ZZQ Texas Craft Barbecue, Richmond, Virginia

I’d heard a lot about ZZQ, so I went down to Richmond in July 2020 (neither rain nor sleet nor gloom of night can keep this blogger from the swift completion of his appointed rounds), and got lunch. That was a sensational mea as recorded here (along with all sorts of background and other information). Before I went to ZZQ I’d been to the also sensational Lewis BBQ in Charleston and the equally sensational 2fifty in Riverdale Park, Maryland, the other great Texas barbecue place in the East.

[Note: My friends the Barbecue Bros would add Jon G’s in Peachland to the list, but I’ve never been there because they’re only open on Saturday and when I’m in North Carolina, I’d much rather eat pork. Someday I’ll go.]

I’d been in North Carolina for a wonderful meal at B’s, and the next morning I drove up to ZZQ after a cathead biscuit with tenderloin at Flo’s. I arrived at ZZQ right after opening, and joined the line. There was a bunch of young guys (young by my standards) in line behind me, and I told them that I assumed they’d want to order the seitan. They expressed interest and asked what cut of meat it was. I took mercy on them and told them seitan isn’t real meat and we all had a good laugh. If I hadn’t told them and they ordered it, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have laughed.

I looked up at the menu. I’d had a superlative lunch at B’s the day before for $12 — $6.75 for the pork plate with hushpuppies and $5 for a chicken quarter with more hushpuppies. The ZZQ menu listed brisket for $32/lb, pork for $22/lb, ribs for $24/lb, turkey (turkey!) for $26/pound, and beef ribs for $35/lb. Welcome to city-style barbecue. Ain’t no poor folks in here, but I have a nice fat federal pension. I walked up to the counter and ordered a third of a pound of brisket, a sausage, and one rib. (I wanted to re-check their ribs, and my hat is off to ZZQ for letting me get just one.)

Let me pause. You may think that the young woman at the counter looks too young to be working anywhere at all, much less in a place cutting meat. She is, however, a wizard and hit that one third of a pound right on the nose.

The sausage was pretty good, but it oozed cheese and fat to a startling extent. It had a good flavor, but it needs some work. The rib was tasty with a ginger soy glaze that did not obscure the smoke, but nothing to write home about.

But the brisket. Let me tell you about the brisket. Would that Anacreon, would that Homer were here to sing about the brisket. Prosaically, it was moist, tender, and smoky. I was in Texas not long ago, and ate some great brisket, and I will say that the brisket at ZZQ is … better than Terry Black’s. And better than Lewis and … right there with 2fifty, within an inch either way, approaching Pinkerton’s.

The two kinds of onion were both pickled in house, and the white onions were tossed with cilantro, which was a good idea. And, as you can see, I also ordered some jalapeño macaroni and cheese, which was good but probably unwise so soon after a cathead biscuit for breakfast. I normally order greens but ZZQ adds molasses to theirs. I remembered about the greens but forgot how great their beets are. Really, great beets. Try some.

The other side is maque choux, and it was delicious. Maque choux is a Cajun dish of corn, bell peppers, onions, and spices cooked in bacon grease, with some cream added toward the end. Maque choux is a great dish, and ZZQ has improved it by using some jalapeño to give it some heat, and they used good fresh corn.

That was a fine meal, just the sort of meal I expect and always get from ZZQ. They are a marvel of quality and consistency even when it comes to brisket, and their pork is top-notch as well. ZZQ’s brisket is a 100-mile drive quality and you should go and get some brisket and maque choux and beets.

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