It seemed like it was about time to head out of town for another Foodie Friday Road Trip this week and after Kari came back from a dinner out with her husband recently raving about some barbecue they had at Meat U Anywhere in Grapevine, I knew we had to give the place a try!
This was one of my all-time favorite Foodie Friday experiences, between the absolutely delicious barbecue and owner Andy Sedino’s incredible story of how he got started. We not only enjoyed great food this week but also got a great lesson on running your own business.
Andy’s story is a great one – after spending over 10 years working for a regional BBQ franchise, Andy was inspired by his faith, his family and his friends, to create a catering company based on what he knew best – West-Texas-style barbecue. Growing up in West Texas, Andy says he’s really been in the business of barbecue his whole life, they just happened to call it “cooking” when he was growing up.
And that West Texas nature is apparent in every aspect of his business. In fact, the name “Meat U Anywhere” comes from that desire to best serve their customers. When Andy was first starting out with the catering business, he had some clients who were asking him where they needed to go to pick up the food and he responded with, “Just tell me where to come to. I’ll meet you anywhere.” Andy says it was like a light went off in his head – and that he instantly knew “Meat U Anywhere” was his new business’s name!
After establishing a great catering business of breakfast tacos and barbecue, Andy finally decided to open a storefront within the old Hurst home off of Northwest Highway in Grapevine. They’ve kept the integrity of the original home, preserving parts of the house in the design elements. And since their opening about 5 months ago, they’ve had a line out the door at almost every meal. It’s so busy, Andy had to call in a complimentary valet to handle parking!
From the moment we stepped out of the car and I smelled that glorious smoking barbecue smell, I knew we were going to be in for a treat. And when they handed us some samples to try, my mouth instantly started watering for more. Plus I found out Andy has a couple of Le Cordon Bleu chefs working in his kitchen, so I knew we were really in for an incredible Foodie experience!
So, let me tell you about the amazing food we had.
For solely unselfish reasons, in an effort to best help all you readers, we ordered a very wide variety of menu options to give you an idea of what Meat U Anywhere offers (wink, wink). But you can order just about any way you want – family-style, sandwiches, by the plate, etc.
We chose to load up with some family-style brisket, turkey breast, jalapeno cheddar sausage, pulled pork and some St. Louis cut ribs. Everything was incredibly tender and the rub used gave an excellent flavor to all of the smoked meats. You know it’s good barbecue when you don’t have to drown it in sauce for it to taste delicious.
We also tried some of their Jalapeno Mac ‘n Cheese (AMAZING!), their home style fries (which are just gigantic pieces of spiced potato), and their Notcha Momma’s Slaw (a unique and fresh twist on traditional coleslaw with ramen noodles).
I was so satisfied at the end of our meal – you have no idea. And I loved Andy’s special rub and sauce so much that I took some home for myself!
But would you like to know the cool back story of how that rub came into existence? Andy’s a true family man and wanted everyone involved in the development of his business, including his kids. So over one Christmas break, Andy took his kids to a local spice developer and distributor where they spent a couple days conducting “science experiments” to determine their favorite combination of spices. And they knew the winner as soon as they tasted it! So, they’ve been using and selling that spice rub ever since and (here’s the coolest part) all of the proceeds go directly to his kids’ college funds.
Makes you want to stock up on some when you go in, doesn’t it?
I cannot explain to you how inspired I was by Andy as we talked to him – his passion for people and his work made me want to be a better business man. And that’s what I love about Foodie Friday. Not only do I get to have great food every week, but I get to meet incredible people who share are willing to share their stories with me. I love my job.
So, head on over to Grapevine this week to try out Meat U Anywhere’s incredible barbecue. It’s located at 919 W. Northwest Hwy and is open from 6:00am-7:30pm Monday through Saturday and from 6:00am-3:00pm on Sundays. And be prepared to be inspired by Andy while you’re there! He’ll make you feel like you’re part of the family!
Have a great weekend, Foodies!
I am Jay Marks. 