CRAFT BEER WEEK at Vickery Park

As much as I like food, I do have another mistress...which is beer.  I mentioned that I went to the Big Texas Beer Fest the other day, but I also want to mention that Craft Beer Week is happening at Vickery Park right now.  They're going to have rotating taps of select craft beers, mostly from Texas & the DFW area, all week long.  I also heard they might have some people showing up to talk about said beers too.  So, mosey your ass on down there, and if you get the GF as your waitress, make sure you tip her really well...she's one of the people who makes this blog happen.

JOINTS: Pecan Lodge

Not my picture...sorry, I didn't think to get the sign

If you've ever spent any time on this page, then you know that I'm a BBQ aficionado...I'm proud to say I've eaten at Smitty's, Kreuz's, and City Market BBQ...and I've been able to partake of Franklin's (which is considered by most to be THE BEST BARBEQUE IN AMERICA).  That being said, the GF had heard that Pecan Lodge in the Dallas Farmer's Market had the best fried chicken in town, and being the anal foodie that I am, I also knew that Pecan Lodge was more famous for having really good DFW barbeque.  After trying to go there on Friday during my lunch break (not happening) we decided to go back on Saturday and get our grub on.

Luckily, the line wasn't as bad on Saturday at 1pm that it was on Friday at 12pm, so we waited our turn and each ordered what we wanted...she got the fried chicken plate and I got the 2 meat plate, with a sausage link thrown on there for good measure.  The 2 meats were brisket & ribs, the staple of any good BBQ place, and we sat down and waited for our food.

If you're into BBQ like I am, you know that good food comes to those that wait, and you'll be waiting at Pecan Lodge, though the wait-time isn't anything like it is for Franklin's.  After about 30 minutes, our name was called, and we tucked into our food.

A couple of slices of Mrs. Baird's would have made it perfect

The first items I tried were my ribs, which were meaty and really good.  The meat came off the bone very easily and whatever sort of rub or sauce they have on them was really good and spicy.  Excited by what I had just experienced, I tucked into the brisket.  It had an okay smoke ring and a good flavor, and the thing I liked about was how salty it was.  I didn't realize it until the next day when I heated up my leftovers, but the brisket had a good salty taste to it, but at the time was moist and flavorful. I wouldn't put it against the big boys, but if this place was in Luling or Lockhart, I wouldn't be surprised.

The sausage was ok, a little too dense and gamey for me, and the sauce was a travesty.  Seriously, if I had one major complaint, then it would be about the BBQ sauce.  It tasted more like spicy ketchup than any semblance of BBQ sauce.  I'd rather they had just slapped some KC's Masterpiece on the plate, that's how bad it was.

My choice of fried okra was a bad one, but that was a suggestion by the GF.  What I really wanted was their famous mac & cheese, which she got, and which was DELICIOUS.  But it didn't hold a candle to what she was enjoying as her meal.

Prepare to have your fried chicken mind BLOWN

To say that this might have been the BEST fried chicken I've ever had would be an understatement...this was the BEST fried chicken that ANYONE has ever had.  I didn't think fried chicken could taste that way...the skin was crisp and spicy, but the chicken was moist and delicious and had that taste of home-cooking.  You're going to have to wait extra when you order the chicken, but it's totally worth it.  As much as I love Babe's Chicken House and their endless line of rolls & sides, this chicken kicked Babe's ass.

To sum up, I totally agree with the Dallas Observer by giving this place the award of "Best BBQ in Dallas" but as I've said before, that's not saying much.  For being a place that is such a pioneer of corporate BBQ, we have some really terrible BBQ places here.  Pecan Lodge is the first place I've eaten at that really seems to get it right.

Pecan Lodge
Dallas Farmers Market, Shed 2
1010 S. Pearl Expy.
Dallas, Texas 75201
214-748-8900 

BTW, the cookie was really good too...it had PRETZELS in it!!!