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Here's the rub: Salt Creek takes on Texas barbecue

Barbecue restaurants have been spreading all over the country in the last few years. In the Chicago area, we can sample the barbecue styles made famous in places like Memphis, Kansas City and the Carolinas.

Texas style with its flavorful spice rubs and emphasis on beef is the inspiration for Salt Creek Barbecue. With present locations in Glendale Heights and Batavia, this suburban outpost has been serving a nice selection of hickory-smoked, barbecued meats for more than 12 years.

I stumbled on Salt Creek Barbecue kind of like owner Mario DeMarco stumbled onto the business. I saw the North Avenue location while on the search for another restaurant. He was looking to open an Italian deli in Schaumburg, but ended up buying the beloved Elmwood Park spot 13 years ago. DeMarco and his wife moved Salt Creek Barbecue to Glendale Heights nine years ago and opened their Batavia outpost in 2007.

Each location offers order-at-the-counter service. The emphasis is on the food, not on the simple décor.

On a visit to the Glendale Heights location, I went with the three-meat combo platter, choosing the pulled pork, shaved beef brisket and Cajun link. (Other choices include ribs, rib tips and chicken.) I received hearty servings of the pork and brisket, both with sweet barbecue sauce, and a large butterfly-grilled Andouille sausage, all served on Texas toast.

All three meats were excellent. The pulled pork a shoulder cut that is slow-roasted and smoked for nine to 10 hours was tender and juicy yet not fatty in any way, earning its status as Salt Creek's signature selection. The Andouille was very spicy and served with sauteed onions and peppers. The winner for me, however, was the shaved beef brisket. This cut can be dry, overcooked and tasteless if not done right. Salt Creek knows how to do it right: In this combo platter, the brisket was not only tender, but also moist and flavorful.

All of the entrees at Salt Creek come with a choice of two small sides, with eight to choose from. The top side for me was the creamy macaroni and cheese coated with a thick cheddar sauce. Diners can't go wrong, either, with french fries or cornbread.

An added joy at the Glendale Heights Salt Creek restaurant is at the self-serve soda machine Berghoff Root Beer and my childhood favorite, the hard-to-find Green River.

A trip to the Batavia location found a few differences from the Glendale Heights spot. For one, the menu prices were a little higher ranging anywhere from 50 cents to two dollars. And my selection was a bit of a disappointment. I went with the day's sandwich special: the Texas brisket served with Swiss cheese on chargrilled Texas Toast rather than the usual bun. There wasn't much meat on the sandwich and what was there was drier and less tender than the brisket I loved at the Glendale Heights restaurant.

In addition to the Texas-style pulled pork, brisket and sausage, Salt Creek offers barbecue ribs and chicken as well as a selection of Angus beef burgers, breaded catfish and shrimp, salads, jumbo wings and other appetizers, including Texas Toothpicks delicious breaded, deep-fried onion and jalapeño strips and sweet potato fries.

If, after packing yourself full with saucy ribs and starchy sides you want dessert, Salt Creek Barbecue obliges with a simple menu that includes chocolate cake, banana pudding and Eli's cheesecake. The fresh and hot “out-of-the-oven cobbler is my top pick.

Salt Creek Barbecue offers high quality Texas-style food, better than many of the more well-known chain barbecue restaurants throughout Chicago. And if a cold Green River takes me back to my childhood, all the better.

Out-of-the-oven cobbler is served hot and topped with vanilla ice cream at Salt Creek Barbecue in Batavia. Laura Stoecker
Hand-pulled pork, slow-smoked and tossed in barbecue sauce, pairs well with a side of fries at Salt Creek Barbecue in Batavia. Laura Stoecker
Batavia's Salt Creek Barbecue opened in 2007. Laura Stoecker
Pulled pork, andouille sausage and shaved beef brisket paired with sides of macaroni and cheese and a cornbread muffin are among the options for the three-meat combo platter at Salt Creek Barbecue in Batavia. Laura Stoecker
Salt Creek Barbecue serves up Texas Toothpicks breaded, deep-fried onions and jalapeño strips with a side of ranch dressing. Laura Stoecker
Several different hot sauces, complete with warnings, are available for those who want to add a little heat to the meat at Salt Creek Barbecue in Batavia. Laura Stoecker
Salt Creek Barbecue in Batavia serves up a selection of barbecued meats in a casual setting. Laura Stoecker

Salt Creek Barbecue

<p>538½ North Ave., Glendale Heights, (630) 534-6600</p>

<p>220 N. Randall Road, Batavia, (630) 406-5000, saltcreekbarbecue.com</p>

</p>Cuisine: Texas-style barbecue</p>

</p>Setting: Simple, order-at-the-counter spots with comfortable seating</p>

<p>Entrees: $6.50 to $17.50</p>

<p>Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday</p>

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