By james art A barbecue restaurant with an unusual focus is coming to Irving: Kafi BBQ, which specializes in halal Wagyu beef, will open at 8140 N. MacArthur Blvd. #100, Valley Ranch, in the former Rafikiz Bar and Grill.
The new restaurant is owned by Salahodeen Abdul-Kafi, a Missouri-born technology engineer who became interested in barbecue when he moved to Dallas a few years ago.
“I would regularly invite friends over to my home as an amateur chef,” Salahuddin says. “Barbecue really captivated me because it checks all the boxes that make me excited about food: the transformation of different ingredients and the creativity for flavors.”
Earlier this year, during Ramadan (the Islamic month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community), Salahodeen began bringing his barbecue to Suhoor Fest evening events, where it sold out very quickly. His first thought was a food truck, but then he found the location on MacArthur Boulevard, right next to his mosque, and decided it was the right place to turn his passion into a business.
Salahodden’s family is from Iraq, and his upbringing influences the flavors he uses in his cooking, with spices native to Middle Eastern cooking. For example, sumac, a wild, citrus herb made from dried and ground edible fruits. Sumac is commonly used as a garnish in Arabic cuisine. Salahodeen uses it in its spice blend for the crust, which creates an attractive darker color and enhances the flavor of the meat.
“The combination of spices, the wood I use and the way I cook it bring out the flavors in such a unique way,” he says.
Another unique step in his process is a 24-hour dry-brining with kosher salt in already-sliced brisket. This allows the salt to penetrate the meat for a more homogeneous flavor – as opposed to a salty crust and soft meat.
As a result of this brine, the rubs he developed do not have any salt, as this flavor is already in the meat.
Kafi BBQ will only use halal wagyu beef, which they source from Wagyu-X in South Dallas and First Light Farms in New Zealand. To keep their prices competitive, they have a spacious freezer in the restaurant so they can order large quantities directly from these two farms and cut out any middleman costs.
Their menu will include Wagyu brisket, Dino Rib (brisket on a stick), Iraqi kebab-inspired sausages, and jalapeño-cheddar sausages. There will be a $15 Wagyu brisket sandwich, combo plates and sides including made-from-scratch cornbread, elote, fries cooked in Wagyu fat and baked beans with barbecue sauce, with stand-alone specials like smoked gouda and cheese.
Desserts will feature some wonderfully authentic items, including basbousa – a sweet, syrup-soaked semolina cake made from his mother’s recipe; banana pudding with cardamom; and homemade ice cream with cardamom and caramelized banana.
The space is welcoming, with a combination of concrete floors, wooden walls, gabion stone and warm, inviting red and orange accents. There will be a mural designed by Moataz Ahmed. The space will also include a more intimate area with Arabic seating and unblocked distant views of the Dallas skyline.
“I want the space to be comfortable, elegant,” says Salahuddin.
Kafi BBQ plans to be open by the end of November and will start with weekend hours, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm, as their cooking requires prep time the day before, then expand their days and hours in the future.