It is rare that I award five stars. In this case, I'm awarding six! ;-)
SmokeAholics is a La Porte-based food truck that's been in business for about a year. Their specialty is barbecue, and they do it extremely well. I first had the pleasure of sampling their goods at an event (from their food truck); and they recently catered an event that I attended. Outstanding both times!
This mom & pop business relies on post oak to smoke their succulent fall-apart brisket, sausage, boudin and beans, and they have the time and temperature down to a science (their slogan is "It's 225 degrees somewhere.") For folks who are versed in the art and science of smoking meats (and beans in this case), 225F is the holy grail of temperatures. That the pit master (Charlie Spencer) can manage it in the rear of a trailer is quite amazing! So many people can bring smoky flavor to a trimmed brisket, but it ends up being dry. Charlie though... Oh my! He somehow manages to produce an outstanding smoky bark with nary an ounce of fat -- yet it melts in your mouth. Barbecue sauce is available, but don't bother. His brisket deserves to shine on its own.
So too do the sides. Charlie's wife, Carla Spencer, is in charge of producing most of the delicious accoutrements, which are meals themselves. Her homemade mac & cheese gets there for the cash on its own. But when it's fried and placed atop fries ... Eureka! Her 'Momma's Crackers' are tangy and spicy enough to make one want to slap their pappy! And yes, I want some. -- Perhaps one of the more creative sides is Charlies "Apple Pie Baked Beans," which are available through the catering menu. It's a hybrid of apple pie, breakfast sausage and post oak-smoked beans. Not only is it out-of-the-box, it's damn delicious!
These folks offer their wonderful food in La Porte (check the address), but they also cater all over. Just as important, in my humble opinion, Charlie and Carla give back to the community in a huge way. Sure, they are the kind of folks you'd invite to your home because they're just nice. But they do so much more in mentoring local youngsters and volunteering their time (and services) to make the day a little brighter -- and tastier -- for cancer survivors.
It's really cool when I am able to recommend a business that is superb at what it does and just as outstanding when it comes to giving back. SmokeAholics is one of those businesses. read more