American barbecue chain Famous Dave’s opened its doors in Abu Dhabi Mall recently – and, as an American who has eaten her way around southern-US barbecue joints for much of her life, I was eager to get a taste.
I was nervous about what Famous Dave’s would bring to the capital as representative of one of my country’s most beloved cuisines.
The menu is based around smoked meat. Dave Anderson, the founder, spent 25 years visiting pitmasters around the United States to perfect his smoking technique before opening his first restaurant in Hayward, Wisconsin in 1994. There are now 46 company-owned restaurants and 136 franchises in 33 states, plus Puerto Rico and Canada.
The first Famous Dave’s outside of North America, the Abu Dhabi location impresses. There was a 15-minute wait on an early Friday afternoon to be seated - a good sign for any restaurant. The menu is packed with burgers and sandwiches that include barbecue pulled chicken; beef short rib and sliced leg of lamb. There are a handful of steaks and pit-barbecue classics, including slow-smoked Texas beef brisket rubbed with Anderson’s secret spice blend.
We started with the famous burnt ends, guilt-inducing chunks of seared Texas beef brisket caramelised with the restaurant’s patented Sweet and Zesty barbecue sauce. These are tender, moreish and a must-try staple during any visit.
For our main, we ordered the All American barbecue feast. It was enough to feed four to five people and came with classic, perfectly charred beef back ribs; tender, juicy roasted chicken, (though the skin was not crispy and a bit disappointing); and Texas beef brisket that was as good as I have ever tasted. Although some might find the brisket fatty, that is where all the flavour is. It was delicious. The platter, served on a large pot lid turned upside down, comes with a few side orders, including sweet, perfectly moist cornbread muffins (so good, we also ordered some to go).
The sweet barbecue sauces and the hickory wood-smoked cuts of meat won’t appeal to all palates but this is authentic American slow-smoked barbecue – if you found yourself at an off-the-beaten-track pit barbecue spot in Alabama, this is what you’d find. The background rock music adds to the vibe and the staff races around with purpose, typical of a busy US restaurant.
Americans will feel nostalgic here – and everyone else will finally get an authentic taste of the country’s deep south.
• Our meal for three at Famous Dave’s cost Dh368. For more information, call 02 658 7863. Reviewed meals are paid for by The National and conducted incognito
sjohnson@thenational.ae
