March 12, 2007
Cuisine: BBQ

5204 Ranch Road 2222
Austin, TX 78731

Phone: 512-346-3664
Website: http://www.countyline.com/

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Appetizer: Fresh Baked Whole Wheat Bread ($2.49)

Entree I: Lighter Combo – Beef Ribs, Sausage, Beans, Coleslaw, Potato Salad ($10.99)

Entree II: Pork Rib Combo ($14.99)

Lighter Combo – Beef Ribs, Brisket, Beans, Coleslaw, Potato Salad ($10.99)

Peach Cobbler a la Mode ($4.88)

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The County Line is located in the “Hill Country” of Austin, which is a gorgeous area that reminded me a bit of California and my colleagues of Massachusetts. The restaurant overlooks an idyllic lake and lush green hills—the perfect scenery for some down home goodness. The smell of smoked meat wafted in the parking lot air beckoning us to enter the restaurant.

After a long day of work, my colleagues and I were ready to settle in for some great BBQ. We started off with some freshly baked whole wheat bread that we had heard good things about. The bread was warm, sweet, and fluffy. My colleagues spread some honey butter on theirs, but I found the bread satisfying on its own.

Our main courses arrived soon after the bread was delivered. Since I wanted to try a few different meats, I ordered the Lighter Combo with beef ribs and sausage. The sides included beans, coleslaw, and potato salad. Unfortunately, the sides were totally disappointing. The beans and potato salad were blander than bland and the coleslaw was doused in creamy mayonnaise. The state of sides in Texas is a travesty. I pushed the sides aside and focused on the meats. The sausage was a real winner—the crisp casing unleashed a savory blend of flavors in every bite and the sauce was tangy and sweet, which I really liked. The beef ribs were difficult to eat and yielded very little meat. I hate it when hard work isn’t rewarded.

My colleague Helen also ordered the Lighter Combo, but with the beef brisket rather than the sausage. She commented that the ribs were fatty and tasteless, but really liked the brisket a great deal. She jazzed up her sides by pouring some of the extra BBQ sauce on them. My other colleague Josh went for the Pork Rib Combo, which I should have ordered in retrospect. He is a fan of pork ribs and The County Line’s did not disappoint. He thought the sauce could have been a touch more spicy.

Since the sides were lacking, we all had room for dessert and shared a Peach Cobbler a la Mode. The ice cream was good, but the actual cobbler was made of canned peach pie filling which was a let down.