Andrea and I are fortunate to be able to travel to some of the farm and ranch areas around East Texas listing and showing properties. On our travels we sometimes run across interesting places (Arp’s “Thee Kafe”, Frankston’s “7-B Ranch Restaurant”) and we like to let our friends know about them. We ran across just such a place on Saturday and if you are a fan of high-quality bar-b-q that’s been slow-cooked (many hours at temperatures no higher than 212°) over hickory then you need to make a point of driving through Montalba, located at the intersecton of FM 321 & FM 19 just fifteen minutes north of Palestine; they have a flea market on the first Monday of each month just like Canton but a LOT more intimate. Jay and Cindy Galloway have been working on their rustic roadside shack complete with a pot-bellied stove in the corner.
 Andrea and I had the chopped brisket served on a soft bun with chips and a drink for $5. The meat was tender and juicy…it didn’t have or require a lot of sauce, although Jay’s is quite tasty. We also bought a rack of beef ribs ($20) which we’ve been eating for a couple of days now. If you like authentic bar-b-q that hasn’t been over-sauced or cooked to death, you owe it to yourself to stop by Jay’s.