So much in the world has changed since my last visit to Paw Paw Chico BBQ. My favorite change has to be that they have moved to a new location. Apparently their old landlord on Cypresswood wanted to build a carwash or something like that, which meant they had to find a new location. Fortunately for me they are now much closer to me – I get to shave about 20 minutes off my drive. The new location for Paw Paw Chico BBQ is the parking lot of the HEB at FM2920 and Gosling, much farther west than before. So a week or two ago I met by barbecue buddy, Craig, for an out-of-doors lunchtime get-together.

Fortunately the most important thing hasn’t changed – that is the quality (and quantity) of their food. Holy cow! It is really tasty and a whole lotta food! This time around I struggled to choose cuz I really wanted both some brisket and their amazing turkey, in addition to the spicy sausage. My Texas beef side of the brain finally won out, and I got their moist brisket and jalapeño sausage along with some of the awesome Creole mac-n-cheese and baked beans. Loise, being the sweetheart that she is, threw in some of that delectable turkey anyway. That is just the kind of folks that run this great barbecue joint.

• Brisket – The brisket was once again delicious. It had a great bark, well-rendered fat and outstanding smoky flavor.
• Sausage – The spicy jalapeño sausage hit the mark again as well. It had good flavor without being overly spicy, with a great snap to the casing and an excellent coarse grind. I couldn’t find a thing to complain about it if I tried.
• Turkey – Oh man that turkey is so moist and flavorful. I am a bigtime fan of that lean meat. It’s a healthier choice, but still has decadent flavor.
• Creole mac-n-cheese – This time around the mac-n-cheese had macaroni rather than shells for the pasta (not a complaint – just an observations). Other than that, this dish had the same exceptional flavor as always. The spices were perfectly balanced to deliver a great creole kick. Nothing too strong – just the right amount of spice to make an otherwise typically-generic side delicious all on its own.
• Baked beans – I do love good baked beans. And these were just that. Solid flavor with a good mixture of sweetness with the salty bean flavor. Well-done stuff.

The packaging of the meal is always outstanding at Paw Paw Chico. You get all the accoutrements – a couple slices of white bread, barbecue sauce, utensils, pickles and onions. Once this crazy COVID stuff has passed, they’ll get some tables and benches set up. Meantime, it is a car trunk picnic, unless you can balance your meal (like we did) on the slump block and rails used to fence off the trailer and eating area. This is an outstanding east Texas barbecue meets New Orleans – thus the Tex-Orleans moniker. Just outstanding stuff. Go getchya some!