Trying Out Brisket In Big T BBQ

by Sophie She

Trying Out Brisket In Big T BBQ

18 Mar 2024

If you are a foodie living in Dubai, you have definitely heard of “that place” with the best brisket in town. Well, “that place” is The Big T BBQ, located in the most honest and the most anti-fancy area in the town — in Al Quoz Industrial Area 4.

The Big T, named after its owner and head chef Fadel “Big Tasty” Faour, claim that everything is prepared from scratch with the best quality ingredients and their smoke is the real deal, as it is powered only by wood.

After so many talks in the city, the big CNN editorial, hosted by the king of Dubai foodies, Alex Augusti, and the dramatic smashing of the Time Out award, we finally decided to visit that hidden gem of the BBQ world.

The place is open only three days a week, from Friday to Sunday, strictly from 12 to 10 pm (except for Saturday, when it is open until 11 pm). Even if you come at 11:55, you will have to find your patience and sit in the atmospheric waiting room for another five minutes. But then, as promised, at 12 pm sharp, the doors open, and the kitchen is ready to serve.

Furthermore, this place actually has massive queues, where people are willing to wait for hours just to have a bite of Four’s famous meat. Usually, Dubai residents have so many options that they don’t wait and just go for a substitute. But this seems like a different case. And because of this, I must mention that if you want to have a bite and judge the rate yourself — it is best to come in before 2 pm, as this is when the crowds are coming.

Okay, we are all intrigued by the secrecy and the hype, but what about the food? Is it all just PR, or is it actually that good?

Photo: The Sandy Times

When you enter the stickers-covered doors and spend some time in this “waiting room” with benches, where you sit as if you are in the tube, you instantly smell two things: wood and cooked meat. Honestly, having even five minutes inside can scale up your appetite crazily, because the smell of campfire wood really triggers something in your taste buds.

Photo: The Sandy Times

The menu is not endless and is very straightforward, which is a plus, when it comes to comfort food, and this is how I would label it. Everything on the list is soaked in Texas — the beef chilli bowl, legit American mac and cheese with gorgeous béchamel sauce and a jalapeño twist, variety of grilled cheese sandwiches with toppings, wings, and even a Texas twinkie. They even serve gorgeous American cheesecakes, which are an absolute must if you are hungry enough. But the stars are of course the brisket and pastrami, that come in two sizes — 250g or 1 kg. And the BT burger.

The order comes in within minutes while you can savour your Mexican Coke or a fancy pink Mountain Dew. Topped up with your fizzy, you have a bite of brisket… And oh my! This is actually one of the best meats you will have in Dubai. Not only is it absolutely non-greasy and doesn’t leave an oily feeling like one would think. You can actually feel how fresh it is through the oaky aftertaste this meat leaves you with. Here, definitely, the meat is so worth the hype and long hours of waiting. Paired with potato salad or fries — this is your go to after a fun night for sure.

But what was a real surprise — the burger. This was an absolute blast. Biting into the home-made bund and patty, you can feel the Brisket paired with mature cheddar cheese, homemade mayo, that doesn’t grease it, on the contrary, it only elevates the taste of the meat. And as a cherry on top, then you get home-made pickles with amazing pickled onion, that becomes the best conclusion to the burger. Biting in this beautiful, home-like burger, you are just in heaven. As mouthwatering this description is, it is worth saying, every word is the truth.

In the end, do yourself a favour and try Faour’s food. Your scales might not, but your tongue will thank you.

by Sophie She