Dining Guide

Julian’s BBQ

Julian’s is a good barbecue joint with the potential to be great. And for Corpus Christi, it is as good as it comes. Pitmaster Julian Zapata has adopted many of the recent Texas barbecue trends, including the monster beef short rib. It’s a visual beauty, no doubt, but it could be more tender, and its flavor could be improved upon with a lot more salt and a little less pepper. Regardless, it is a solid effort. The stout ribs held up well. Salty meat, a peppery bark, and good smoke gives the meat a pleasing hammy flavor, and it is just tender enough. The meats all scream Central Texas, but the sides are from further south. Rice and beans both were a great complement to the meal, and the requested tortillas from a local tortilleria can replace standard white bread. Ask for them.