Late Lunch

Today was busy, busy.  My adoring husband and I were both doing chores at home that consumed the majority of our morning and trailed into the afternoon.  When we finally stopped and decided we needed food we settled on BBQ.  We decided to go to Sonny Bryan’s original BBQ joint, a long time establishment in Dallas.  The original site on Inwood Road is the one to visit.

There was a line, not surprising.  This place is tight, but worth the short wait to order.  A dude in a baseball cap and yellow shirt was taking orders down the line and handing them over to the kitchen.  After every order taken today he shouted, “Go Mavs!”.  We Dallas Maverick fans are pretty pumped about our team playing for the NBA championship and tomorrow night you will find me in front of the television cheering madly from the same seat where I’ve watched games 1-5, wearing the same #2 Mavs shirt I’ve worn for games 1-5, and looking for a game 6 win.

Back to BBQ – we ordered and found seats.  Seats at this joint are old-time, wooden school desk tops installed along long benches, in a narrow room with windows.  There is no air conditioner moving the air but plenty of rustic charm.  If it’s too tight inside you can find a seat at one of the picnic tables outdoors next to the parking lot.  We chose one indoors today for the ambience that only a vintage BBQ joint can offer.  The smokey fire pits, neon signs, fried pies piled on a counter next to sweet tea, fresh-cut onions, briny pickles, bottles of tangy bbq sauce, and the customers.

The clientele today was varied.  Unique, average, young, and old, as always at Sonny Bryan’s.  The 30 something group downing cold beer with their chopped beef sandwiches, the business man in his dress slacks, button up chambray and striped tie, chowing down on his sandwich standing at the counter, ladies in sundresses with painted toes and flip-flops, men in baseball caps and khaki’s, a city bus driver, Hawaiian shirts and Keens, and us, sporting jeans and t-shirts today.  There was one thing we all had in common – smiles and bbq sauce on our chins.

I ordered a pulled pork sandwich plate with sides of beans and potato salad.  Hubby ordered a brisket and sausage sandwich, bag of chips and tea.  His tea plain, mine half and half, half plain-half sweet.  We piled pickles, jalapenos and onions on a sheet of foil, grabbed tons of napkins,  a bottle of warm sauce and dug in.  My sandwich bun filled with tender, tasty pork, was moist and delicious. The brisket and sausage sandwich, smokey sausage and sliced beef, tender and flavorful. It was a great way to spend a few minutes together on a hot, summer afternoon in Texas.  Good food and good company left us feeling satiated and primed for the rest of our day.

If you ever find yourself down Dallas way be sure and stop in at Sonny Bryan’s – I recommend the original for the best food and experience.  Stay tuned for “Road Food” photos of Sonny Bryan’s coming soon.

Enjoy!