New Braunfels

"While Phil Martin of Black Cat BBQ doesn’t like to make waves, he will tell you in confidence that he thinks his Southeastern meat menu is in some ways more difficult to perfect than the brisket, hot links, and dry-rubbed ribs that many Texas-loving LA pop-ups have come to embrace. In truth, he never really cooked or ate much brisket growing up, and says the fat that rings the two-muscle cut so beloved by Texans can forgive some overcooking by less experienced pitmasters. There’s an intricacy to the sauces and rubs that form the backbone of his weekly cooks at the Beverly Hills farmers market — flavors that the Texas stuff doesn’t often have, he notes, ticking off spices that span well beyond the salt and pepper that plays so prominently in the Lone Star State." - Farley Elliott