Our last bbq destination was Railhead Smokehouse in Fort Worth, Texas. We got there just after 11:00 a.m., very early, so that we could catch an IMAX movie that started at 12:15, and we stood in line behind about 15 people. And people just kept coming. The place is popular. All of the people behind the counter wore t-shirts with the slogan, "Life is too short to live in Dallas." The slogan also appears at the bottom of the menu on the website.
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| In addition to the customary bread, we got a dill pickle slice and a large slice of onion. |
The cheddar peppers were different. The jalapeno inside was not whole, like jalapeno poppers I've had. Inside was cheddar cheese and pieces of jalapeno, more cheddary and less peppery. They were nice, different, but I still prefer jalapeno poppers.
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| Cheddar peppers |
The potato salad was mediocre, way below the smoky potato salad in Arkansas, and not on the same planet with the twice baked mashed potatoes in Texarkana. Very sub-par by comparison.
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| Potato salad |
The beans were also different. They had a weird consistency and taste, but I can't place them. Pinto beans? Not sure. But they were worse than the canned tasting beans in Arkansas and, again, vastly inferior to the beans in Texarkana.
The cole slaw was tasteless. It was even worse than the beans. I only ate a couple of bites. This place was a side disaster. Why do people go there?
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| Coleslaw |
Then I tried the pork ribs. Large, smokey, riddled with smoke induced pink coloring and moist. Best ribs of the four restaurants. That's why they come.
The brisket was moist, fatty, smokey and full of flavor. Bingo. Best brisket. Another reason to come.
The sausage, a jalapeno sausage, was covered in bbq sauce which I don't like, was a little overcooked and did not have the flavor of the sausage in Little Rock or Hot Springs. However, it was better than the sausage in Texarkana.
Railhead Smokehouse would probably be no. two out of the four bbq places we visited, but just because the ribs and brisket were so good. If they had sides anything like Naaman's in Texarkana, this would be no. one. Naaman's, because of the consistent quality and fantastic sides, was my overall favorite.
Remember that this place was recommended to us by the women in the art museum shop who told us it was at least as good if not better than another place we were planning to go that was further away.. It is definitely popular with the locals. The enthusiasm of the cooks and client was contagious.
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