1101 W. 3rd Street
Dayton, OH 45402
937.723.9958
website
Quietly set up as a barbecue joint to serve the Wright Dunbar neighborhood, Texas Beef & Cattle Co. has quickly become a local attraction with a line out the door. And there’s a good reason for that, because people from downtown, where there are plenty of other dining options, are headed this way for the chance to try some of this food. West Dayton has had its struggles to be sure, but there are new businesses finding their way here that are changing this neighborhood with the quality they offer. This is one of them.
The menu at the place is dominated by delicious barbecued meats, and one rises to the top. What to try:
- Beef brisket: The best meat on the menu. Thinly sliced and piled high on a sandwich to your liking. A nice, thick and smokey bark on the outside, and nicely marbled on the inside with just a bit of gristle that accentuates that nice flavor. This stuff doesn’t even need barbecue sauce. But you can pick from the sweeter variety or the spicy.
- Mac and cheese: Excellent side dish that is super cheesy and heavy. Perfect if you like a very filling sides. Perfect with a sandwich.
- Tortilla soup: A hefty soup with pork shoulder as its main feature and plenty of tomato and corn to boot. Its a bit spicy which is wonderful. That said it could use a bit more tortilla to spice it up.
The barbecue comes without sauce which is perfect; it doesnt smother the flavors of the meats. That said the molasses-based sauces offer sweet and spicy takes to accentuate your food. It doesnt meed too much! I actually recommend getting just a bit and then dipping it.
There’s a reason the line can at times be out the door in this small restaurant; local barbecue this good can be very hard to come by, especially in spitting distance of downtown where a few places have come and gone, but this one is quickly gaining momentum. I predict great things.
The prices are fair, the food is fast and hey- when you’re supporting this place you are investing in the revival of a part of town that typically could use some love. Make a point to drop in.
Recommendations
- Come early during meal times as the spot fills up quickly and there isn’t much seating.
- Beef brisket is the best choice to start.
- There is plenty of parking in the lot behind the restaurant which could avoid you some of the cost of the parking meters.
Another Food Critic 