I decided to try a food truck I had seen multiple times passing by Hiram Clarke Road. Jr’s BBQ Pit is a Black-owned food truck that serves different kinds of meats like pork, chicken and beef with a variety of sides like fries, mac and cheese or potatoes. The food truck is owned by Jr., the name he wishes to be called. The service from the food truck is friendly, while the owner is attentive to what the customer wants in their food. Jr. BBQ Pit sits on Hiram Clarke Road in Central Southwest Houston, where little food trucks are around.
The food truck is parked in front of a flower shop with a big parking space that accommodates people who want to visit both places. The location is fairly unoccupied unless an event is going on in the back of the flower shop. When it is busy, the area around the food truck is lively and has multiple people coming from across the street, parking to head over to the lot where the food truck is situated.
The ambiance around the food truck was lively seeing people come and go. There was a security guard on the premises who helped with traffic control. It was calm even with people coming from the parking lot across the street. The food truck had music playing from its speakers and everyone stayed within themselves keeping everything amicable.
I tried the mac and cheese with brisket on top, one of the side dishes on his menu. The to-go box was filled to the brim with an equal amount of mac and cheese plus the brisket. The food was very affordable, which anyone on a budget can get whenever they don’t feel like cooking.
When I ordered the food, the owner was quick to cook it with efficiency while asking if I wanted any other condiment added to the meat or if I wanted some bread along with my food. “Allow people to eat genuine barbeque since I do not put a bunch of sauce on my food, so the flavor is the meat plus the seasoning,” said Jr. It was a nice touch to be asked if I wanted to make the food personalized to my taste.
Even before I opened the bag, I could smell how fresh the brisket was due to the smoked aroma that was coming from the box. It overpowered the mac and cheese since I could only smell the brisket, which was not off-putting at all. The box was hot to the touch since he had made the food right there as I ordered.
When I tasted the food, I could taste the rich flavors and how well the meat was marinated since the meat was soft to bite through. It was also juicy, bleeding into the mac and cheese, which added a new flavor of smoked cheese since I am not used to mixing anything with my mac and cheese.
Along with my order, he had given me two barbeque sauces which tasted sweet and tangy. I liked that it was added to the side since I rather dip my food than drench it.
When I dipped the brisket into the barbeque, the smoked flavor and tanginess made it taste even better. It felt that the barbeque personally enhanced the brisket due to the mix of sweetness and tanginess.
I also dipped the mac and cheese with the brisket mixed into the barbeque and was pleasantly surprised when the flavors went well together.
He started his business due to his love for barbeque and desire to share that love with others. Before his food truck, he started selling barbeque with just a barbeque pit and a tent in the same location where his food truck is parked now. He had made a presence for himself, which allowed his dream of running a food truck to come alive.
This is a food truck I would recommend to people who want fresh food along with quick friendly service. It is a good spot for students who are trying to save money. Eat meals that could satisfy anybody during dinnertime.
