March 13, 2012:
Brisket
Sausage (regular and jalapeno)
Brush Poppers – bite size chicken with jalapeno and onion wrapped in bacon and grilled.
2 INCH thick Pork Chop
(note: everything mentioned above is priced at $12.50/lb)
Side: Jalapeno Sweet Corn $2.00
Dessert: Pecan Pie $3.25
For the record, I've eaten at Hard Eights before; I have just never reviewed them. Also, I have never gone to the Hard Eights in Roanoke, Texas. But, from past experience, I've always remembered it to be rather enjoyable. This experience was a tad different. I wouldn't go so far to say it was bad, but for some odd reason it lacked the familiarity that I was use to. I don't know, it was just off. Of course, it could be because we went on a Tuesday instead of their normal demanding activity of the weekend.
The food was acceptable, depending on what you get. But, expect to get leftovers because your eyes tend to be bigger than your stomach. Fortunately, they warn you about that. Pricey for BBQ, but the portions are pretty big. And although I didn't order the pork ribs, I feel they might be overpriced considering charge by weight, and ribs are mostly bone.
Brisket – I don't like brisket. Or at the very least, I don't like the brisket I’ve had thus far. People tell me all the time that brisket is this wonderful meat, and I probably just haven’t had it done right. With as much brisket as I've had in my past, you would have assumed someone would have prepared it "right." Or maybe I really just don't like brisket.
This was no exception. I don't understand how meat so loaded with fat could be so dry. I mean, as a general rule, fat is an oily substance. And when you cook with the fat in, that oil will spread to the rest of the meat. The brisket here somehow contained the fat in one area leaving the rest of the brisket bone dry. I suppose it would make the brisket "healthier" and easier to cut out the fat, but it sure left the meat dry and flavorless. Adding sauce didn't help much because it didn't taste very good either.
Rating: * *
Sausage (jalapeno) – Much better than its brisket companion. But unless Hard Eight makes their own sausage, at this point they really only need to grill it, which I don't think takes that much skill when it comes to sausage. They were juicy and plump, with a decent balance of spice.
Rating: * * *
2-inch thick Pork Chop – I think the appeal here is the size. The pork chop was satisfactory but nothing to brag about. But as a note for those that might be interested, if you're ordering the pork chop with other meats, eat the pork chop first. It started out okay, but as I moved from meat to meat and the pork chopped cooled, it became less enjoyable. And considering it only started out as satisfactory, I wouldn’t want to have its quality go down as the meal progresses.
Rating: * * *
Brush Poppers – The best part of the meal and unfortunately the least of what I ordered. In terms of the Roanoke location, I would have been more content just ordering these and possibly a baked potato. Although labeled as "bite size" they're really bigger than that, unless you happen to take really large bites.
The bacon really accentuated the chicken. Breast meat tends to dry out pretty fast, but because these were encased in bacon, they maintained a high level of moisture. Plus, they also absorbed the bacon flavor. Bacon really is an amazing flavor enhancer. Combined with the jalapeno and onion, I thoroughly enjoyed eating this.
Rating: * * * ½
Jalapeno Sweet Corn – A creamed corn medley combined with a hint of jalapeno. It was enough to capture the flavor and not the spice, which is fine. I don't necessarily need every part of my meal to contain high levels of spice.
Rating: * * * ½
Pecan Pie – Your run-of-the-mill pecan pie. I'm generally against ordering pies and cakes at restaurants because the cost of a slice is almost as much as the whole thing at a grocery store. And unless they make it in-house, the quality is about the same. It's nice to have it as an option for dessert, but I would say save your money and buy a complete pie on your way home.
Rating: * * *