Keith Lee stands with Brunchaholics owner Jessie Washington
Assembly Inc.
TikTok-famous food critic Keith Lee is back in Dallas, this time helping Microsoft sell AI products.
Lee is the viral sensation who caused a stir when he came through Dallas in February, eating at local restaurants and drawing attention to local restaurants he felt were deserving.
Now Lee has partnered with Microsoft in a project called "The Reheat," which revisits three Black-owned restaurants across the U.S. — Pretty Soul Kitchen in Las Vegas, Brunchaholics in DeSoto, and Monday in New Orleans — whose business skyrocketed after Lee’s reviews.
The goal seems to be to show how Microsoft products can help them deal with the surge in business.
According to a release, it's a three-part series whose first episode debuts on June 10 with a visit to Pretty Soul Kitchen. Episode No. 2 is Brunchaholics, although no run date is yet specified.
Brunchaholics is a Cajun-Creole brunch spot in DeSoto whose catfish and Soul Food Burrito — with fried catfish or chicken, mac & cheese, yams, and collard greens wrapped in a jalapeño tortilla — earned Lee's raves.
Microsoft staffers show restaurateurs how to use Microsoft tools such as CoPilot, which processes emails. Here is a completely natural-sounding endorsement from Jessie Washington, co-owner of Brunchaholics.
“I have needed ways to stay organized to keep up with the demand," Washington says. "The Reheat with Keith Lee and Microsoft gave me the opportunity to see how AI can help me as an entrepreneur manage my business more efficiently. The fact that Copilot is integrated into the apps I use all the time is a gamechanger, and knowing more about how I can work alongside AI to support me will allow me to focus on other important things to continue to grow Brunchaholics."
Hopefully the appearance gives Brunchaholics another flurry of customers. No word if they signed up for CoPilot, which costs $30 per month.
Dallas-Fort Worth has some of the best barbecue restaurants in the state of Texas right now, and that fact has received another confirmation, this time from a YouTube star.
Joshua Weissman is a chef-turned-YouTuber who recently went on a statewide expedition to try some of Texas Monthly's best barbecue restaurants. His conclusion: The best Texas barbecue can be found in DFW.
While many may snub the idea of "just another YouTuber" reviewing Texas barbecue joints, Weissman cut his teeth working in the restaurant industry, and was once the lead cook at Uchiko in Austin. His YouTube channel has amassed over 10 million subscribers, and he's written two New York Times Bestsellingcookbooks.
Using Texas Monthly's2021 list (the newest edition will be released later this year) as his guide, Weissman documented his journey alongside new Texas resident and private chef Olivia Tiedemann. The duo also visited the four Texas barbecue restaurants that recently earned Michelin Stars.
Four BBQ in DFW Weissman ranked Goldee's Barbecue in Fort Worth the highest on the list out of the 17 total Texas barbecue restaurants he visited. He even invited Texas Monthly's Dallas-based barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn to join him during their tasting (which was their final stop on their journey) who had rated this hometown staple No. 1 in 2021.
Weissman had nothing but good things to say about Goldee's classic side dishes and its brisket, giving them 9.5 points (out of 10) for sides, and 29.2 points out of 30 for the brisket.
"The [brisket] seasoning is ridiculous, it's exactly where it should be," he said. "It's got the smoke flavor I want, but it's not overwhelmingly smoky. This is worth traveling back for."
Goldee's BBQ in Fort Worth has earned loads of acclaim.
Photo by Joey Garcia
Coming in a close second in DFW was Cattleack Barbeque in Farmers Branch, which received 28.3 points for brisket, and 9.5 points for its sides. In 2021, Texas Monthly ranked Cattleack the No. 6 best barbecue in the state.
Cattleack's side dishes – Hatch chili mac & cheese, Granny's coleslaw, potato salad, and burnt end beans – were exceptionally elevated versions of classic barbecue sides, according to Weissman. Tiedemann was thrilled with the creamy texture, and cheesy flavor of the mac and cheese.
But it was Cattleack's Japanese-American hybrid Texas wagyu brisket that stole the show. Both the lean and fatty brisket earned high praise (and high rankings) across all three categories from both judges.
"As a whole, [Cattleack] is where I'd probably come back to and be like, 'This was the complete barbecue experience that was my favorite so far,'" Tiedemann said.
The two other DFW barbecue restaurants that made the cut were both in the Fort Worth area:
Panther City BBQ, Fort Worth Brisket score: 19 points (7 for flavor; 5 for texture; 7 for salt level) Sides: 8.5 points
Weissman said all of Panther City's classic side dishes were "very solid" but the borracho beans were a standout choice out of the four. As for the brisket, he was unimpressed with the lean's salt level, but he did mention its flavor was unique and had "a little heat." But he was disappointed in its texture.
"Sadly, the lean was probably one of the driest I think I've ever had, and we really didn't love how thick it was cut," he said.
Dayne's Craft BBQ, Aledo Brisket score: 25 points (8 for flavor; 8 for texture; 9 for salt level) Sides: 8 points
Weissman praised Dayne's brisket for its deep smokiness and saltiness, but Tiedemann wasn't as much of a fan of the classic smoke flavor. The brisket's only shortcoming was its texture, as it had a "heavily unrendered fat cap."
Dayne's apple slaw was the most surprising (yet tasty) side dish they tried, but Weissman said the Frito pie baked beans were the best he's had on their entire barbecue journey.
The rest of Texas
Other Texas barbecue restaurants Weissman visited, with his ratings, include:
Burnt Bean Company, Seguin – 28.4 points for brisket, 8.7 points for sides
2M Smokehouse, San Antonio – 24.8 for brisket, 8 for sides
Franklin Barbecue, Austin – 26.5 for brisket, 5 for sides
Interstellar Barbecue, Austin – 26.9 for brisket, 9.3 for sides
La Barbecue, Austin – 25.5 for brisket, 8.8 for sides
LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, Austin – 28.8 for brisket, no score for non-traditional sides
Terry Black's BBQ, Austin – 24 for brisket, 6.5 for sides
Snow's BBQ, Lexington – 27.2 for brisket, 8.7 for sides
Louie Mueller, Taylor – 24.8 for brisket, 5 for sides
CorkScrew BBQ, Spring – 24 for brisket, 7 for sides
Truth BBQ, Houston – 27 for brisket, 7.5 for sides
Tejas Chocolate & Barbecue, Tomball – 20 for brisket, 6.5 for sides
Evie Mae's, Wolfforth – 25.5 for brisket, 6 for sides
Goldee's BBQ in Fort Worth has earned loads of acclaim.
Photo by Joey Garcia