Second Street in Taylor, Texas cuts its way across the town’s heart in a straight-line fashion that you are accustomed to seeing in most Texas towns.  Despite the street undergoing major renovations, it’s still easy to get around the old buildings of varying age and architectural styles.

Although the street is torn up in front of the place, I spot the old barbecue joint and pull into their spacious parking.  Most of my adult life, I’ve heard of Louie Mueller’s BBQ in Taylor and my stomach tells me I am ready to dig in.  

I am not much of a food writer and never have been.  Those who deal in culinary prose are much more adept at it than I will ever be and are probably more well traveled than I.  However, I will give it a shot because Louie Mueller’s deserves mentioning.

Walking into the front screen door, it’s like I’ve stepped back in time to a restaurant that is what eating joints used to be like:  short on expensive architectural and interior decoration details and really, not all that fancy.  Instead, Mueller’s is all about the food.

The main room is cavernous with high ceilings and another room, nearly identical in size flanks it to the west.  The main room is a bit dark because of scant ceiling lighting.  Instead, natural light floods from the adjoining room because of the large screen panels that separate the second room from the outdoors and makes it feel like a patio.  Wood smoke makes the space a bit hazy and the walls are a rich brown - the patinaed result of years of smoke permeating the walls.

It feels like a smoke house in here.  With no air conditioning, its a bit warm inside but the big fans peppered throughout the building makes it comfortable.

After looking around I saunter to the back counter to order.  Behind the counter, a slab of peppered brisket lies on a well worn wooden chopping block.  While I stare at the hand written menu that’s hanging on the wall and scribed on meat wrapping paper, one of the employees slices a small medallion of beef and lays it on some butcher paper in front of me and motions with his knife for me to try it.

The brisket is warm and perfectly seasoned and his subtle sales technique works deftly and I order four slices (that he cuts fresh in front of me) along with a link of beef sausage.  Before I am at the end of the counter, I add a large iced tea and a small bowl of a vinegar-based cole slaw.  When I check out, the meat is weighed to establish a price and by the time my wife and two kids come through the line, we’ve only spent $32.

Sitting down to eat, I am still enamored with the look of the place.  It is nothing fancy but completely captivating.  After my first bite of brisket, however, my focus quickly changed.

This place is all about the food.

Any questions or comments?  Contact Russell at russell@russellgraves.com or visit his website at www.russellgraves.com