Austin Monthly Approves of New School Barbecue From Leroy & Lewis

Austin Monthly’s Jolène Bouchon ventured out to LeRoy and Lewis with slightly mixed results for the new-school barbecue. She noted, as have others, that the trailer takes a different approach to meats, veering off the beaten brisket path with offerings of duck breast, beef cheek, and quail. However, she reassures barbecue purists that it’s worth a visit:

Though LeRoy colors outside the lines, it’s clear that he respects the masters — and is a master of technique. He may be serving you (literal) breakfast sausage — stuffed with bacon, egg, and cheese — venison pastrami, or wild boar ribs, but in terms of spirit, his fare translates as pure barbecue, not froufrou fusion.

Despite myriad meat options, Bouchon saved high praise for the brisket from the former Freedmen’s pitmaster, describing the “peppery, mahogany bark [that] gives way to luscious meat with a silken texture.” Other standouts from the selection of unique sides were the cheese grits and the “[s]alty, sweet, creamy, and crunchy” tomato gelato pie with a Fritos crust.

However, other sides needed improvement. The BLT salad and lemon were both called out for dressing issues. Bouchon also docked points for the somewhat lacking atmosphere on the current trailer iteration, though she felt it “almost unfair” to do so when a brick and mortar is planned for 2018.

Overall, she called the experience a “damned fine meal” and is pleased that there’s no line — for now.

THE BLOGS — Atxtreatsandeats found “the perfect hangover cure” in queso and a massive omelette and smoked barbacoa from El Chile’s brunch, So Much Life blog thinks it’s the Knotty Fries from The Knotty Deck, which have pulled pork, a fried egg, and picante aioli.

• Restaurant Review: LeRoy & Lewis Barbecue [Austin Monthly]
• All Coverage of LeRoy & Lewis [EATX]