Review of Lambert's
I was not impressed after having dinner last night after reading many, many recommendations here.
I had the Country Style Pork Ribs (menu description: Citrus Brine, Fennel & Coriander Rub, Maple Glaze, Grilled Corn Cob Wheels) with Seared Summer Squash & Basil and Ranch Style Beans with Brisket Ends.
It wasn't bad food and maybe its just me. I guess it just wasn't 'down home' enough for me, if that makes sense. Why do they use oak for smoking? The best flavor comes from mesquite but even hickory would be better. If they wanted to do something different they could use pecan or walnut.
On the ribs, which I ordered from servers recommendation, the citrus brine was too prominent and didn't pair well with the coriander. The squash was good and beans were better but I was hoping for a piece of brisket in the beans, but didn't get any.
Service was excellent but they were slow.
So for me although they are trying to be creative I just don't care for it. Everything was well cooked but these are not traditional barbecue flavors. Yes, there are a million of the traditional restaurants and they are trying to do something different. But to be different just to different does not warrant a good review. They should use their creativeness and high end cooking techniques to push barbecue in a direction that everyone wants to follow.
By scjohann
on Sep 8, 2009 05:40 AM
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You are not alone. My wife and I cannot figure out what all the fuss is about. To us Lambert's was just OK if they had lowered the prices, but at the prices they ask they are way out of line. Even at a lowered prices though (about 2/3 of what they charge) they would still only be OK in my book, nothing special. Not bad, but certainly not good enough to justify the prices.
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Oak is the standard wood used for BBQ in the Texas Hill Country. Kreuz Market & Smitty's in Lockhart, Cooper's in Llano (and yes, even Snow's in Lexington) all use oak.
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Actually, Cooper's uses Mesquite, and they cook their meat directly over the coals (Cowboy style). But otherwise angusb is right on the money. Oak is the way to go for smoke. Too much mesquite smoke will give the meat an acrid and bitter taste, which is why Cooper's uses mesquite coals instead of just burning mesquite wood. Lambert's uses a commercial smoker, which means they aren't going to be using mesquite coals but rather oak chips..
Source: http://www.texasmonthly.com/2008-06-0...
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I did seem to recall that Cooper's used mesquite, and I know they grill directly over coals and then keep the meat sealed in foil packets, but I found several sources that claimed they used oak coals. That's what I get for not going directly to the source for information...their website clearly states they use mesquite. In any case, I love the flavor of oak. I also like Lambert's, although I agree with thereman that brunch is the way to go.
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well, that's a drag. I know I'm one of their bigger boosters-I love the feel of the place, and the way they take chances with a lot of Texas/Southern staples.
But at a certain price point, the room for error drops with me too, and a restaurant can quickly pass into hype in my book too. Not that I'm talking about any particular small plates restaurants near UT :)
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For me, the best bets at Lambert's are either the weekend brunch or the Frito Pie off of the bar menu. The brunch lets you try out a lot of their specialities for not much more than an entree costs at dinner. I think the price used to be $18, but it's gone up to $26. I like that it combines a small buffet with selections that can be ordered from a menu and made fresh. And the frito pie is only $10 and is probably the most decadent thing on the menu... hunks of chopped brisket, goat cheese, queso, pico, etc...
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Haven't tried the ribs, we never get past the bar menu. As others have said, frito pie (serves two, or one masochist) is hard to argue with. Their sliced beef sandwich with hotlinks and caramelized onions is also not to disparaged, and the price point there doesn't offend like the bbq entree menu might.
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Their boar rib apptizer is simply addictive. The mac & cheese is comfort food at its best.
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