One of my first missions upon moving to Round Rock was to sample every BBQ joint in the area. I'm not quite there yet -- every time I head out to Taylor to try Louie Mueller's, they're out of food -- but for my money, Cooper's Put Bar-B-Q already ranks among Round Rock's best. The day I visited, it was the middle of the afternoon, and besides me, only a handful of locals had dropped by on break from work to pick up their takeout. The inside of the restaurant was clean, well-kept and rustic in the quirky sort of way big chain restaurants just can't manufacture -- sitting down at the rickety table, eating my food off a plastic tray while I watched the news on a crappy old TV, I felt as though I'd been transported back into one of those Last Picture Show-type towns that exists only in fiction anymore. The Coopers were more than welcome hosts, making sure I was comfortable, chatting with me while I ate, and even explaining the origins of the chow I was grubbing (turns out the sausage is actually shipped in from Taylor, though the Coopers prefer to cook theirs until it's closer to the consistency of jerky -- which, given that I'm not a fan of biting into a runny, greasy chunk of beef fat, was all right by me). The beans (a bit smoky for their own good, but not the worst I've had) were served straight out of a slow cooker, and the brisket (tender, juicy and pit-smoked to perfection, with just the right amount of marbling) was cut fresh while I watched. Not sure about the origins of the sauce, but it was delicious -- more smoky/salty than sweet, without the vinegary aftertaste you get from a lot of standard-issue BBQ sauces. There's the usual onion-and-pickle bar, and in additon to the customary Texas Toast, you also get a choice of wheat bread; but for what I paid -- $15 (including tip) for modest portions of brisket and sausage, two miniature (and I do mean small!) cups of beans and potato salad, and a fountain soda -- I could've gotten probably twice the food at, say, Rudy's off I-35. But really, that's a small complaint -- for sheer atmosphere and home-cooked appeal, Cooper's can't be beat.
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