It didn't look like much, just a run down old ramshackle stone building at 8th and Red River, yet C.B. Stubblefield knew it was the perfect place. This would be his place-his last place to serve honest-to-God real Texas Bar-B-Q before riding off in his big Caddie to tackle the great brisket in the sky.

C.B. went to work sandblasting the decades of old paint off the brick and building new outside wooden decks for bands to play on and people to congregate. Before long, the historic landmark building was revitalized. People came to listen to music, argue about Texas politics, drink beer, and eat C.B.'s culinary masterpieces.

"Yessiree," as Stubbs was fond of saying, "ladies and gentlemen, I am a cook.,"-and what cook he was! Now with Linda Stubblefield at the helm, Stubb's is still serving up some of the best Texas Bar-B-Q this side of heaven.

 

The brisket plate ($5.95) came hot, juicy and full of flavor that was seasoned with Stubbs own special sauce (now available in half of the United States). Though the brisket wasn't trimmed lean as a cholesterol-conscious person might prefer, it was saturated with genuine hickory smoke-cooked long, slow and hot, just the way Stubbs liked it.

 

The cole slaw was fresh and cool with the right blend of red cabbage, carrots and lettuce. The black pepper and dill-laced mashed potatoes were simply delicious and the addition of jalapenos enlivened the otherwise dull spinach into the stratosphere.

 

We knocked it up a notch and had the blackened red snapper ($9.95) and a Caesar salad with spicy shrimp ($9.50). Both sea creatures had been wrestled around in coating of paprika and various pepper blends before being grilled just right. The Caesar dressing was lovely, accompanied by thick ribbons of Parmesan cheese. Several trips back to the galvanized water trough on the front counter were necessary to retrieve some cold Shiner Bock on ice.

Breedlove at Stubb's Bar-B-Que during the Grammy Awards Showcase, sponsored by the Naras Foundation & KLBJ-93.7 FM
photo by Laura Rojo

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are several items on the menu for dessert, but only one thing for us: hot apple walnut cobbler with vanilla Blue Bell ice cream. "They all come back like that," Linda Stubblefield smiled at our empty cobbler cups. Secure in the knowledge that C.B. looked over things like he always did, making sure that no one ever went away hungry.

Stubb's Bar-B-Que is located at 801 Red River, in Austin.
(512) 480-8341

RATINGS: (scale of 1 to 5 stars)

FOOD ****
SERVICE ****
ATMOSPHERE *****
CLEANLINESS ***