Ferndale, MI — Of all the exciting foodie news and happenings buzzing around Metro Detroit these days, there was a new restaurant opening this month that I had been particularly looking forward to since the start of the year. Nearly a year after its inception, Owner Dana Taucher opened her second restaurant concept, Smokehaus Ferndale, on Tuesday night for business.

Smokehaus Ferndale is located in the former M-Brew/Scout Vester space along Vester Avenue, just west of Bermuda Street in downtown Ferndale. Dana told me her joint is going for the new school barbecue approach, inspired by Austin pitmasters Leroy and Lewis. New school barbecue refers to an emerging trend popularized by Leroy/Lewis that incorporates traditional smoking techniques to a wider range of meats, utilizes more plant-based options, and different culinary influences beyond classic Texas-style barbecue.

RELATED: Syndicate Ferndale owner announces new business venture

Dana opened her first Ferndale establishment, Syndicate, a cocktail-forward restaurant across the street just two years ago, this past September. I frequent Syndicate Ferndale from time to time, enjoying exceptional cocktails of the classic and uniquely crafted variety, and also seasonal menu items ranging from massive mouthwatering burgers to crispy flatbreads and elevated entrées. Not only do I enjoy the food and drinks, but the staff is always on their A game, extremely kind, and always welcoming. So needless to say, I was excited to see Dana debut another eatery in Ferndale because her and her team just absolutely crush it all around.

Dana spoke to me back in January, following the announcement of her business acquisition at the time, and indicated that her second concept would be something unique for Ferndale, not something commonly found around the city. Sure enough, several months later, Dana announced her newest concept would be Smokehaus Ferndale on social media. Fast forward to October, and I was walking up to the newly painted and renovated barbecue joint for the Grand Opening on Tuesday night.

PHOTO GALLERY

I walked inside and was greeted by some familiar faces; some of Dana’s staff from Syndicate were now behind the bar or also working at Smokehaus Ferndale. Dana would later explain to me that since Syndicate’s patio is closing for the winter months, it’s great to now have a second location where her team members can go work for additional shifts and get more work hours if desired. I chatted with one of the bartenders I recognized from Syndicate Ferndale for a bit, then continued to make my way around the sleek and fresh interior, capturing the photos in the above gallery as I made my way downstairs to the main dining area.

I spotted Dana by the large window to the expanded kitchen, discussing in-house items and going over inventory with some servers. I waved and was seated at a booth along the left wall. I had a very helpful server named TJ, who was great with explaining certain menu items in detail for me that I inquired about, even fielding my question if Smokehaus Ferndale’s bacon was pan-fried with maple syrup or honey to be candied (it ended up being honey).

I intentionally ate a light lunch earlier in the day, so I was ready to eat and try as much of the menu as possible! I ordered the two-meat and two-side platter, and had an extra meat add-on, as well as an additional side. I ordered the Brisket and Pork Belly, and then added the Local Sausage for an add-on. For sides, I ordered the Gouda Mac & Cheese, Candied Bacon, and then added a serving of Haus Honey Cornbread. The latter was another item I asked TJ about. I was curious if the honey was drizzled on before serving, or if it was also woven into the mixture of the bread itself during the baking process.

The Food

When the servers came by to drop off my food platters, my stomach rumbled in excitement! I was impressed with the size and portions of the brisket and pork belly, which consisted of a couple of hearty chunks in the top left corner of the platter.

I began strategizing which barbecue sauce I wanted to pair with what meat, and since the local sausage was served on its own, smaller, separate platter, I decided to kick off my meal with the sausage. TJ explained that the local sausage will tend to vary from week to week, and that for this particular week, it was a spicy variation. I decided to sample the Haus Fancy Sauce and Chipotle Aioli to accompany the sausage.

This local sausage for the week was indeed spicy! You can see from the photo above that there was a fair amount of seasoning and minced peppers mixed within the emulsification. The zest and kick from the heat, well-cooked meat, and exterior grill searing yielded a truly fantastic sausage link. There was a nice crunch to the outer layer, followed by the tender and hearty interior. Due to the spice, there was even a lovely backend heat that lingered for a few seconds after each bite.

Not only did I really enjoy this sausage sauce-less, but the Haus Fancy Sauce really added a nice enhancement to the flavor profile when I incorporated a dab or two onto a sausage slice. This sauce was on the creamier side, so it stuck to the meat well. The fancy sauce ended up being one of my favorites since I felt that it paired well with all three meats that I tried. The Chipotle Aioli had a nice composition as well, but since it had a hint of heat of its own, it seemed better paired with the saltier pork belly rather than an already spicy meat.

The brisket slices had a nice thickness, with a savory, salty aroma emanating from the meat. I inspected each slice, noting the well-seasoned bark and degree of cook. I utilized some of the Haus BBQ sauce for one slice and the Sticky Icky sauce for the other. The meat on its own was very juicy and exploded with flavor from the seasoning along the bark (outer ring). The marinade was along the bar was nicely executed as well, providing a subtle sweetness to the bark’s flavor bomb going off in my mouth. I did note that some parts of the meat were perfectly tender, while there were a few pockets where the meat was slightly more cooked and not as tender. But, overall, it was very tasty, especially the bark’s seasoning blend and the Haus barbecue sauces, which added their own sweet and tangy dimensions to the flavor profile.

The Pork Belly was slightly different than I’ve had in previous barbecue encounters, where in this version the exterior was more like hardened and crispy, versus the entire portion being soft and tender. Through my foodie research, I discovered that this contrast method of a crispier skin with a softer, inner meat is done through a two-stage cooking process where the meat is slow-cooked to tenderness, then the exterior is seared or broiled at a high heat to create a more crisp, crackling skin to contrast the succulent meat. While I wasn’t as crazy about the skin for this variation, I was definitely a fan of the meat on the inside. The meat was very well-cooked and had a prominent salty finish, which had hints of the rendered fat seeped in from the exterior. This is a cooking technique associated with the aforementioned ‘new school barbecue,’ so just be prepared for a different take on pork belly if you decide to give this a try at Smokehaus Ferndale!

Turns out, the honey is poured over the Haus Cornbread prior to serving, but perhaps it had become saturated by the time I circled around to picking up this side, because I really tasted the distinct honey sweetness throughout every bite. I loved the exterior top texture of the bread; it was perfectly goldened and had the perfect consistency for a crust, as did the spongy interior, which didn’t even flinch when it came to crumbling at any point of being handled! I told my server, TJ, and Dana that I was really impressed by that cohesion quality. Too often, a crumbly cornbread can make or break the beloved sweet and buttery bread. I was a big fan of this cornbread; it held together perfectly and delivered in terms of flavor. It will very likely be a consistent side with future orders!

The candied bacon continued the sweet/savory combo journey for the meal. As mentioned above, the bacon was candied with honey, so it definitely sweetened the salty strip of pork in a delightful way. I’ve candied bacon cooking in the past with maple syrup and know all too well how quick that process will accelerate once you add in the syrup-based sweetener, so I was pleased to see how well the kitchen timed that process, resulting in perfectly cooked bacon strips (at least, how I prefer it cooked since I know some like it more done and crispy). This was my first time having bacon candied via honey, and I think I actually prefer it this way because the honey has a higher viscosity than maple syrup, so it clings more to the bacon versus overwhelming the bacon’s profile from seeping more into the meat.

---

Before my meal had arrived, Dana stopped by to check how everything was going so far and to catch up. I asked Dana for a quick interview to learn more about the debut of her new restaurant, what’s ahead for Smokehaus Ferndale and Dana’s third concept following her recent acquisition of the former Bobcat Bonnie’s in downtown Ferndale along Nine Mile Road. I started off by asking Dana what the past several days had been like, preparing her newly assembled staff to open Smokehaus Ferndale.

“We served our friends and family yesterday, which was awesome. Everything went really well. We executed a few things that we needed to change,” Dana said. “I’m super excited. Excited to see what it’s like with the community flowing through here and just excited for the week ahead.”

Dana explained the nine-month process it took to flip the former establishment into a backyard-hangout spot where all can gather and enjoy a new take on traditional barbecue. Some renovations included expanding the bathrooms, enhancing the kitchen space, and a newly designed interior and color scheme. Although the focus of the evening was on the grand opening for Dana’s second concept, I rounded out the interview by asking Dana if any ideas or themes had begun to emerge for her third concept under development.

“I’m going to give myself about a month or two, and then we’ll kind of transition over there. We have some brewing ideas, but nothing’s set in stone. We’ll have a few more ideas and maybe something else to share in the next couple of months,” Dana said.

FULL SECTION: MI Foodie Adventures Barbecue Series

Dana’s business acumen and entrepreneurial ambition continue to inspire with the launch of her second restaurant, and Ferndale and barbecue enthusiasts are all the better for it. The staff at Syndicate and Smokehaus Ferndale have a great leader at the helm whose determination to provide her community with high-quality eateries and cocktails is not only appreciated but highly respected; a true role model for aspiring small business owners.

This leadership style results in a well-oiled operation, from front of house to back. From solid, seasonally inspired menus with elevated eats to meticulously curated cocktails, Syndicate Ferndale is also a great choice that you can always depend on. With Smokehaus Ferndale in the mix across the street, and right next door to one of my other beloved Ferndale haunts, Belle’s Lounge by Valentine Distilling Co., something tells me I’ll be spending even more time on Vester Avenue east of Woodward Avenue. I can’t wait to get more of that brisket and honey cornbread, but I think next time I’m going to try the Pulled Pork, Chili Lime Chicken Wings, and Cauliflower Burnt Ends, a new school barbecue-inspired vegan option. So stay tuned to my socials for a follow-up adventure soon!

For more information about Smokehaus Ferndale, click here.