Houston Eating and Biking

Monday, April 28 Day Seven

Jack has a newspaper article with review of the best BBQ places in Houston, and this one is on the list! In fact, some consider it to be THE best!

Jerry Pizzatola personally greeted us. Turned out someone was filming for a reality TV show about best BBQ places around the country. And they hope to be included.

This plaque on the wall by the front door tells you something about the atmosphere inside!
Jerry tells us there is no pulled pork.  He tried to offer it, but everyone in Texas wants BEEF!

So we ordered a platter of ribs.  And got a complementary dish of BBQ'd chicken wings, too!

This sandwich is chopped beef, as opposed to sliced beef. Turns out chopped is what you do after slice, so there is no difference in the beef. You can get this sandwich chopped or chopped with links.

Jack ordered this sliced beef plate.  Do we have enough food yet?

And you always get white bread in the south, along with butter.

Jerry himself posed with our waitress.   This is the oldest continuously serving barbecue restaurant in the city. The place was started by a black man and his wife in the 1930's with African American customers.  White customers had to come to the back door!   After the original owners passed away and left it to their daughter, Jerry Pizzitola bought it in the 1980's and changed the name from Shepherd Drive Bar-B-Q to Pizzitolas.

This is Mrs. Pizzitola, Kate, and her granddaughter Ashley helping the photographer wrap up his equipment.   Great place!  And amazing how many ways there are to spell BBQ! 

And then on to the real business of the day.  Jack and John found this bicycle shop where John is going to show Jack the bike he thinks he would like.

The outside is deceptive!  When we stepped in, the place was huge, and packed with bikes. 

Once the owner strapped a helmet on Jack, we figured he was "hooked."  Frank Zappa's picture
on the wall says it all!

The owner/salesman explaining to Susan, John and Jack about the intricacies of the bike,

 a Specialized TriCross.

After a test ride, Jack's expression says, "Sold!"

After the purchase, Jack and Susan drove us to see a couple of houses in the West End neighborhood.  The Zany House  and the Beer Can House, below.

After that big lunch,we opted for Chinese food for dinner.  We probably could have skipped this meal altogether, but it was good!

And besides, we needed the fortune cookies, and the fortunes inside..  We only got three cookies, but
the fortunes were prophetic!