emissionjeunesse: The Beast

Amber and I were exploring Europe for the first time. We had already been to London and parts of Switzerland. I actually ate some barbecue from Brisket and Southern BBQ & Bar in Zurich, Switzerland. Paris was our last stop before heading stateside. I first heard about a Texas BBQ joint in Paris, France from J.C. Reid in this Houston Chronicle article. I was looking forward to the visit to The Beast. This was my BBQ pick for this trip. Thomas Abramowicz is the owner. He was at the 2015 Hou BBQ Festival, but our paths never crossed that day. Read the TMBBQ interview with Thomas to read about his story. While we were in London, I also saw that the Washington Post wrote a piece on The Beast. I was hoping the wait was not going to be crazy because of the article.

Thomas learned the craft of Texas BBQ from Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue. He also spent some time with Wes Jurena of Pappa Charlies Barbeque. That is a great group of mentors. Thomas even got his smoker built in Mesquite, TX from J&R and shipped almost 5000 miles. I was going to "meat" up with fellow American, Jamin, of Pigskin Pursuit. He recently relocated there from Dallas. When we arrived at the restaurant, there was plenty of seating available. The menu is setup like your typical Texas BBQ joint. Meats by the pound and a few side options. Amber ordered a brisket sandwich, Jamin got the Big Boy (a beef rib, a side, and a drink) with some jalapeño and cheese sausage, and I went with moist brisket, baby back pork ribs, and sides of macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes with gravy.

My mouth was in for a treat when I bit into the tender, juicy brisket rubbed with black pepper and salt. It tasted like home. The French oak gave the meat a nice mild smoke without being overpowering. The pork rib was really meaty and easy to bite into. The seasoning was on the sweeter side, but I felt like the rub was muted. The pork ribs needed more pop. I sampled some of Jamin's beef rib and sausage. The influences from the Mueller clan are obviously there with the black pepper heavy crust on the beef rib. There was a good balance of tenderness, smokiness, and richness. The sausage had a good snap and flavor. I wanted more cheese and heat from the jalapeño though. The mac and cheese and mashed potatoes were delicious. When I was eating them, I would assume I was in Paris, TX not Paris, France.

Packed

Thomas Abramowicz and the impressive bourbon wall

The Beast. Texas BBQ. Paris, France. Who would have thought this combination would work? It definitely does. If you are ever in Paris and missing home, visiting The Beast will help. You do not even need to be missing home to come by. Want a superb meal in Paris? Go to The Beast. Good BBQ. Good drinks. Win-win. The place was packed when we were leaving. People were waiting for tables. Thomas and crew have something great going. I felt sluggish after the meal. I was not used to eating so much meat. It was time to return back to the states. Back to eating barbecue a few times a week... Grade: N/A