A wonderful Brewpub and Steakhouse located in the heart of wait...Lubbock, TX?

Yup, you heard me right folks, Lubbock, TX has a Brewpub & Chophouse and it's good! Triple J is, according to their website, the realization of a lifelong dream. Well, if they dreamed of finely crafted brews, hand cut ribeyes, and thick, soft beer bread, I'd have to agree that the dream has been realized.

While I never expected to find such a gem of a restaurant there, I'm certainly happy that I did. The waitstaff was quick and attentive, dealing with the few minor issues that came up in a timely, professional manner. Live music was playing (contemporary and Jazz, with a nice Sax player) and it was loud enough to set a good atmosphere, but not quite so loud as to drown out our attempts at conversation.

The cutesy names of the menu items keeps you firmly reminded that you're in a Brewpub, not some fancy, shmancy spot. However, I would defy those other spots to just try to serve up a better loaf of bread. Thick and soft, the beer bread is heavenly. It is dense and firm enough to cut easily with the bread knife, but soft and chewy enough to just let it melt on your tongue, with the help of some whipped sweet butter.

For dinner, I went with the Big Bailey myself, a 16 oz. ribeye, medium rare of course. And I was not disappointed. Thick and tender, it was obviously a very good cut of meat to begin with. Seasoned with just salt and pepper, it was grilled to perfection and allowed just those few moments rest it needed before I set knife to beef.

Topping it with button mushroom, sauteed in garlic butter finished off the steak perfectly, and my "mashed taters" were on hand to soak up any of the juices that thought about escaping. All in all, a very fine meal.

However, what would a write-up of a Brewpub be like without mentioning the Brew part of it. I sampled two pints of their fine beer. A Winterfest and their Wheat.

The Winterfest was based on the wheat, but had that hint of stout to it that sets a Winterfest off and was a great compliment to the bread and steak.

Meanwhile, I enjoyed their Wheat, but not quite as much. Strong undertones of Anice and caramelized barley made for a good start, but it finished just a bit too sweet for my taste. I cut it with a wedge of lemon though, and was much impressed with the combo.

When I find myself next in Lubbock, TX, I will be sure to add Triple J to my list of preferred stops. However, only one place remains on my list of "must" stops in Lubbock.

No trip to the area is complete without Carne Guisada Burrito's from Rosita's on 34th and Avenue A...but, that's a different entry.