Thursday, August 7, 2008

Scholl Bros. Bar-B-Que

PARIS: Scholl Bros. Bar-B-Que
1528 Lamar Ave.
Paris, TX 75460
903-739-8080
Open M-Thur 11-8, F-Sat 11-9


This joint came with high praise, so I drove about 2 hours to give it a try. Approaching the place, my hopes seemed fulfilled. The sheet metal and wood exterior along with the faded sign reeked potential. Talk about disappointment. The ribs here were nearly devoid of flavor, and were just warm with chunks of unrendered fat. The sausage tasted straight from the grocery store, and the brisket didn't come in to save the day. It was tender, but with little crust and almost no smoke, it was a passable version of roast beef. The mediocrity carried over into the straight-from-the-tub potato salad, the lukewarm mac-n-cheese, and the banana pudding that had no bananas, just fake banana flavoring. The 2 hours of unsatisfied driving back home just made it all the worse.

Rating *


Scholl Brothers Bar Bq on Urbanspoon

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

How funny. I read the article
on you in CNN and I live in
Paris, Tx. Scholls is considered
the best here. You are so right
in your discription of the food.
Indeed, the potato salad does
come from a tub as does the
BBQ sauce. I've talked to Scholl
about their brisket. It's smoked
about 6 hours, no rub and the
fat cut off after cooking.
The closest they come to fresh
cooking is tossing some beans in
a pot with salt or, hand mixing
cole slaw. the ribs, right out
of the supplier's bag. Best bet,
baked potato.

where's your granddad when you
need him?

Anonymous said...

As another Paris resident, I'll have to say, I agree. When they first opened, their entire menu was the complete opposite of what you described. They even got on the Top 50 list of Best BBQ by Texas Monthly. But as of late, their BBQ seems very uninspired. I mean, side dishes, I can forgive, but the smoked turkey and brisket have a very store bought taste. I hardly ever see or smell the smoker running any more....perhaps any indication? People say their catering is the best because they prepare everything by hand. I guess it gets lost in translation on the ordering line. So sorry you had to go two hours out of your way, hopefully we'll get some BBQ to bring ya back! Great work, BTW, very good reading for a BBQ connoisseur like myself!

Anonymous said...

I agree with all these comments. This is one of the most store bought BBQ places I have ever been too. They have an awesome smoker, but don't take the time to rub the meat, or truely use the smoker like they were supposed to. It takes time to make good BBQ, might as well just go across town to bodacious and get sloppy Joe sandwiches. When they first started here it was great and great look to building. Then you get to sides which honestly make or break little BBQ places. You make amazing homemade potayoe salad, really season you beans, do homemade Mac and cheese, some kinda awesome bread, homemade one of a kind sauce, and real homemade banana pudding. Hopefully the owner will see this, shut the door for a week to revamp, have a re grand opening advertising real homemade southern bbq comfort food, or this place will have closed up for good. Its expensive as BBQ should be, but not made right. Anyone craving BBQ for the day go to the little stand by swaims hardware, or the little stand behind Walmart, their smoked cheese BBQ sandwhich is extremely different and beans are off the hook!!! I could sell BBQ off my tailgate of my truck and run any of these places cooking BBQ out of town cause I take the time to appreciate BBQ. Drive to little rock, at to whole hawg and see thousands of BBQ competition troalies all over the restaraunt and learn what a real BBQ restaraunt with a heart for their food is!

DISCLAIMER:

Each joint is judged on the essence of Texas 'cue...sliced brisket and pork ribs. Sausage is only considered if house made. Sauce is good, but good meat needs no adornment to satisfy. Each review can only be based on specific cuts of meat on that particular day. Finally, if the place fries up catfish or serves a caesar salad, then chances are they aren't paying enough attention to the pits, so we mostly steered clear.

-THE PROPHETS OF SMOKED MEAT