Texas Monthly Discovers a New Favorite Burger at LeRoy & Lewis

Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn did a deep dive into the burger at new-school barbecue trailer LeRoy & Lewis. It’s clear he’s a fan since he placed it “at the top of my smoked burger list.”

The dinner time-only burger (available after 5 p.m.) is a product of not pitmaster Evan LeRoy but co-owner and general manager Sawyer Lewis, who takes over the barbecue reins in the evenings. The patty, made of ground brisket trimmings and fat, is smoked and then finished in a cast-iron skillet to great results:

The patty, covered with a slice of barely melted American cheese, spills just over the edge of a squishy Martin’s potato roll. A slather of house-made thousand island dressing and pickles [...] are the only other toppings. The patty is tender, with the beef just barely holding together.

Vaughn was impressed by the patty that is “yielding beneath the well-defined crust from the heavy sear.” It’s just that good to him.

Austin Monthly critic Jolène Bouchon admits to suffering from “concept fatigue” before reviewing the newest Italian restaurant addition, Intero. She was put at ease upon entering the restaurant by warm service and a stylish space. However, when it came to the dishes her experience was more mixed.

Noting the smaller bites were “consistently weaker,” Bouchon did like the flatbread topped with smoked ham, cauliflower, and pickled cabbage, as well as the “silken” house-made ricotta.

Things got better with the rest of the meal. Bouchon’s outlook improved with the hand-cut tagliatelle (“great al dente bite”) and the larger plates like the “luscious” duck risotto. She also appreciated the “well balanced and never sugary” cocktails as well as the diverse wine list that included selections from India, Romania, and Morocco.

A pasta dish turned out to be her favorite:

[A] plate of the gnocchi, dressed with fresh, bright pesto and accompanied by lemony shrimp polpette (tiny meatballs), so delicate and tender that you know they were handled with the utmost care.

On the blogs: In other burger news, ATX Eats and Treats visited Jewboy Burgers, loving the juicy burgers and, as an El Paso-raised Jew herself, the latkes and queso; The Austinot had high praise for the sandwiches and home cooking at Moroccan food truck The Flying Carpet.

• The Burger at LeRoy and Lewis Is Hard to Top [Texas Monthly]
• All Coverage of LeRoy & Lewis [EATX]
• Restaurant Review: Intero [Austin Monthly]
• All Coverage of Intero [EATX]