Troy and Dee Dee Mulligan, the co-owners of 3rd Coast BBQ & Catering, opened a physical location of the eatery this year in Spring after several years as a side project and then as a local catering service for The Woodlands area.“I started the catering business about four years ago or so when I was working for an oil and gas service company. Things slowed down at the time, so we started the catering deal, and it just kind of grew from there,” Troy said. “I left my job at the end of 2018 to do this full time.”
Since its March launch, 3rd Coast has continued providing catering options for small groups to 400- to 500-person events, in addition to in-person service. Troy said his experience with barbecue cooking and competition helped shape the restaurant’s menu. The smoked meats and side dishes are prepared in 3rd Coast’s full-size commercial kitchen and wood-fire barbecue pit.
“We’ve always had crawfish and Louisiana gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee, stuff like that, and that’s kind of where the 3rd Coast name came from originally,” he said. “The third coast is the Gulf Coast, so we try to encompass stuff from Louisiana and all over the Gulf Coast into different dishes.”
3rd Coast’s smoked offerings range from traditional Texan brisket featuring natural, prime-grade Black Angus cuts to Cajun-style boudin and spicy chili pepper-infused sausage links. Meats are served with Mulligan’s housemade rubs and can be purchased by weight or on sandwiches. The restaurant also offers its signature Twisted Tray, featuring a half-pound of any meat atop a Slow Dough Bread Co. pretzel and served with house dipping sauces.
