Delicious

Barbecue

Lockhart Smokehouse opened in the Bishop Arts District about two and a half years ago as an authentic Texas Hill Country-style barbecue place. In true meat-market style, brisket is ordered by the pound. In the beginning, there were no forks and no barbecue sauce. After a one-star review from the Dallas Morning News, which stated “that forks and plates are taboo started to feel like an affront,” and complaints from customers, Lockhart added barbecue sauce and, yes, forks, to their offerings. “We had to pivot on that, and that was a good learning experience on ‘give the customers what they want,’” says Jill Bergus, who owns Lockhart with her husband, Jeff Bergus, and their business partner, Tim McLaughlin. “We don’t know everything about the barbecue business; we don’t know everything about the restaurant business; but we’re certainly willing to learn.” Since the early days, much has changed at Lockhart. The restaurant consistently is mentioned among the best barbecue places in Texas, most notably, in Texas Monthly’s “Top 50 Barbecue Joints,” which comes out every five years. “That’s the Texas barbecue bible,” Jeff Bergus says. “If you make that list you’re in an elite fraternity.” Diners travel from all over the region to sample Lockhart’s smoked meats, and during peak hours on the weekends, the line sometimes snakes from the counter to the front door and around the dining room. Sometimes, the restaurant sells out of meat. But barbecue enthusiasts understand, Jeff Bergus says. “When we run out, we run out,” he says. “The majority of the people who come here are barbecue people. Last Saturday, we sent at least 60 people out of the line, and not one person complained.” Lockhart is opening a second location in old downtown Plano as early as Dec. 1.

—Rachel Stone

LoCkHart SmokeHouSe

| MORE SMOKED MEAT |

1

Hardeman’s BBQ & Catering

this take-out-only place is an Oak Cliff classic. the Hardeman family once had outposts all over town, but just a few are left, including this one in Oak Cliff. reliable brisket, spicy sausage and yummy sides.

618 S. Westmoreland

214.467.1154

2 Smoke

Wonderful house-made smoked sausages, whole-hog barbecue and coffee-cured brisket are just the basics. there is also foie gras and chicken liver pâté, chicken tamales and a smoked pork chop that will change your life.

901 Fort Worth Ave.

214.393.4141 smokerestaurant.com

3 Babb Bros. BBQ & Blues

this was the first restaurant to open at trinity Groves, serving texas and St. Louis-style barbecue. the cafeteria-style restaurant has a huge menu of smoked meats and sides including cheesy potatoes, creamed corn and onion straws.

330 Bedford

214.745.2224 babbbrothers.com food and wine online

Visit oakcliff.advocatemag.com/dining

Cheap is the new pricey Joel Gott sauvignon blanc ($10) California

This month marks a milestone for the Advocate and cheap wine. In fact, the milestone probably wouldn’t have been possible without the Advocate wine column, which helped demonstrate that consumers are interested in wine that doesn’t cost a lot of money.

Because that interest was one of the first steps in getting to my new book, “The Wine Curmudgeon’s Guide to Cheap Wine,” which will be published later this month. It will be available as an e-book ($9.95) and in paperback ($12.95), and you’ll be able to buy it at the regular online retailers as well as winecurmudgeon.com.

When Advocate founder Rick Wamre asked me to write a wine column years ago, I wasn’t sure there would be any interest and didn’t expect to be doing it for long. But there was interest; Advocate readers were looking for simple, clearly written advice about wine they could afford to buy. That’s a market that the wine business traditionally has taken for granted, and hence the column’s longevity and the book.

The book focuses on the process of cheap wine. In this, there aren’t any recommendations, which is probably a first for a wine book. That’s what this column and my wine blog are for. The point of the book is to help consumers figure out for themselves what they want, offering common-sense advice about how to make that decision.

This month, then, three of my favorite cheap wines:

• Any number of $10 white wines from the French region of Gascony. They are cheap, wellmade and offer refreshing grapey and citrus flavors. Look for Domaine du Tariquet and Mont Gravet among many others.

• Sicilian reds and whites, which are practically subversive — $10 wine is not supposed to be this interesting. They include Notorius, a white, and the Cusumano red.

• California sauvignon blanc, including Dry Creek, Joel Gott and Benziger, all of which are around $10 and are clean, crisp and tasty.

—Jeff Siegel Get local dininG news

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With Your Wine

Roasted chicken breasts

Serves four, takes about 30 minutes

Want something you can slice for a sandwich for lunch, but also makes an easy weeknight dinner? Then try boneless and skinless chicken breasts, roasted in the oven and seasoned with herbs and olive oil. Serve with the California sauvignon blancs.

Grocery List

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 1 pound each salt and pepper to taste olive oil assorted dry herbs, such as tarragon, thyme, basil and oregano

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Mix the herbs, salt and pepper, and olive oil and baste the breasts all over. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on one side, and then turn over, baste again and cook for another 10 or 15 minutes until done.

Ask the wine guy

What’s a grocery store wine?

Cheap wine with a clever name and cute label that is sold mostly in grocery stores and is well made, if a little boring. It’s impor- tant to note that not all wine sold in grocery stores is “grocery store wine,” given how grocery stores have upgraded their wine depart- ments and that not all wine sold there is boring.

—Jeff Siegel

ASK The Wine Guy taste@advocatemag.com