bowls can be further enhanced with toppings such as Texas pecans, crispy chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, and apples as well as sauces such as creamy poblano, cashew lime crema, sesame vinaigrette, spicy peanut, chimichurri and apple cider vinaigrette

Monteith explains that looking at the ingredients on display usually inspires him when he’s deciding what to eat at Honest Mary’s.

“I will almost always look at the line and see what looks fresh and good,” Monteith says. “Today, I got the salted kale with white rice. Then, I got garlic-pepper steak. I added on lentils — they’re my go-to in the winter. They blend everything together, and I love it Then Brussels sprouts looked green. I got some jalapenos. Avocados, cause that’s healthy. Then I got the chimichurri sauce.”

Honest Mary’s is also known for its hearty broths, a classic chicken and a vegetarian option made with seaweed and mushroom. Sandler raves about the chicken broth to Wiseheart, who shares how it’s made.

“We spent six or seven months testing recipes and drinking it ourselves to see if it’s a good idea,” Wiseheart says. “I talk about it as a great complement to the menu. It’s healthy. It’s really simple. Most of the kitchens I came up with were rooted in French cuisine. This is just chicken stock with salt in it.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Honest Mary’s plans for additional locations in Houston and Dallas. Then Monteith asks a Sandler a few questions about the Houston dining scene.

In this week’s other episode, Sandler and co-host Mary Clarkson discuss the news of the week. Their topics include Home Slice Pizza opening a new location in the Heights; the closures of Brett’s BBQ Shop in Katy and Killen’s Barbecue in The Woodlands; and Esquire including ChòpnBlok on its list of America’s best new restaurants.

In the restaurant of the week segment, the two friends discuss their recent meal at Hypsi, the Italian restaurant in the newly-opened Hotel Daphne. Listen to the episode to hear their favorite dishes and other thoughts on the meal.

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Subscribe to "What's Eric Eating" on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hear it Sunday at 9 am on ESPN 97.5.

Photo by Becca Wright

Find Honest Mary's in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

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