travel blogger – Traveling BBQer

Texas Hill Country is located in central/south Texas. Major spots include San Marcos, New Braunfels, Wimberly, Luckenbach, and Fredericksburg to name a few. In Fredericksburg you will find, shopping, restaurants, breweries, live music, and wineries by the dozen. Texas hill country has over 100 different wineries, with over 50 of them located in the Fredericksburg area.

Fredericksburg is rich with small town charm. Main street is mixed with old charm, restaurants, upscale shopping, and little dives to grab a drink and hear a local musician sing. Also it is the clear the financial investments that have been made in the wineries and breweries around town. I was amazed at what has been done around this small central Texas town.

For our three day stay the wife found the perfect little Airbnb right off of Main Street. It was a short walk to all of what Fredericksburg’s downtown had to offer. Which meant day drinking wasn’t a problem. No driving, and a short walk to take an afternoon nap lol.

The decor of this cottage perfectly matched the feel of Fredericksburg, old charm with an upscale feel. This is offered by Agave Cottages, who is a super host on Airbnb and was around $150 a night when we visited at the end of March. There are so many unique and funky places to stay in and around Fredericksburg it can be overwhelming. Planning what activities and where they are located can help you narrow down where you might want to stay. Luckily for me my wife is amazing at planning, so I leave these details up to her and she always does an amazing job.

The Texas sun and day drinking looks good on her.

The highlight of our vineyard stops for me was our tour at Slate Theory Vineyard. It’s a chic facility that offered amazing Texas wines. Touring the facility and listening to the staff talk about their history and plans for the future made you feel their passion for what they were doing. I have always admired people that are passionate about their crafts, whether be a wine maker, furniture builder, finance person, artist, or anyone in-between. The enthusiasm at Slate Theory is portrayed in their wines. We loaded up more than one bottle before we left.

Selecting what vineyards you are going to visit is a tall task in Fredericksburg, with so many in the area you might want to check into tours that have predetermined stops. It will take some the stress of selecting vineyards, and finding a sober driver away. Agave Cottages offered a tour you could book through them. I will warn you bachelorette parties are everywhere you look around town, and be prepared to wait for a table at dinner time. The restaurants are usually small on the inside and that leads to longer wait times. Don’t wait until you are starving to get something to eat.

This short trip to Fredericksburg was perfect. The temps in late march were more favorable than when summer sets in in Texas. The sun shined bright in the Texas sky, and the wine was flowed everywhere you looked. From where I am located in south-central Kansas it is about a 9 hour drive. To be transported to such a devoted wine scene that close to home was astonishing. I have never been to Napa Valley, but the feel has to be similar. I am not a wine connoisseur I just enjoy seeing people live out there passions. Keep it up Texas hill country we will be back. For me it is a trip I would make a long weekend out of. Wine country isn’t enough for me to make a destination out of, it is more of a stop along the way of what else Texas has to offer.

travelingbbqer

Our second stop on our central Texas road trip was La Barbecue. What started as a food truck in 2012 has found a home at 2401 E Cesar Chavez where they have created something special. We arrived on a Sunday morning about 10:45 and joined the line that had wrapped around the corner of the building already.

The smell of the smokers filled the air and everyone in line was eager to eat. It took about an hour from our place in line to the time we got our food. The atmosphere is fun, the Mrs. was digging the music selections, and the decor was unique.

We ordered at the counter, they cut the meat as you order (and pass out a bite of brisket or two while they prepare your order) and we went outside to eat. The weather was gorgeous that day. We ordered sausage, ribs, and brisket. With beans, onions, pickles, and bread to fill out the platter.

Lets start with the sausage. It is a German style sausage like most are in central Texas. It was smokey, flavorful, moist and very good. The ribs were absolutely dynamite. We got the end of the slab which tends to be not as good, but they were still fantastic. The seasoning was perfectly complimented by the glaze. It was a little sweet, a little tangy, with a little heat.

La Barbecue was my first real central Texas brisket experience. Just look at that bark! The bark on a brisket in Texas is sacred. Dark color, moist, and a little sticky to the touch. That bark lets you know the pitmaster put in the time and effort to cook it to perfection. The kind of bark I have only ever seen accomplished by a well ran offset pit. The flavor was outstanding, the fat was well rendered, and was very moist. There were a few sauces on the table to try, but the brisket didn’t need anything, it was great. The beans were different than what I am use to getting at BBQ restaurants, and they were delicious. I would say more of a Mexican style baked bean. We loved them.

It was easy to see why La Barbecue is considered one of the best in Austin by locals and barbecue tourist like myself. Waiting in line smelling the smoke and meat cooking while you anxiously wait your turn to order somehow adds to the experience. The food is incredible, the service was great and people were very friendly. I can see why people say Texas barbecue is the best. I like a lot of spots in my little hometown of Wichita KS, but La Barbecue is on another level. We have nothing that compares to it here. I cannot recommend enough adding La Barbecue to the top of your list of places to eat in Austin if you ever find yourself in central Texas.

Tag: travel blogger

Texas Hill Country

La Barbecue, Austin Texas