The phrase “food coma” gets thrown around a lot these days and I’ve can’t say I’ve ever really experienced what I think that means. Until today. Today I had the pleasure of trying Franklin BBQ. If you aren’t familiar with Franklin, its considered one of, if not the, best barbeque restaurants in the world. Celebrity chef and food critic Anthony Bourdain has said that the brisket is the best he’s ever had. Texas Monthly named it the best barbeque in the state. There’s usually a three hour wait and people swear it’s worth it. On their website, they state that they have run out of brisket every day they have been open (think about that…that blows my mind). What I’m saying is that it’s pretty highly regarded.
There’s a line. There seems to always be a line. The doors open at 11 and people are there before 9. When I first drove by it was around 9:45 and there were about 50 people waiting. Even with a long wait, you aren’t promised anything. When they run out of meat, they are done for the day, There’s a way to skip the line, but if you have the time and the patience (which I lack) it looks like quite the scene. People line up for hours. They bring iPads and magazines. They bring coolers and folding chairs. They mingle with their neighbors in line and there seems to be a real sense of camaraderie. I am impatient and lazy so I found a way to skip waiting in line. I won’t bore you with the details but it involves pre-ordering, a minimum of two weeks and the entire process can be spelled out with an email to Franklin.
I had the turkey (moist and delicious), pulled pork (also moist and delicious) and the brisket (um…also, also moist and delicious) with a side of potato salad and some key lime pie. If you are on a diet, avoid this place at all costs. There doesn’t seem to be anything “lean” or “skinny” within blocks of this place and you’ll just be mad at your diet.. Everything was tender and seasoned perfectly. The potato salad was the only thing that wasn’t amazing, but it was still good enough that there weren’t any leftovers. The sauce (vinegar based) was superb and I’m glad I have extra. Having lived in Texas 90% of my life, I’ve had plenty of BBQ. This is easily on my list of favorite BBQ places. Go and don’t let the line scare you away.
