“We’re from Texas. We like to take things slow. We speak a little slower and we slow life down.” 

That kindly gentleman just happens to be Jim Perkins, International Vice President of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit where the meats are cooked low and slow.

This is what Filipinos would normally associate with the word barbecue—where small slices of meat are skewered on bamboo sticks then quickly cooked over charcoal. Traditional Southern American barbecue conjure images of enormous hunks of meat cooked low and slow in gigantic smokers. The end results are slices of meat that just fall apart with nary a touch of fork or spoon. No knives are necessary, either.

Jim Perkins and Rommel Ng | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

It was also because he had roots in the country through his Filipino wife and his longtime collaborator Rommel Ng, now president of G2G Allspice Eatery Group Inc., that developed homegrown concept Buffalo Wings N’ Things franchise and introduced Burmese cuisine through Rangoon Ruby that opened late last year. Ng seems to have a penchant for bringing in concepts with a rich history and authenticity. 

Dickey’s is an 84-year-old barbecue chain that hails from Texas. This renowned brand was founded by husband-and-wife Travis and Ollie Dickey back in 1941. Eighty years later, they now have 500 locations around the United States and have expanded to Canada, Mexico, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Singapore, and now the Philippines. Why the Philippines? Among other reasons that stands out is “the heavy protein consumption among consumers.” To put it simply, we do love our meats.

Dickey's inside PARQAL Mall is a spacious full-service restaurant | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

Jim stressed that Dickey’s is not a cut and paste big brand American chain. In the States, Dickey’s is a humble experience. It’s a salt-of-the-earth type of restaurant where blue collar folk like truckers and construction workers line up as if in a cafeteria to choose their meat, sides, drink, and pay around $US 9.99. For that equivalent price point in Philippine pesos, that just wouldn’t fly. 

A Root Beer Float and a Berry Shake | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

Thus, the first branch Dickey’s located inside PARQAL Mall is a spacious bright yellow two-floor full-service restaurant that even features a bar where you can have sips of Bourbon, or root beer floats to guzzle down alongside slabs of barbecued meat.  

They don’t have those smoke-belching oil drums opting for less intrusive hyper smokers with smoke from hickory pellets in the kitchen. Hickory is only found in three places in the United States, and the hickory used here is from Dallas, Texas.

Nachos | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

What sets Dickey’s apart from other brands? It’s their longevity that’s best represented by their barbecue sauce. “The hands that first touched the barbecue sauce are now the hands of the grandson.” That tangy barbecue sauce is everywhere on the menu, and their nachos, slathered in that sauce, is a great first taste of it.

Brisket in the hyper smoker | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

The proteins and the meats are the stars of the show. The absolute must-order at Dickey’s is their brisket. All the meats are imported, particularly the brisket as this is not a common cut used locally and will be difficult to source. And besides that, the cows bred in the United States are chosen because of how they’re fed.

Brisket on the plate | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

The slabs of brisket are given a proprietary spice rub, that the local staff joke that even they don’t know what’s in it, and then smoked from eight to 12 hours. 

 Another staple of Southern-style barbecue is pulled pork—pork shoulder smoked to the point where the slab can easily be pulled apart with two forks. As expected, the meat is tender and smoky. 

Pulled Pork Sandwich | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

The best way to enjoy this is as a Pulled Pork Sandwich. It’s a rather substantial serving of pulled pork with acidity from pickles, slathered with their signature barbecue sauce in between a brioche bun. It’s filling, packed with flavor, and costs as much as a premium burger. Best press down to smoosh the whole thing into a bitable height.

Pork belly in the smoker | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

The most heart stopping surprise is their smoked pork belly. We do love our liempo, and this cut is only available here in the Philippines. While it is commonly grilled hereabouts, we’ve all had that experience of rubbery chewy fat. The Philippines is the only Dickey’s that has pork belly and seeing it is just… glorious. 

In the hyper smoker, the imported cuts of pork belly have a thicker richer layer of fat. When sliced and served on a plate, the pork itself is amazingly tender that, again, just falls apart with a touch of a fork. The fat is near molten and just oozes on top of piping hot rice.

 The two-meat special with slaw and honky tonk rice | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

Speaking of rice, we also do love our rice! Along with the pork belly, the local Dickey’s has been considerate enough to have rice as a side dish. The honky-tonk rice is made with dripping from the meats and is tasty on its own. Do try the slaw, the mac and cheese, and the peppered buttered corn too. The latter is a great side for its strong peppery kick.

They do have combo plates where one can mix and match meats and sides. Besides the brisket, pulled pork, and pork belly, they have Polish kielbasa that should make sausage lovers happy.

Pork belly | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

Personally, I’d want to see these smoked meats given the “silog” treatment. As in their brisket or pulled pork, and that smoked pork belly with a side of smoking hot garlic rice, atchara, and over-easy sunny side up eggs. This might not be too far from an aspiration as they are developing a breakfast menu and are opening earlier for breakfast once operations have stabilized.

If there’s one aspect where Dickey’s is not going low and slow, it’s growth and expansion. The Philippine team behind Dickey’s Barbecue Pit are committed to expanding the brand quickly with plans to open it to franchisees targeting to open in 15 cities in the next five years.

The home of real Texan-style barbecue | Photo: Jeeves De Veyra

It’s not just the food, but it’s the community around flavors, friends, and family that Dickey’s Barbecue Pit intend to bring to more Filipinos very soon.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit | G/F PARQAL Mall, Aseana City, Parañaque | Instagram:  @dickeyspitph.