Houston Chronicle by Greg Morago June 12, 2018
It's a rather odd notion to consider: a barbecue restaurant that accepts reservations for dinner. Even more unusual that the smoked meat joint happens to be Killen's Barbecue in Pearland, considered by many to be among the best barbecue purveyors in Texas.
After you warm up to the idea of being able to make a dinner reservation you next have to get used to the idea of waiter service for beef ribs and brisket. Yes, from Tuesday through Saturday at 5 p.m. Killen's, known for long lines of barbecue fans, operates as a traditional restaurant with a hostess stand and waitstaff attending tables set with black linens and a squat vase of roses.
But that's not the biggest news to come out of the barbecue temple Ronnie Killen built. The chef – who has three restaurants in Pearland and one in Houston – is using his new dinner menu to test recipes and gauge customer reaction to dishes he hopes will one day result in a new restaurant concept.
Notice the Tex-Mex options sprinkled among the appetizers, entrees and barbecue dishes on the dinner menu? They're there because Killen, a fan of Tex-Mex, hopes to one day open a Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston.
"I've been thinking about it for a long time," he said. "My kids have been trying to get me to do it for years."
And maybe now the time has come, judging from the limited but accomplished Tex-Mex fare on Killen's new dinner menu. There are pulled pork or brisket nachos lightly glossed with melted cheese and a house-made pico de gallo; smoked short rib tamale with brisket chili; brisket tacos with tomatillo salsa; and a heavenly plate of brisket enchiladas.
More:
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/restaurants-bars/article/A-Killen-s-Tex-Mex-restaurant-in-Houston-12987305.php
