Lambert's Downtown BBQ - Austin, TX

We came across Lambert's in two places.... and we were intrigued. Firstly, the crew at Conde Naste Magainze declared Lambert's one of the top five sandwich places in the U.S. Based on their other selections we were worried that Lambert's may be a bit too fuu-fuu for us!

Their favorite sandwich was the "Sliced Natural Beef Brisket + Jalepeno Hotlink". Okay, that doesn't sound fuu-fuu to me, even though it is topped with spicy greens, carmelized onion jam, dijon mustard on a toasted honey wheat bun. Damn delicious.

We then ran across Kim's "Lunch with Brian" blog (www.lunchwithbrian.net). Let's let Kim do the talking...

Lamberts is fancy, pricey barbecue. It's the kind of place that has menu prices where they don't mess around with the cents. It's good food, though.

It's in the old J. P. Schneider & Brothers' building, a historical building that was spared when the rest of the buildings on the block were razed to build a new Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) building.

Parking isn't easy dowtown, so we had to park a couple blocks away. On our walk to Lamberts, we saw restaurants and shops on the ground level of the CSC building, most of which have one word names like Leaf, Wee, Finch and Froots. We spied a chocolate shop with a one word name, Teuscher. I told Brian, "I jaywalk for chocolate," so we walked across the street and looked in the window. It looked pretty good, and we decided to come back after we ate.

Brian ordered the Carne Asada Bolillo (which judging by the looks of it means grilled beef hoagie) and waffle fries. (Editors note: according to the menu this sandwich is grilled hanger steak, jicama, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion, spicy mayo, mustard and lime)

I ordered the Maple & Coriander Crusted Natural Pork Ribs, except that was a mouthful, so I just said "pork ribs." It worked. I also ordered the El Rey Dark Chocolate Torte. I ordered that one by its full name. It's a brownie-like puck with rosemary ice cream and hibiscus salt. It was interesting, but the brownie part was smaller than I expected, and the scoop of ice cream made it look underdeveloped. I'm glad I got it, but at $8 I probably won't get it again. Brian said you've got to do something pretty [expletive deleted] creative with chocolate to charge $8.

They played a variety of music in Lamberts from rap to Beatles to Johnny Cash to some unrecognized cowboy.

Brian "made me look" by telling me Governor Rick Perry was sitting down the bench from me. Turns out it was just some guy with good hair.

Lamberts has fancy bottles on the table with hot sauce, bbq sauce and mustard. There was also another mysterious, unmarked white bottle.

I might have tasted what was in the mysterious white bottle when the meal came, but the waiter took all the little white bottles off the table. Later he returned with them filled with flowers. I'm glad I didn't pour old flower water on my ribs.

Thanks to http://www.lunchwithbrian.net for their permission in reprinting their experienced!

Sandwiches are only available at Lambert's during lunch, they are not listed on the dinner menu.

Lambert's Downtown Barbecue
401 West 2nd. St.
Austin, TX 78701

http://www.lambertsaustin.com