Tucked within an unassuming strip mall in Arlington is a culinary labor of love.
At Smoke’N Ash BBQ, Texas barbecue meets an unexpected twist: Ethiopian flavor.
Back in 2018, the restaurant’s owners, Fasicka and Patrick Hicks, opened it and began serving traditional BBQ dishes like pork ribs and brisket.
They decided to get creative and began blending the barbecue with spices from Fasicka Hicks' home country of Ethiopia.
"I think it was really a hit right away,” Fasicka Hicks said.
There's likely no other restaurant in the world serving Tex-Ethiopian barbecue.
The couple’s journey to creating fusion began when Patrick Hicks purchased a trailer to pursue his passion for barbecuing.
"I just started selling barbecue on the side of the road, and it kind of just expanded to here," Patrick Hicks said.
“We had multiple customers lining up every weekend, they looked forward to it,” Fasicka Hicks said.
They had such a large following, the couple ended up opening their restaurant steps away from the side of the road where their first loyal customers showed up.
"We kind of just planted our seeds right here in this parking lot, and it just blossomed,” Patrick Hicks said.
FULL STORY: https://www.wfaa.com/article/features/originals/texas-bbq-with-ethiopian-twist-arlington-couple-behind-fusion-recognized-nationwide/287-5569ecd1-6de8-4ad3-bd66-8f2330e2a548
