Premier Hospitality

Texas Joe’s

Texas Joe's
Written by Roma Publications

Texas Joe’s – Texas eatery is born on the 4th July!

Texas Joe's

Appropriately born on the 4th July, with an opening celebrating American Independence Day, an authentic Texas barbecue restaurant – Texas Joe’s Slow Smoked Meats – has been launched by equally authentic entrepreneur Dallas man Joe Walters, on Bermondsey Street, London SE1.

Joe Walters first became known after appearing in the TV show Dragon’s Den where candidates compete for investment in their businesses. Making his appearance in full cowboy gear, Joe Walters won investment for his beef jerky brand from Dragon Peter Jones, but eventually decided on going it alone.

His idea is “To bring things back to basics” – cooking and presenting the food as it was meant to be enjoyed, using quality meats from a local butcher, prepared in traditional Texas style to create the authentic flavoursome, slow smoked taste that Joe grew up eating.

According to the restaurant, “it isn’t ‘Texas ‘style’ or Texas ‘flavoured’, it’s the real deal. We only use whole cuts of hand trimmed beef. We then marinate it in our special recipe for 48 hours so that it soaks up all of that Texas taste. This is real flavour. No enhancers, no MSG, nothing but the finest ingredients. It’s the Texan way. Don’t Mess With Jerky.”

Located within a space previously occupied by former Chinese takeaway on Snowsfields, the new venue has been designed to focus strictly on the food – which is why a 500-pound capacity rotisserie imported from the States is a key focal point. The rotisserie is fuelled by aged oak wood and can smoke 500 pounds of meat at a time, perfecting a real craft that has been honed through the ages and using 2 and 1/4 kilos of meat to make 1 kilo of jerky.

Signature dishes include USDA beef brisket, beef prime rib and pork shoulder, as well as mutton shoulder and ribs accompanied by homemade pickles and bread. Side dishes include bone marrow, brisket chilli, mac and cheese house salad, bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos, fries and cornbread.

The light and bright rustic style interior features saloon doors and white half tiled walls, together with a colour palette including kingfisher and orange, colourful western-themed posters and many black and white cowboy themed photographs, together with a cascade of low-hanging light bulbs.

Working on Texas Joe’s, Dawnvale completed a full fit-out for the restaurant. Dawnvale worked directly with the client, taking the existing site, stripping it back to a shell and completing a full re-fit to include all the building and finishing works.

The kitchen installation required Dawnvale to import the site’s signature Southern Pride wood burning smoker direct from America. Dawnvale also manufactured and installed a bespoke stainless steel bar system a specialist odour control extraction system, perfect for smoky and greasy environments.

According to the restaurant, “BBQ is a way of life in Texas – it’s something close to their hearts. They don’t “grill” much, they prefer to smoke it low and slow. Joe has been smoking meat since he could walk. It’s in his blood.”

The venue also includes a separate old-style Honky Tonk bar, complete with jukebox and serving award-winning bourbons from Balcones and Garrison Brothers, together with Texan Lone Star lager and local beers from Camden Town and Kernel.

According to Texas Joe’s: “Joe was born in Dallas, Texas and then lived pretty much all over. When you’re raised in the Lone Star State you learn a helluva lot about life and plenty some about food.

“And food is where our story begins. Why, it was food that landed Joe this side of the pond with his Original Jerky Company and food that made this cowboy ride with dragons. And it’s Joe’s authentic taste of Texas that has turned his Dragon’s Den dream into the best little jerky house this side of Texas.

“It’s not all about food with Joe though. He also wants to teach folks all about Texas. It’s history, it is music and it is people. I guess it’s his way of feeling a little bit less homesick. The legend of Texas is almost as big as the state itself!”

 

 

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Roma Publications