The team behind Leaside brunch restaurant, Eggstatic, has opened up a new barbecue joint in the Annex.
Specializing in classic southern barbecue, The Backyard Smokehouse is the latest venture to come from owner and head chef Faris Awwad, a veteran in the hospitality industry. Before the pandemic, Awwad would host backyard barbecue parties for friends and family. Now, he’s welcoming customers into his own restaurant as if it were an upscale version of the typical backyard barbecue.
“The way in which my decade-long career in the hospitality industry played out ensured that I received an all-around experience in the culinary arts,” said Awwad. “However, throughout my career, I maintained a particular fascination and passion for the age-old method of smoking foods.”
It wasn’t until Awwad introduced his Mushroom and Pulled Beef sandwich at Eggstatic that he decided it was time to share his own culinary interpretation of classic southern barbecue with the rest of the city. All it took was a small smoker at the back of the store to create his sandwich and from there, he started to experiment with new and exciting smoking techniques, which he now uses at The Backyard Smokehouse.
The menu includes a wide selection of foods that are smoked to perfection using seasoned oak wood like smoked brisket, chicken, shrimp and cauliflower steak. All of their meat and poultry products are of the highest quality and are locally sourced from halal-certified butchers.
Although Awwad was looking forward to having customers enjoy his food in the backyard of his restaurant, he’s still offering takeout and delivery Tuesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Backyard Smokehouse is located at 264 Dupont Street.
