NOT HALAL: Hungry Farmer BBQ- Taste of Texas Halal Style

Restaurant: Hungry Farmer BBQ
Address: 8222 Airline Drive, Houston, Texas 77037
Buffet or a-la-carte: Neither
Date of visit: 11/14/14

Photo Credit: https://plus.google.com/109918338473848315402/about

UPDATE 1/3/2015: Got a message from them on Facebook saying that they are no longer serving halal meat due to "unforeseen circumstances"

ORIGINAL POST:

Background:

Salam/hey guys! Today I will be reviewing something that I wanted to occur ever since I started this blog: HALAL BBQ! Not just any BBQ, legit Texas BBQ. Yes, the one like they do at world-renowned Franklin's BBQ in Austin, with the ribs and brisket drenched in tangy BBQ sauce and also potato salad and coleslaw. Their brisket is actually zabiha halal, but you have to wait in a long line in order to get the food. Plus I myself am 160 miles away from it. When I found out that this place serves halal meat, I immediately made it a point to try this place out. It was difficult to get money for this, because I no longer have a credit card. The time came to try when I had a few hours to kill before I had my class right after Jummah prayer. Ever since I got the all clear from my sister (we share the car). I set off for the restaurant. 

Let The Experience Begin!

Now let me warn you, this place in not in a good area of town, so I strongly advise you to go before sunset. By not good area, I mean near Acres' Homes. The drive there is also really bad. The reason? 45. No introduction needed to how horrible driving on that highway is, from construction to accidents to rush hour traffic. Anything related to 45 between the Tollway and 610 is horrible. I took 45 from 610 after passing downtown on 59. Then you exit Airline Drive and drive for 3 miles until you reach the restaurant. The restaurant is very similar to the ones that you see while driving from Houston to either Dallas or San Antonio. I was expecting that you order and they would cook it for you. WRONG! It is cafeteria style like Fadi's. When I asked the people about halal, they had no idea what it was. I was shocked. After being excited and anticipating finally trying the food that is very popular in Texas, they had no idea what I was talking about. I tried calling them, they were really rude. But then I messaged them on Facebook. They said that I should see Mike. I went back inside and asked for him. He turned out to be the most pleasant person inside the whole restaurant. He told me that the beef ribs, the brisket, the chicken, and the beef sausage were halal.

Let's Eat!

I ended up getting the ribs plate. I already had brisket at Artis La Bonne (which sadly closed down) so I decided to get another another cut of meat a try. I took the ribs,since I had brisket before at Artis La Bonne (which closed down sadly). For the sides, I got potato salad, coleslaw, and beans that were offered by Mike. To drink, I just got water. The ribs cost $9.95 + tax. Since this is a cafeteria style place, the food is served instantly to you.



Menu: http://imgur.com/a/CngX3
This place also serves pork and alcohol, but they are cooked separately. The spoons in the serving area are used separate. For cafeteria style food, the halal meat looked appealing, but some of the sides didn't. The prices are really good. You get a lot of food for the buck.

The Ribs with BBQ sauce, beans, potato salad, and coleslaw

The Verdict:

The long wait was totally worth it. Despite the mess up earlier, the food was really delicious. The BBQ sauce had a lot of flavor. The ribs were very tender, and it had a really good taste. The potato salad was very delicious and well-balanced. The coleslaw could be less watery. I had honestly never seen ribs this big (I've eaten ribs only once) before. In fact, it was really filling, and at the end, I was completely stuffed. The food was washed down with water. Overall, two thumbs up.

Conclusion:

One major thing that should happen is that Mike should tell the other employees about the select meats being halal. I will definitely be back to try the other meats. 

Grading:

Service: 7/10

Food: 9/10

Waiting Time: N/A

Total: 16/20 = 80% (B)

Pricing: $ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Hungry Farmer BBQ
8222 Airline Drive, Houston, Texas 77037
Phone: (281) 931-0220
Website: none
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hungryfarmerbbq
Timings: Mon-Thu & Sun: 10:30 AM - 8:30 PM; Fri-Sat: 10:30 AM - 9:30 PM
Caters: Yes

Feel free to comment below, message me on Facebook, or send me an email!

Cheers!
Zain Mohammed