BBQ08

Eighteen hungry reviewers. 14,773 miles driven/flown. 341 joints visited. Countless bites of brisket, sausage, chicken, pork, white bread, potato salad, and slaw—and vats of sauce—ingested. There are only fifty slots on our quinquennial list of the best places to eat barbecue in Texas. Only five of those got high honors. And only one (you’ll never guess which one in a million years) is the best of the best.

by Jordan Breal, Paul Burka, Pamela Colloff, David Courtney, S. C. Gwynne, Michael Hall, David A. Herron, Stacy Hollister, Patricia Busa McConnico, John Morthland, Katharyn Rodemann, Chester Rosson, Patricia Sharpe, Jake Silverstein, John Spong, Brian D. Sweany, Andrea Valdez and Katy Vine

The Risk Premium

Most American consumers understand that the invasion of Iraq has contributed to the skyrocketing price of oil. But there’s another reason why we’re paying so much per barrel and gallon: The countries where crude is available in abundance are increasingly dangerous places to operate. Russell Spell, of Conroe, can tell you firsthand.

by Mimi Swartz

The Man Who Wasn’t There

Every family has its myths. Some are intended to reveal, and some are intended to conceal, and sometimes the intentions can get confused. The problem with myth, however, is that it can overpower history. That’s what happened in the case of my father, who died when I was four. Only when I finally learned the truth about him could I come to appreciate him as a real person.

by Paul Burka

Desperate Housewives

In this excerpt from writer-at-large Sarah Bird’s new novel, How Perfect Is That, the realities of life in early twenty-first century Austin become all-too-clear to a defrocked socialite.

by Sarah Bird

Behind the Lines

Compound Fracture

Why I have no sympathy for the Eldorado polygamists.

by Skip Hollandsworth

Gary Cartwright

The Kitchen Is Closed

Forty years ago, Pete Dominguez and his Mexican restaurants were the toast of Dallas. Now he’s alone, broke, and nearly forgotten.

Michael Ennis

End of The Road

During all but two of the past twenty years, someone named Bush had led our nation or led our state. Now we’re moving on.

Sarah Bird

This Year’s Model

Hey, captains of industry: If Dr. Evil can have a Mini Me, why can’t the rest of us?

In the Chute

A Modern Addition

A McNay makeover; welcome to Shangri La; show us the Monet.

by Jordan Breal

The Horse’s Mouth

Writing a Poem

A. Van Jordan on writing a poem.

Interview by Jake Silverstein

The Cheap Seats

Empty Netter

The puck stops here.

by Jason Cohen

The Working Life

Tom “Spanky” Assiter

Auctioneer.

As told to Katy Vine

Green Guinea Pig

So Lawn, Farewell

Lawn of a new day.

by Jim Atkinson

The Texanist

Offering fine advice since 2007

Can one have too many Texas tattoos?

by David Courtney

Hollywood, TX

Frozen Asset

The best sitcom you may never get to see.

by Christopher Kelly

Street Smarts

Downtown Galveston

A vibrant mix of past and present.

by Molly Wardlaw

Texquisite Corpse

Twin Wells

Chapter Six of "Twin Wells."

by Harry Hunsicker

Texas Monthly Talks

TM Talks: Herb Kelleher

Southwest Airline's co-founder on the FAA, smoking, and deplaning.

Interview by Evan Smith

Music Review

Real Animal

Reviewed by Jeff McCord

Music Review

Beautiful World

Reviewed by Jeff McCord

Music Review

Sonidos Gold

Reviewed by Jeff McCord

Pat’s Pick

Dough Pizzeria Napoletana

by Patricia Sharpe

The Filter: Dining

New and noteworthy

Villa O, Dallas and Trattoria Lisina, Driftwood

by Patricia Sharpe

Contributors

Team BBQ, Todd Sanders, and Mimi Swartz.

Editor’s Letter

It’s Pat

by Evan Smith

Roar of the Crowd

Kidding Around

Interview with Sam Gosling

Interview by Mike Shea

Jeff McCord with Frankie Miller

Interview by Jeff McCord

You Can Take the BBQ Out of Texas . . .

by Bryan Curtis

Smokin’ Joints

Our quintessential review of the top fifty barbecue joints in Texas (one of which you’ve probably never heard of).

The Other Woman

Evan Smith talks with Sarah Bird about her new novel, How Perfect Is That, which chronicles the downfall of an Austin (one-time) socialite.

Where There’s Smoke

The case of the mystery brisket.

Behind the Lines: Podcast

Skip Hollandsworth reads “Compound Fracture.”

Sarah Bird: Podcast

Sarah Bird reads “This Year’s Model.”

Twin Wells Chapter Six: Podcast

The escape, read by Harry Hunsicker.

Drive-Thru BBQ

Assistant editor David Courtney drove 1,500 miles, ate in his car, and drank lots of Topo Chico in his quest for great barbecue.

My Father’s Son

Because I was so young when my father died, almost everything that I learned about him was transmitted through myth—by my mother, by his relatives in New Orleans, by his friends in Galveston. In death, he became a figure that was larger than life.

Hill’s Country

The state director of Clinton’s presidential campaign Garry Mauro on how Obama can win over Hillary 's supporters.

Nutella Panini