Express BBQ’s Brisket is Dry but Flavorful, Mac and Cheese is a Steal

First the bad news: My return trip to Express BBQ was not as awesomely tasty as the first. Finding decent pulled pork is a huge thrill for me, however, so that would have been a tough visit to top.

The good news: Express BBQ serves up decent brisket and tasty mac and cheese. Kreuz Market it ain’t, but the brisket is smoky and flavorful like the pork, and a little bit of bbq sauce makes up for the fact that’s a touch on the dry side.

The mac and cheese is solid as well, and the price for either is reasonable, solidifying Express BBQ’s position as a Downtown Lunch destination.

On my return visit, Express BBQ was just as fast and friendly as last time. Here’s what I unwrapped when I got back to my desk:

That’s a medium mac and cheese ($1.99) and a beef brisket sandwich ($5.49). The mac and cheese was new since I’d last been or else – believe me – I would have gotten it then.

I have to confess that I was a little scared when I peeled back the bun on my sandwich:

I think you’ll agree with me that that does not look like a tasty, juicy pile of brisket. I took my first bite hesitatingly. And?

A bit dry, but very tasty. I think the problem here is freshness: I don’t know where, when, or how often they smoke their meat, but I think this batch had been around for too long. It tastes much, much better than it looks though. As with the pork, there’s definitely a distinct, smoky flavor here, so someone is doing something right. It is a bit tough and a bit dry, but the sauce helps, and all things considered, I’d happily get it again.

I should also point out that the gross bun problem I complained about before was not at all a problem this time. Clearly that was a fluke. My bun was just fine.

The mac and cheese is delicious, but it’s just like the kind you’d make at home from a box. So it’s delicious and very cheap (and that’s a bigger bowl than it appears), but nothing groundbreaking. For $1.99, I’ll definitely be eating it again, but I am not a mac and cheese snob by any means.

Express BBQ’s pork is definitely better than the beef, but if you have an insatiable brisket craving, you can reasonably satisfy it here. Add in tasty mac and cheese for two bucks, and Express BBQ continues to be one of my favorite finds of the past couple of months.

Related:
Express BBQ’s Pulled Pork Far Exceeds Expectations

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