The flashing neon lights can be seen down all of Broadway. The smell of pork entices one to enter. Jack’s Bar-B-Que is a dive BBQ restaurant in the heart of Nashville, TN.

Being a novice in the large world of barbeque, I expected to enter Jack’s and to be mesmerized by a large menu selection. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. At Jack’s, there are only six items on the menu (including Tennessee Pork Shoulder, Texas Beef Brisket, Smoked Turkey Breast, St. Louis Pork Style Ribs, and Smoked Chicken), along with a few delectable side dishes.

For the past few days, I have had a strange craving for a pulled pork, so I went for the Tennessee Pork Shoulder sandwich. Being a New Yorker, I expected (and wanted) there to be a spicy sauce on-top, instead it was just pork, and you had the option of putting sauce on yourself.

I took a bite, and I was simply blown away. It was the most tender pork I have ever dug my teeth into. It was also very tasty (even without sauce).

Jack’s Bar-B-Que is a must-visit establishment for any barbeque enthusiast traveling through Nashville.

Jack’s Bar-B-Que
216 Broadway
Nashville, TN

Max Murphy, host and producer of Mac News Weekly, is on a 3000 mile road trip with his dad and brother, Sam. On the road he is BBQ blogging for Carnivore and making us all really hungry!

Chapps Cafe’s slogan is “Burgers to die for,” but for me…not so much. I had a bacon cheese burger with swiss cheese and it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great either. The only thing that stood out for me was that it was extremely filling. I only ate half. Of course that could have been more about the side order of cheddar fries Cali and I shared. That’s about all I can write about it. It’s just an average tasting burger.

Chapps Cafe
1004 Keller Pkwy
Keller, TXÂ
(817) 431-3888

Dave Peterson asked for a lesson on Sweet Tea. I can explain it, but you really have to taste it in the South on a hot Summer day to understand it.

The two syllables in the phrase “Sweet Tea” should be pronounced quickly. It rhymes with BB, as in BB gun. There is no pause between the word sweet and the word tea. It’s also called Baptist Tea and Potluck Tea because that’s often where the best stuff is served from repurposed, gallon milk jugs.

Sweet Tea should not be confused with sweetened tea. Sweetened tea is an abomination and should never be discussed in polite conversation. Sweet Tea is served cold, usually over ice and the ratio of sugar to tea and water is significant.

The preferred brand of tea bags is Luzianne, but Lipton is okay too.

To make a jar, you need 3 family size tea bags, 1 1/3 cups of sugar and a jar (or pitcher). Boil 3 cups of water. Add the 3 tea bags. Stop the heat and let the tea steep for 15 or 30 minutes. Dump it in a gallon jar (or pitcher), dump in the sugar and the fill up the jar with cold water. Put it in the refrigerator and keep it cold.

A person might add lemon, to their glass, but if the lemon juice is added to the jar, it isn’t Sweet Tea. Â

In-N-Out Burger is legendary. Burger aficionados make annual visits to the West coast just to get a fix of one of the best fast-food burgers anywhere for any amount of money. In-N-Out is a regional chain and those of us out of the region are usually left to just long for the next time we’ll be near enough to drive through and use our secret menu ordering skills.

Mooyah Burgers and Fries in Texas is the closest thing to In-N-Out I’ve ever tried, and it’s pretty clear why. They use the same high quality ingredients. The burgers are fresh and never frozen with no additives, fillers or preservatives. The fries are made from potatoes cut fresh the same day. The buns are baked fresh every day and the shakes are made from 100% pure ice cream. When you visit a Mooyah, it even looks a little like an In-N-Out. The employees are friendly and the menu is almost as simple as the published In-N-Out menu.

The regular Mooyah burger, the one I always get, comes with a default of two patties that are also very reminiscent of In-N-Out. My standard order is a Mooyah Burger with swiss cheese, bacon, onions (sometimes raw and sometimes grilled), and mustard. Burgers are thoughtfully wrapped upside down, so when you turn them over to unwrap them, they are ready to eat, right side up.

When we go to Mooyah, we rarely order fries. It isn’t because they aren’t good. They are. We just don’t have appetites large enough to accommodate more than a Mooyah burger. Mooyah fries are cut from fresh potatoes and served in cups. When we DO spring for fries, a regular order is plenty for two. Mooyah gets extra points, from me, for including Malt Vinegar as a condiment beside the ketchup dispenser. A carny once told me, when I was little, that Canadians put vinegar on their fries, and I’ve preferred them that way ever since.

I wouldn’t dare proclaim a Mooyah burger to be as good as an In-N-Out burger, but it’s so close I no longer miss In-N-Out when I’m in Texas. The thing missing most from Mooyah, apart from years of history, is a secret menu!

Mooyah Burgers and Fries
2626 Howell Street, Suite 100
Dallas, TX 75204
214.999.0059 / fax: 214.999.0049
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-9pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm

As burger joints go, Twisted Root is different from the ground up. Started by three Chefs, each with a culinary degree and each with a passion for burgers. It took them three years to raise the money to open the first location just outside of Downtown Dallas in historic Deep Ellum.

The staff creates a fun atmosphere. When you walk up to the counter and place your order, you’re given a card with the name of a famous person or fictional character. We were Cinderella on our last visit. When your order is ready, you’re beaconed over the loud system using the name on your card–sometimes with a song, sometimes with a rap, but always in an entertaining way.

We’ve ordered several things from the menu. The specials are always worth a look, but our two favorite burgers are #1, the Blue Cheese & Jalepeño Burger ($6.99) and the REAL Buffalo Burger ($7.99) with Ceddar Cheese ($0.75).

The buns are just the right size and toasted just the right amount, and the ingredients are top notch. A lot of what they serve is homemade including the pickles, rootbeer, watermelon sweet tea and ice cream.

The Buffalo is lean, hearty and savory. Sometimes, I wonder if I’m ordering a Buffalo burger just for the idea of the whole thing, or because I really like Buffalo. There isn’t a doubt at Twisted Root. I LIKE the Buffalo.

The beef burgers are 1/2 Lb. patties that blend chuck and brisket meats. They’re juicy, just like you want a beef burger to be. If you choose one of the specialty burgers, the toppings are out of this world, especially the blue cheese and jalepeño.

They have all the standard condiments, but they also have their own unique versions of ketchup, mustard and BBQ sauce.

The “Root” part of the name refers to the Hand-Cut Sweet Potato Chips and the Hand-Cut Twisted Fries. An order of Blue Cheese Fries is enough for two or three people and comes close to being as good as Garlic Fries from 21st Amendment in San Francisco.

Twisted Root Burger Co.
2615 Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75226
214.741.ROOT (7668)