It was 10:30 a.m. I had an outdoor party to throw and only a few hours to prepare for it. The guest of honor was a friend visiting from Japan, and we wanted to show him a good ol' Texas time. At first, I planned on going to the supermarket and picking up hamburger fixin's and a few sides from the grocery deli. But then it dawned on me: What could be better than to offer our Japanese guest barbecue?
I remembered a barbecue joint along the highway I hadn't been to in a while. It was a friendly place, where customers stood in line to place their order, choose their beer from an ice-filled trough, then chose from one of many folding chairs along the rows of tables lined up like a church social. Taking a chance, I stopped in to see if Rudy's could help me at the last minute.
The young woman behind the counter at the front of Rudy's Country Store was an expert in handling to-go orders and catered events. She offered several recommendations and gave me samples to taste. After considering the options, I ended up with a combination of smoked brisket, turkey, sausage, St. Louis ribs and a couple of chickens with sides of creamed corn and coleslaw. The price, on par with what I expected to pay at the grocery store, included one regular and one "sissy" bottle of Rudy's B-B-Q sause [sic], pickles, onions, jalapeños, cutlery, napkins and even a plastic table cloth! I was set.
For more money, I could've added pork loin and chopped beef, or one of the other sides such as potato salad, pinto beans, green bean salad or corn-on-the-cob. Dessert is another add-on, which includes a choice of banana pudding or peach cobbler, and ice tea, both sweetened and unsweetened, are available.
I made arrangements to pick up my order at 1 p.m. and it was ready to go when I arrived. Several employees armed with foil tins lined up to carry the food to my car. Each tray was clearly labeled, so unpacking the steaming contents once I arrived at my destination was a cinch. I have never thrown a party with such ease.
The party was a hit. My guests raved about the tender meat, and one of them even said it was the best barbecue he'd ever had. I could've made a meal on the creamed corn alone. My Japanese friend enjoyed the Texas-style tradition too. The best part? I had time to enjoy myself and my friends. The next time I throw a party, I'll remember Rudy's.
$-$$
Rudy's Country Store and B-B-Q
520 South IH-35 E, Denton, Texas 76205
(940) 484-7839
(Additional locations in Carlisle and Coors, NM; Norman, OK, as well as Amarillo, Austin, Brownsville, College Station, Corpus Christi, Del Rio, El Paso, Frisco, Laredo, Leon Springs, Lubbock, New Braunfels, Pharr, Round Rock, Sea World, Selma, Spring, Tyler and Waco, TX.)
www.rudysbbq.com
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