In an attempt to extend my trip to Texas over winter break by the tiniest bit, I went down to Sinatra Drive for some “Authentic Austin Barbeque” from the new House of ‘Que. Eager to sate my newly acquired taste for barbecue, and armed with a partner who spent the first 18 or so years of his life in Texas, I was ready.
The decor was spot-on, perhaps a bit more trendy with all of the TVs and neon lighting than the backwoods mom-and-pop places at which I’ve eaten, but with their fake old/weathered ambiance, I was no longer in Hoboken or anywhere close, really.
With $35 to spend, I left the ordering up to my partner and Lone Star State native who chose a sliced brisket sandwich, ¼ lb of sausage, half of a smoked chicken, a small mac n’ cheese, and a small cup of brisket chili. If I thought I was in Texas before, the prices certainly kept me grounded in Hoboken. Guests can choose to either order at the counter cafeteria-style or opt for table service. Wanting to keep things authentic, we of course opted for cafeteria-style.
The sandwich was tasty – the brisket was tender, juicy, and fatty but not grizzly, the bread was nothing special really, but I’m not kidding myself into thinking that the sandwich was not all about the mouth-wateringly smoky meat. Decently priced for Hoboken, the same sandwich would cost about half the price at a backwoods joint in Texas.
For those of you who don’t know (you’ve probably been spending too much time in yoga studios and eating rabbit food), brisket is a cut of meat taken from the breast or lower chest of a cow. Talk to just about anyone from the South, and they will be thoroughly sore about all of the Northern misnamed “barbeques” which in reality are just cook-outs due to the lack of brisket and the like.
The sausage was by far my favorite. Having been raised on spicy Italian sausage, with time I’ve come to appreciate the idea of a smoky spice and House of ‘Que certainly has that correct. The chicken was dry, not much else to say about that. The sauces were good, both sweet and smoky with one a little bit spicier, though neither my partner nor I could pinpoint why they tasted slightly different than what we were accustomed to. The mac and cheese was smooth but nothing special, and the brisket in the chili was incredibly tender with the perfect hint of heat, but was a little too saucy for mine and my partner’s tastes.
Overall, House of ‘Que is the closest thing to Southern barbeque Hoboken has and isn’t even a bad attempt. I would be more inclined to go back between 11 am and 3 pm weekdays for the lunch specials which are priced more college-friendly.
After the meal, my Lone Star friend and I did agree that the flavor of the meat was different, though as with the sauces, we could not figure out why. Perhaps like the rest of the states just can’t capture the taste of a New York/Jersey pizza or loaf of seeded semolina, the North can’t exactly replicate the taste of Southern barbeque because it’s all about the water, or something along those lines.
