BBQ Review: Soulmans BBQ Rockwall

it is summer and in the world of guitar teaching summer means unusually large breaks in your normal schedule. today is one of those days and I have decided to come to Soulmans. it is a thurs afternoon and as i sit here and type, the rangers are taking on the hated orange county angels or whatever they are called. so far rangers down one. this is not my first time to come here, it happens to be the closest BBQ spot to the shop where i teach.

the thing about BBQ joints is that they always seem to reflect the down home values of the communities they reside in. when i go to south dallas it is always down home black people and when i go to rockwall, mesquite, and forney, in places like these, it is always down home white folk. Soulmans in rockwall is no exception. It is very monochromatic here.  but the key link is the down home factor.  there is something about BBQ that harkens back to a slower simpler time that connects us with our shared past no matter what color you are. but I digress.....

to the meal:


i got the 4 rib plate w/ mac and cheese, and beans. first of all the ribs, these were the best ribs i have ever had at Soulmans. it kinda makes me mad they have been holding out. usually they are a bit in the tough side, but today they were as tender as you could wish a rib to be. their ribs always seem a bit under seasoned to me and today that was still true, but the sweet texas BBQ sauce more than makes up for it. the beans were wonderful. with onions and jalapeños they were doctored up just the way i like. the mac and cheese on the other hand were over cooked and was under seasoned. i shoulda had the fried okra, always get the okra. lastly, Texas Toast, it is to BBQ what tortilla chips and salsa is to Tex-Mex. you gotta have a good piece of bread to sop up the sauce. this texas toast was perfect. 

all in all, i give Soulmans Rockwall a solid B. the ribs were great but they haven't always been so i need a few more good experiences before i believe it's real. the mac and cheese was also lacking, that is always disappointing. i hate ending on a sour note so I will finish by saying that Soulmans is solid BBQ not the best, but better than average.