La Barbecue, a Michelin-starred barbecue restaurant from Austin, Texas, is expanding to Portland with the opening of Lil' Barbecue. General manager Ben Vaughan, who is also the pitmaster, was inspired to take this step after a positive reception from Portland locals during his visit last year. The restaurant aims to offer a menu similar to the original La Barbecue, featuring classic Texas barbecue dishes. This move is also a personal relief for Vaughan, who seeks to escape the oppressive Central Texas summer heat.
Vaughan said, 'They were like, 'You've got to move up here. We need more barbecue.' That got the wheels turning in my head of, I could move up there, you know?'.
Vaughan explained, 'The weather here is rough. I don't know if you've ever been in Central Texas in the summer, but it's hot and humid, and I work outside over smokers all day.'
Clem and her late wife had previously attempted to open in Los Angeles, but the move to Portland will allow for a better operational environment.
Vaughan mentioned, 'I've been working on a concept for a few months now,' indicating that the opening is a culmination of planning and idea development.
Collection
[
|
...
]