As we were out leaf-peeping on a recent Saturday, we were heading south from Milford on Route 13 when we happened upon The Alamo Texas Bar-B-Cue & Tequila Bar in Brookline.
It wasn’t mealtime when we drove by, but we made a mental note to check it out online and plan another trip to give it a try.
From the rusty longhorn steer over the front doors to the rustic pine/industrial aluminum interior, The Alamo has the look and feel of a roadhouse restaurant and bar you might find in the Lone Star State.
The Alamo is part of the Mariano Restaurant Group, a family-run operation based in nearby Pepperell, Massachusetts, that also includes Dox on Winnisquam, a lakeside place in Tilton we liked a lot when we visited soon after it opened last year.
The Alamo has a classic barbecue menu, emphasizing ribs, pulled pork, brisket, beef burnt ends and chicken, roasted or pulled. There’s also mac & cheese, loaded potatoes, salads, sandwiches, a short list of appetizers that look like they could serve as a meal, and a surprising number of vegetarian-friendly options.
Mrs. Gourmet is all about the meat these days, so we decided to keep things simple and order two combo platters to share, which would give us a sample of all the barbecue on the menu.
She picked a three-meat combo ($42) with pulled pork, pulled chicken and brisket. I went with a two-meat combo ($32) with a half-rack of baby back ribs ($4 upcharge) and burnt ends.
This three-meat combo platter at The Alamo in Brookline features pulled pork, brisket and pulled chicken.
We had fun as we picked at each other’s plates, tasting the meats on their own and with each of the four sauces offered in squeeze bottles on each table.
The ribs were easily the best of the meats. Tender and moist with a perfect amount of smoke, they were meaty and coated with a sweet-tangy sauce.
Close behind were the burnt ends, though they weren’t as consistently tender as they could have been.
Mrs. G is the queen of pulled pork, and we had to say hers is better than the mildly seasoned pulled pork and chicken in her combo, which were not quite warm enough when they got to our table. The brisket, which was smoky but a bit dry, came in fifth in our sampling (though a friend has since told us that she’s a huge fan — maybe the brisket was having an off night when we were there).
The combos come with two sides and a choice of traditional or jalapeno cornbread. Between us, we chose baked beans, cole slaw, mac & cheese and potato salad. All were good, with the beans and mac & cheese coming out on top for us.
Knowing the combo plates would be enough for our meal and to bring a fair amount home, we didn’t order any appetizers or desserts. But to try a few more dishes, we placed a takeout order for a few appetizers a couple of weekends later.
I thought the tempura pickle spears ($13) were the tastiest fried pickles we’ve ever had — the slightly sweet coating was a perfect contrast to the dill pickle inside. Our son was a big fan of the cheesy, spicy street corn dip ($14), served with homemade tortilla chips. We also ordered the meatless version ($10) of Loaded Tots, topped with cheese and scallions.
The Alamo was hopping both times we visited — we snagged the only parking space in the lot on a Saturday night and for the takeout Sunday afternoon. Inside, the volume was pretty high, mostly because of the crowd, but also because of a solo singer/guitarist who needed to make himself heard over the conversation level. It was the sound of people having a good time.
Service was quick and friendly and the pricing seemed in line with the amount and quality of the food. Of the two Mariano Group restaurants we’ve visited, we’d have to say we prefer Dox in Tilton, but the vibe — and the ribs (and maybe some of the sandwiches and tacos we haven’t even talked about) would bring us back to The Alamo for lunch or dinner next time we’re in the Milford/Route 13 area.
The Alamo Texas Bar-B-Cue 99 Route 13, Brookline; 603-721-5500; alamobarbecue.com Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Tuesday. Pricing: Appetizers, spuds and salads, $10-$17; mac & cheese, $18-$22; barbecue and grilled meats, $19-$42; sandwiches, $16 -$19. {related_content_uuid}058d9bff-3ed5-4f72-8762-fd5107b998ae{/related_content_uuid}
Scores for The Alamo Atmosphere: 18/20 Menu: 19/20 Food: 17/20 Service: 17/20 Value: 17/20 TOTAL: 88/100 {related_content_uuid}92d88ff5-ec85-4745-b08f-ef578819272b{/related_content_uuid}
