575 PIZZERIA - SOMETIMES YOU WANNA GO
Pizza. Just the word burns the roof of my mouth. I love pizza. I have always loved pizza. Growing up in Amarillo, we have never had a shortage of pizza joints. When I was a kid, before the invention of pizza delivery, pizza joints were a magical place, where you actually went in, sat down, ordered pizza, and ATE THE PIZZA THERE. I remember days following a T-ball game of going to Pizza Planet at 33rd & Bell for a Smorgasbord filled with Canadian Bacon, Pepperoni, Hamburger, and a concoction known as Taco Pizza. We washed it all down with endless Root Beer or Rondo while we watched our moms devour their Chef’s Salads. When we tired of Pizza Planet, we would mix in a visit to Shakey’s where you were charged by the pound for their Pizza Buffet and Mojo Fries. When our teenage appetites hit our parents wallets, we were sent to the original Mr. Gattis, Showbiz or Pistol Pete’s for an orgy of pizza and video games. I still think I am money ahead on their all-you-can-eat and play for one price.
Pizza. Just the word burns the roof of my mouth. I love pizza. I have always loved pizza. Growing up in Amarillo, we have never had a shortage of pizza joints. When I was a kid, before the invention of pizza delivery, pizza joints were a magical place, where you actually went in, sat down, ordered pizza, and ATE THE PIZZA THERE. I remember days following a T-ball game of going to Pizza Planet at 33rd & Bell for a Smorgasbord filled with Canadian Bacon, Pepperoni, Hamburger, and a concoction known as Taco Pizza. We washed it all down with endless Root Beer or Rondo while we watched our moms devour their Chef’s Salads. When we tired of Pizza Planet, we would mix in a visit to Shakey’s where you were charged by the pound for their Pizza Buffet and Mojo Fries. When our teenage appetites hit our parents wallets, we were sent to the original Mr. Gattis, Showbiz or Pistol Pete’s for an orgy of pizza and video games. I still think I am money ahead on their all-you-can-eat and play for one price.
Then Domino’s happened. Quick delivery of pizza meant an end to pizza joint visits. Pizza Hut’s distinctively shaped locations started to close and their pizza became commoditized. Quality pizza was replaced with quick, cheap alternatives where convenience and price took precedent. The one exception in my opinion is Pizza Planet. Their pizza still tastes exactly as I remember it. NOTHING tastes like Pizza Planet’s Canadian Bacon or their Thousand Island dressing. Mmmmmmmmm………….Nostalgia.
Then 575 Pizza arrived and nirvana was achieved. Everything was perfect: the intimate interior, the fantastic employees, the crowd, the huge selection of the finest beers in the land, and the pizza; OH MY GOD, THE PIZZA. I have never experienced anything like the perfection that occurs in that little building. I have tried to find better pizza and have repeatedly been disappointed. 575 is just that good. Their oven works its magic on pepperoni creating little gloriously burned, crispy bits. The seasoning installed under the dough before its oven journey is delightful.
For a while there, we visited 575 at least twice per week. We tried all the pies, salads and beers. Our car almost knew its way to 575. We began to know the staff so well, we went to the wedding of two of the employees. We became friends with the owner and the managers. My wife had her own Local's Choice for a time. The HulaNoma was a blend of Pepperoni, Pineapple and Green Chiles. I cannot recommend it enough.
Pro Tip: when you are trying to be mindful of calories and restraining yourself to one of their phenomenal salads, ask them to run a small container of pepperoni through the oven for a tasty addition to the top of your salad.
When the new Hillside location opened, it brought an entirely new crowd to the experience along with more room. An expansion of ideas, beers, and community involvement was achieved. Even though we visit Hillside on a much more frequent basis because of the proximity to our house, the OG Civic location is still known as “Our 575.”
THE JOINT EXPERIENCE
Going to 575 on Monday night carries a different vibe than a Friday night. The line is non-existent; the jockeying for a spot at the bar lessened. We took our spot at a table, ordered our beers, and settled in for a treat.
After the delivery of our perfect brews, a pairing of the Tine Trio was ordered to begin the festivities. A staple on their menu, flatbread is served with some warm, ooey-gooey spinach-artichoke dip, some tomatoey-garlicky bruschetta, and olive tapenade. The dip is really good. The bruschetta is delightful. The tapenade is wondrous. The combo of olivey brininess with vampire thwarting levels of garlic are habit forming. 575’s tapenade is the what olives should aspire to give their lives for.
On to the pie. Ordering a pizza at 575 is a lesson in opportunity costs. If I get the Green Stripe Piggy, I can add the green hot sauce to perfect the taste. If I get the Tomaino, I can have those super savory meatballs. If I get the Bender, I can have an actual “Meat Lovers” pizza. I can get the Mezcal and pound 3 beers to put the fire out. Or I can order the Kamehameha (my personal fave) and get the perfect mix of spicy and sweet. They need to install a wheel for you to spin so you can be surprised instead of having to decide for yourself like an adult.
But tonight, nothing short of Omni “Our Way” will do. Omni “Our Way” started out of mine and my wife’s dislike of green peppers. Notice I did not say hate. I’ll eat green peppers, I just don’t care for them. It seems like when I eat green peppers, I’m reminded of them the rest of the day with a persistent return of the flavor. And it is not my favorite flavor. Food hate is reserved for the truly deserving items that cannot be tolerated. Like bananas. So on the Omni, we sub green chiles for green peppers for “Our Way.” For the other half of the pie, Edelweiss was chosen for no other reason than its deliciousness.
Even 10 years in, 575 is stellar. I have had 575 pizza so many times, I take it for granted. When I take the time to pause, savor and appreciate it, I am startled at how damn good it is. The dough is a perfect combination of crisp, chewy, dry and moist (everyone’s favorite word) and the ingredients are all-stars. I cannot imagine a better pizza.
575 will be always be the clean-up hitter in the Eat Out Amarillo rotation. For any new-comer to town, 575 is the #1 recommendation. Now, if they only served Rondo and had a Ms. Pac Man.
2803 Civic Circle
Amarillo, TX 79109
7710 Hillside Rd
Suite 700
Amarillo, TX 79119
CAFE BLVD & BAR - I'M YOUR PUSHERMAN
I am an Asian food junkie. If I go more than a week without my fix, I suffer from the DTs until I can get a hit. Then I am straight for a few days. Luckily, Amarillo has its share of dealers for me to sample their wares and keep myself right. I dabble in a dose of Mee-Ka-Tee at Ly’s or partake of a shot of Sushi at Sushi House. I’ll jump from Thai to Chinese to Laotian to Japanese just to keep my taste buds interested. Because of my addiction, I am constantly chasing that new high. Always looking for the next thing to jumpstart my dopamine levels.
I am an Asian food junkie. If I go more than a week without my fix, I suffer from the DTs until I can get a hit. Then I am straight for a few days. Luckily, Amarillo has its share of dealers for me to sample their wares and keep myself right. I dabble in a dose of Mee-Ka-Tee at Ly’s or partake of a shot of Sushi at Sushi House. I’ll jump from Thai to Chinese to Laotian to Japanese just to keep my taste buds interested. Because of my addiction, I am constantly chasing that new high. Always looking for the next thing to jumpstart my dopamine levels.
Because of my addiction, enablers in my life will try to introduce me to new Joints and dishes. One of the most common tactics is to push Pho on me. On about 6 occasions, I have tried Pho in Amarillo and have never gotten the big deal. I won’t name the places, but it has always seemed overly bland to me. Just a bowl of hot broth-ish water with some mushy meat in it. The only way for me to enjoy it has been to doctor it so much, I have ruined whatever the cook intended. I didn’t hate it, I just didn’t get it. Until Cafe Blvd & Bar came into my life.
THE JOINT EXPERIENCE
On my first visit to Cafe Blvd, my hopes were set reasonably for a newly opened restaurant. Open less than one month, I expected some good food based on the location and look of the place. In my experience, new restaurants are trying to find their way in the first few months. I always set my expectations fairly low when visiting a newly opened restaurant.
Upon asking for a recommendation from our waiter, I was presented with Pho. Oh, here we go again. In my head, I hear “You gotta try the Pho. Have you had Pho? I love Pho. How can you not love Pho?” But, always heeding my advice to ask for a recommendation and following it, Combo Pho was ordered along with the Saigon Wings and Egg Rolls. The wings were very good, and I expect them to only get better as the restaurant rolls along. The Egg Rolls are from-scratch, honest to goodness delicious.
Warning! Complete Tangential Rant Ahead: Restaurant Owners, Chefs, Menu Developers, Anyone; for the love of God, would you please put appetizers in groups of 4? Invariably when an appetizer is delivered, there are 3 or 5. Stop doing that! I can’t remember the last time I had a meal at a table of 5. Four of them get eaten and everyone is too polite to take the last one. We just stare at it thinking “Is anyone gonna take that last chicken wing/egg roll/crab cake/shrimp?” Then it ends up getting massacred into 4 bites so no one feels cheated. Cafe Blvd delivered 8 egg rolls. Perfect for 2, 4 or 8 people. I hope it starts a trend. Rant over.
Then the Pho arrived. We could smell it coming. It looked different. It smelled different. And my god, did it taste different. Chocked full of steak, brisket, meatballs, noodles, onions and green onions I couldn’t wait to dig in, but my brain restrained me. I had to enjoy the experience to its fullest. The aroma from the bowl reminded me slightly of Fall. There is some spice in there in the allspice or cinnamon family that is unexpected and enticing. After my first taste, I finally got it. I finally saw the appeal. The meat is delicious and tender and the noodles are excellent, but the broth is the star. The broth is so complex and so balanced, I was shocked. The only word I can use is Full. It tasted full. I am sure there is a better word, but I can’t find it. It is the perfect bowl of soup. You are presented a plate of Thai basil, sprouts, limes and jalapenos for fine tuning to your taste, but in my opinion, it is the perfect bowl of soup just the way it is.
In the past, because of my lackluster Pho experiences I have always elected to go for Ramen, when presented the option. After Cafe Blvd’s Pho, I finally understand the appeal of both independently. Pho is the perfect comfort food, where Ramen’s quest is to jam as much flavor into one bowl as humanly possible. Pho is a house concert by Sting; Ramen is a Metallica concert in an arena. I like them both and each has its place. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.
If someone asks me for a Joint recommendation, I try to gauge their adventure level. If they are easily freaked-out by unfamiliar surroundings or a largely unpronounceable menu, I try to steer them to more comfortable Joints. Making a leap from Abuelo’s to Pollo Sinaloa is like a Trans-Atlantic voyage for some. Frequently this hesitance prevents them from experiencing the off-the-beaten path gems. This is not the case with Cafe Blvd. It is roadblock free. The entire location has been completely renovated. From a new concrete parking lot, to replacing the interior walls, floor, ceiling and bar, it has been refurbished stem to stern. No one, and I mean no one, should be hesitant to visit Cafe Blvd. If you are averse to trying new adventures due to environment and atmosphere, Cafe Blvd is a baby step in the right direction.
Someday my friends and family might stage an intervention for me. I just hope I had Cafe Blvd's Pho that day before going to rehab.
5316 E Amarillo Blvd
Amarillo, TX 79107
LY'S CAFE - CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE
I get asked frequently to recommend the “Best Joint” in town. I am not a “Best” kinda guy. Can I honestly say Coyote Bluff’s burger is better than Blue Sky’s or Golden Light’s? No. I’m more of a “Top Five” guy. All three of those are Top Five. “Best” is one person’s opinion. I do not care for lettuce on my burger and you may think a burger is not complete without it. Mayo or Mustard? Pickles or no pickles? My point is to stress “Best” is infrequent. “Best” is subjective.
I get asked frequently to recommend the “Best Joint” in town. I am not a “Best” kinda guy. Can I honestly say Coyote Bluff’s burger is better than Blue Sky’s or Golden Light’s? No. I’m more of a “Top Five” guy. All three of those are Top Five. “Best” is one person’s opinion. I do not care for lettuce on my burger and you may think a burger is not complete without it. Mayo or Mustard? Pickles or no pickles? My point is to stress “Best” is infrequent. “Best” is subjective.
The most common “Best Joint” request I get is “Best Thai Joint”. Other than Mexican food, I think there are more Asian restaurants in town than any other cuisine. Previously, I discussed Amarillo’s complex history of Asian food. Most joints in town offer a medley of Chinese, Japanese and Thai, with a sprinkling of Vietnamese and Laotian for good measure. To narrow it down to Thai only would be a challenging task, as I don’t know of a joint in town with a Thai only menu. When I get the “Best Thai” question, I will ask where they have been and what they like. Bangkok Tokyo, My Thai or Taste of Thai are usually in the conversation. Very seldom do I hear “Ly’s” which is an easy “Top Five.”
I’m born and raised, live and work on the Southwest side of town as are most people in my circle. For us, Ly’s if off the beaten path. It is located in Eastridge on Amarillo Boulevard. Even if planning a lunch from downtown, getting there, eating and getting back is not a quick trip. You gotta want it. And you do want it. It is a delicious experience offering some of the most distinct examples of Asian food I have encountered in Amarillo.
THE JOINT EXPERIENCE
Ly’s has a striking similarity to some other joints I frequent: it isn’t packed. I am shocked every time I go to place that has killer food and it is 2/3rds empty. The first time I went to Pollo Sinaloa, we were the only ones there. Same thing at Sushi House and Indian Oven. Ichiban is packed ALL THE TIME. Coyote Bluff is too. But Ly’s seldom has more than 10 patrons in there, but those ten are in for a treat.
Two things to remember at Ly’s: don’t miss the Beef Jerky and Sticky Rice and don’t miss the Lao Pork Sausage. They are both part of a balanced breakfast. Anything you order after that will just round out the experience. I have not had everything on their menu, but everything I have had is Top Notch. The Lad Na is amazing with little crispy bit of mystery. I have no idea what it is and I don’t care. It’s delicious. The chicken wings and the Pad-C-U are fabulous. The Mee Ka Tee is amazingly smooth and mild. I prefer it at Ichiban, but Ly’s is right up there with a more subtle flavor. Their menu includes a Thai-Chinese section with Fried Rice, Egg Rolls, Cashew Chicken and Beef Broccoli, so don’t be afraid to take less adventurous buddies. Pro-Tip: when getting the Beef Jerky and Sticky Rice, ask for both sauces. The tomato sauce usually accompanying it is delightful, but the spicy choice only offered by special request is a tasty option.
Eastridge is becoming a destination for anyone wanting to go explore authentic Asian food in Amarillo. Within one block of Ly's, there are no fewer than 6 restaurants vying for your attention. Embrace the adventure. Who knows, you might find the "Best" joint in town.
5615 E Amarillo Blvd
Amarillo, TX 79107
GOLDEN LIGHT CAFE - TAKE THE LAST TRAIN HOME
By Wes Reeves
This is a food thing that’s not exactly about food, but more about a place where food is served. And it’s kind of about really deep things like taking care of your soul.
My first memory of the Golden Light Café at 2906 SW Sixth Ave. is from my early days in Amarillo, some 25 or so years back. It’s a Route 66 icon these days, but back then, the locals weren’t as savvy about the Mother Road’s mystique. Golden Light was really just about good food with no frills, which is what I found when I first visited. My only other memory from the time was that a waitress smashed a fly on our table just after taking our order, and made it seem like that was just part of the good service we should expect.
By Wes Reeves
This is a food thing that’s not exactly about food, but more about a place where food is served. And it’s kind of about really deep things like taking care of your soul.
My first memory of the Golden Light Café at 2906 SW Sixth Ave. is from my early days in Amarillo, some 25 or so years back. It’s a Route 66 icon these days, but back then, the locals weren’t as savvy about the Mother Road’s mystique. Golden Light was really just about good food with no frills, which is what I found when I first visited. My only other memory from the time was that a waitress smashed a fly on our table just after taking our order, and made it seem like that was just part of the good service we should expect.
I forgot about Golden Light for a number of years after that. I’m sure I dropped in now and then, but like so many Amarilloans, I got busy selling my soul to the latest of the chain restaurants that cropped up in the 90s and early 2000s, thinking it made me feel urban. Golden Light didn’t enter my consciousness again until I met a young fellow named AJ Swope through the news business, along about 2007 or so. AJ was a channel 7 news guy, and a darn good one. I was then, as now (and perhaps evermore shalt be) the PR guy for the power company. We were fated to cross paths.
In my mind, AJ was just a kid – about 17 years younger than me. But he was interested in the things I dealt with, especially wind energy. And for the first time in my life, I realized I knew some things simply because I had been around for a while. AJ was inquisitive and engaging, and made me feel smart. I liked him right off. When my company helped launch a nonprofit to promote wind energy, I encouraged AJ to leave news and head up our new group - Class 4 Winds - as the executive director and chief promoter of the region’s growing wind energy business. AJ took the job and made a real name for himself in no time at all, and quickly won over the hearts of anyone he encountered. We all loved his adventurous and enlightened soul, and he brought a sense of excitement to even the most mundane of tasks.
OK so where are we going with all this? Well, AJ also had a band, a good one. I didn’t know this at first, but once he got more familiar with me, he started letting me in on these things. He and his group – The Last Train Home – got good enough that they started scoring some gigs at the Golden Light Cantina, one door east of the Golden Light Café. In short order, this little section of old Sixth Street became AJ’s embassy, the headquarters of his cool. I remember him inviting me to come hear his band, but they often played late on Thursdays, and my wife and I had smallish kids at home. I kept looking for the right time. Next time my friend, I’ll try to go next time. Just remind me.
The problem with life is we put too much faith in tomorrow. On Jan. 15, 2013, right near the top of AJ’s ascent as a musician and as a wind energy expert, he was driving to Dumas to talk about wind farms to a group of retired teachers. He never made it. A woman in a red car got on the wrong side of the road and killed him in a head-on crash just north of the Canadian River. The police said she did it on purpose.
If you’ve ever felt empty, like really empty in the soul, you know it’s the worst feeling of all. I couldn’t get past the fact that AJ lost his life working the job I had encouraged him to take. I couldn’t fathom the cold reality of zero chances to get to know him better, to go to the Golden Light and listen to his band. About all I could do was hunt down AJ’s friends and family and try to fill in that gouged-out place in my heart by drawing close to them.
AJ’s brother Dirk starting meeting me at the Golden Light at some point in 2013 or 2014. We’d sit at the bar and drink Lone Star beer as if AJ was there with us. The wait staff knew why we were there and paid a little extra attention to us. A few others close to AJ met me there too. Through this process of joining friends with food and a deep longing, the emptiness lost some of its hollow qualities. I even felt like AJ came by and sat with us a few times.
And while this camaraderie was helping to bind up our broken hearts, I got reacquainted with the joy of a meal at the Golden Light Café. Over time I figured out a certain logic in how you eat there. If you’re drinking a Lone Star, you need some grease to go with it, because Lone Star isn’t that good by itself. The basic Golden Light burger is really all I need, because I’m not fancy guy. I’m a Methodist. I just like my ground beef with some mustard slathered on it and loaded up with pickles. Tomatoes and lettuce are invited to come along for the ride. I also realized that if I ordered more than one Lone Star, I probably needed some chili cheese fries to soak up the extra alcohol. All these things work together like a loose harmony in a bluegrass tune. And that’s pretty much what I eat at Golden Light to this day.
Based on my simple and provincial palate, I’m not the guy to tell you that Golden Light is some kind of amazing culinary experience. There are a few creative combinations such as burgers topped with fried donuts and burgers with stupid amounts of painful peppers, but most of what you get is pretty basic and it’s meant to be that way. But what I can tell you is, based on surviving an empty time in my life, Golden Light can crowd out the loneliness like few other places can.
This says something about our motivations when we decide to eat out. We want to feel a good vibe as much as we want decent food. Hanging out at Golden Light, eating at the bar and drinking a Lone Star with your friends makes you a decent human being hoping for good things. Just try to print that in the menu of a chain swill parlor and the ink just won’t stick.
2906 SW 6th Ave
Amarillo, TX 79106
806-374-9237
TYLER'S BARBEQUE - SMOKE 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM
Growing up in Amarillo, I have had my fair share of barbecue. I remember visits to The Hickory Pit or Doug’s on a Saturday for a chopped beef sandwich. I also remember going to Sutphens downtown (ya’ know, where Youngbloods is now) on a Friday or Saturday night and having to wait for what seemed like three hours to get a table; I am sure it was more like 30 minutes. After finally being seated, we would be served platefuls of ribs, sausage, potato salad, cole slaw, beans, and what to this day may be the best onion rings to ever grace my lips. There was also Texas Toast and the apricot preserves which always was a mystery to me. Come to find out, apricot preserves have a long barbecue history and are unique to Texas Panhandle Barbecue.
Growing up in Amarillo, I have had my fair share of barbecue. I remember visits to The Hickory Pit or Doug’s on a Saturday for a chopped beef sandwich. I also remember going to Sutphens downtown (ya’ know, where Youngbloods is now) on a Friday or Saturday night and having to wait for what seemed like three hours to get a table; I am sure it was more like 30 minutes. After finally being seated, we would be served platefuls of ribs, sausage, potato salad, cole slaw, beans, and what to this day may be the best onion rings to ever grace my lips. There was also Texas Toast and the apricot preserves which always was a mystery to me. Come to find out, apricot preserves have a long barbecue history and are unique to Texas Panhandle Barbecue.
After the Sutphens in Amarillo closed, we have been treated to Cattle Call and Dyers as the main purveyors of barbecue along with stands like Robinsons, Doug’s, Henks and The Hickory Pit. They are always consistently good and offer the traditional sides along with their meats cooked in a fashion long accepted, and loved, by Amarillo.
Then Tyler Frazer brought Central Texas Barbecue home with him to Amarillo and opened Tyler’s Barbeque. Tyler sat down with me to chat about Barbecue, SMU Tailgating, the benefits of a CDL, and how Tyler’s would not have succeeded without the Amarillo Spirit.
Since opening in 2010 and being anointed with a prestigious spot on Texas Monthly Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas for both 2013 and 2017, Tyler’s Barbeque has become a benchmark of the exceptional food Amarillo has to offer. At each stop during his career, he has been equipped with a new skill needed to successfully run Tyler’s Barbeque.
After stints in the kitchen of Gary’s Barbecue and Coca-Cola as a transport driver, he landed at Hastings in the warehouse before transitioning to a Candy Buyer with Hastings. Learning the logistics of inventory management and making sure each store had just the right amount of inventory at just the right time foreshadowed a need in his restaurant to provide enough barbecue for his customers without having to dispose of leftovers at the end of the night.
Following Hastings, he pursued some opportunities in the Metroplex and began tailgating for SMU football games with a buddy of his. While watching the pretty people of Dallas prepare for some sub-standard football, he began smoking a pork shoulder here and there. For one game, his buddy made arrangements for Trace Arnold to show up with his “Ultimate Smoker” rig. All the groundwork was laid for a blowout to end all blowouts, but on the evening before the game, they received a call from Trace informing them his driver’s mom was in the hospital and would not be able to get the rig there unless he knew someone with a Commercial Driver’s License. Cue Tyler “I have a CDL!” which he acquired from his days of driving for Coca-Cola. A time was set the following morning for Tyler to meet Trace to show his driving proficiency before turning over the keys of the 80 foot behemoth to some stranger. After putting the truck and trailer through its paces, they headed off to the tailgate. When Tyler pulled up, a microphone from WFAA in Dallas was shoved into his face asking what it was like to own such a machine. Without pause, the salesman in him kicked in and he proceeded to give the interview of his life. After Trace’s initial bewilderment ended, a great friendship was born.
Over the next couple of years, Tyler would help Trace with events when he was needed, the entire time Tyler learning a little bit more about the barbeque craft. Soon, Trace landed a 5 year contract for a series of events and he asked Tyler to come work with him full-time. Tyler was making a good living in Dallas at the time and told Trace he couldn’t afford him. After some salesmanship on both sides they realized Trace was not only gaining a cook, but a driver and a spokesman, and a deal was set.
Over the course of the next 5 years, they traveled all over the US, at one point making 90 stops in 105 days including Dallas, Kansas City, Seattle, Oregon, California, and everywhere in between. They both noticed their style of barbeque was sparse anywhere north and west of Texas. During this time, Tyler began formulating a strategy to open his own Central Texas Barbeque Joint in Amarillo. He had roots here, he had the skill, he had the desire, and Amarillo had never seen anything like it.
As the 5 year contract was nearing its end, Tyler began scouring Amarillo for a location to house his dream. Most places were either too expensive or needed too much work to make it a go. A closed down Long John Silvers offered the best compromise of location, amenities and price, so the plan started to take shape. With help from family and friends he began renovating the place and developing his menu. He knew he wanted to feature brisket, sausage and ribs along with pulled pork. He acquired his smokers, along with a supply of mesquite, and started cooking. In the early days, he couldn’t afford any staff, so his mom was enlisted to run the register and a few buddies would help cook and run the Joint. He would take each day’s sales and go buy meat for the next day, eventually leading to a 2 day cushion. After about 120 days, he was able to hire some help and things started rolling.
Word got around Amarillo about the barbeque atypical of anything Amarillo was accustomed to. We were not used to restaurants without strict closing times and a place selling out of product, but in a world where a brisket takes 12-14 hours or more to cook, you can’t just throw more on at 1:30 in the afternoon after a lunch rush. We were also not acclimatized to the mesquite smoke he uses. His brisket had a heavier smoke flavor and heavier seasoning than anything Amarillo had experienced, and we ate it up.
In 2013, Tyler’s Barbeque was named one of the Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas; a first for Amarillo. Tyler’s was the only recipient north of the DFW Metroplex. When the issue hit the stands, the rest of Texas and the world were let in on the secret. Travelers started stopping in from everywhere. While we were talking, people travelling from Florida and South Carolina stopped by to thank Tyler for the excellent food. Again in 2017, the newest list included Tyler’s including the Yeti Sponsored Top 50 Passport with a goal to visit all 50 Joints. Because of our geographic location, Tyler has had the pleasure of awarding some participants with their final Passport sticker multiple times.
Tyler’s smokers run almost 24/7 on a prescription of mesquite for the overnight briskets and a dose of oak in the morning before adding the ribs, chicken and sausage. When I asked him how he maintains the quality and volume to keep everyone happy, he offers some advice given to him early on “Cook what you like and you will always be happy.” Good advice to everyone.
The Eat Out Amarillo High Five
1 – What is your favorite thing on your menu? Chopped Beef Sandwich
2 - What do you cook at home? Steak
3 - If you opened a completely different type restaurant, what would it be? Ice Cream or Snow Cones
4 - What are your 3 favorite joints in town?
Coyote Bluff
Golden Light
Blue Sky
5 - What is your favorite out of town joint?
Bluebonnet Cafe - Marble Falls
Royers Cafe – Roundtop
Horseshoe Hill – Fort Worth
The Ranchman's Cafe – Ponder - Don't miss the chicken fried steak
THE JOINT EXPERIENCE
We visited on a Thursday for lunch. I cannot stress this enough, if you can make it on a Thursday, you are in for a treat of Green Chile Mac & Cheese. It is the only day it is offered and is gone quickly. Due to the Mac & Cheese, the crowd seems to be bigger, so visiting early is recommended.
Upon entering you are presented with a menu of sandwiches or dinner plates. I do not venture out very often from my standard order of a Two Meat Plate with Sliced Moist Brisket and Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage with Beans and Coleslaw. On Thursdays, I will swap the bean for a Mac & Cheese deliciousness. For this visit, I also added 2 pork ribs.
I need to make a disclaimer here. My wife tells me I exaggerate. If I told her once, I’ve told her a million times, I don’t exaggerate, I just remember big. All hyperbole aside, the brisket is phenomenal. I mean, out of this world, fantastic. I have trekked to Austin and waited in a 3 hour line for Franklin Barbecue in Austin, and this is right up there. Ordering it moist is the key for me. I prefer the fattier, juicier deliciousness of the point of the brisket. The marriage of the smoke, the long cook softening up the fat, and the skill of the cutter harmonize to serve not only some of the best brisket I have encountered, but some of the best beef. I cannot recommend the Sliced Moist Brisket enough.
Tyler serves jalapeno cheddar sausage from a secret purveyor. He has worked on his own recipe and has not perfected it yet. Until his is better than what he currently purchases, he will remain serving the proven recipe. The sausage is amazing, with its just-right spiciness and snap. I cannot imagine visiting Tyler’s and not partaking of the sausage.
Let’s talk about ribs. I don’t think any cut of meat has more cooking methods, rubs, sauces, myths, rumors or fanaticism than pork ribs. You can get baby backs, St. Louis cut, or spare ribs. You can smoke, boil, bake, slow cooker, braise, or grill ribs. You can wrap them in foil, put apple juice on them, dry rub them, sauce them, or leave ‘em naked. The variations and opinions are endless. Carolina’s Ribs are Best! No, Kansas City’s Are! You Morons, Memphis’ Are The Only True Ribs! My opinion is ribs are delicious, just as long as they are in my mouth. I have preferences towards saucier, sweeter St. Louis Cut ribs, but if you smoke ‘em, I will eat ‘em. Tyler’s ribs are more on the savory end of the rib spectrum with a nice crisp bark to them and a wonderful bite. I was impressed.
Every visit to Tyler’s further solidifies his placement among Texas’ Best Barbecue Joints. His Joint on Paramount gives Amarillo folks an opportunity to experience the new Golden Age of Barbecue without having to take a roadtrip south. Take your appetite to Tyler’s Barbeque for a treat, just get there before they sell out.
