All Star Bar B Q

Finding yourself looking forward to a reliable, independent restaurant representing local flavor on a thousand-mile trip is a rarity. So while I won't claim the All-Star Bar B Q serves the absolute best brisket in east Texas, I will say its authenticity and friendliness makes it a worthwhile stop.

All Star is in a tree-shaded roadhouse in Rusk, a few miles from the junction with Route 21 that delivers us to College Station, TX. The name is a baseball reference that proclaims the owner's passion for the Houston Astros. You'll find a lunchtime worth of memorabilia inside.

Also inside you'll find the traditional presentation of chopped or sliced beef, turkey and sausage, along with the proper side dishes: pinto beans, potato salad, Mac and cheese and coleslaw.

Order a sliced beef plate and you'll get bar b q the way it should be. Slices of juicy, slightly smoky beef with sauce in a cup on the side, a couple of slices of white bread and your sides. Their process does not overwhelm the taste of the meat. It enhances.

The owner is engaging and friendly. Sometimes, these places can be intimidating if you're not a regular. Not so here. Everything's on the menu board and it's all clear and simple. Tells you something about life in Rusk, Texas. If that's not better than a box burger, I don't know what is.

As you wind through the trees on the drive into Rusk, Texas, a very dated barbecue joint pops up out of the woods. This place looks like its been there for ages, or at least the building probably has. I found their shameless misappropriation of the old Houston Astros logo pretty amusing.

I snagged a Rib Sandwich to-go and saddled up in my trusty steed. I wasn't entirely sure what the rib sandwich would be exactly, but I was hoping for something better that what I got. My initial reaction was disdain for the "some assembly required" nature of my snack. I decided to just leave things unanassembled and eat the ribs on their own.

There was a good amount of black pepper on the ribs, though not much else. The sweet, sticky glaze screamed "grilled" rather than "smoked". There was no smoke and no discernible crust. I also ended up with a pretty terrible cut of meat. The ribs left a weird film and unpleasant taste in my mouth.

I'm a curious person by nature, so All Star Bar-B-Q was certainly worth investigating no matter what. That being said, it's not worth a return trip.