New Orleans-based barbecue fast-casual food chain VooDoo BBQ and Grill is coming to Kendall. The new Miami location is one of many opening in South Florida thanks to BBQ Boyz LLC, a Fort Lauderdale restaurant development company, which purchased rights to fund, develop, and operate up to 26 VooDoo restaurants south of the Florida Panhandle.
Miami's first VooDoo BBQ is slated to open in March 2013 and will be located at the Palms at Town & Country shopping center on Kendall Drive.
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The 2,500-square-foot location will seat 60 inside and 25 outdoors. It is one of many coming to several locations in the South Florida metro area, including Pembroke Pines and Delray Beach, opening next month and February 2013, respectively. BBQ Boyz is scouting additional locations in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Miami.
Construction for the 2,220-square-foot Pembroke Pines location began last month at Pembroke Square Shopping Plaza at 151 N. Hiatus Rd. The Delray Beach location will be at 640 Atlantic Ave.
With cajun-creole fusion cuisine, VooDoo is changing up the usual Caribbean menu of South Florida for a bit of NOLA-inspired grub. On the menu: brisket, chicken, pork, gumbo, po'boy sandwiches, salads, burgers, and side dishes such as gris gris greens, rattlesnake beans, Zapp's potato chips, corn pudding, and sweet-potato souffle, as well as three Louisiana-style barbecue sauces.
BBQ Boyz president Jack Flechner says, "It's different than other barbecue because it's infused with the spice, culture, and magic of New Orleans. When people think of New Orleans, they think of Mardi Gras, parties, and fun. That's the same vibe you'll find in VooDoo too."
Beer geeks might be particularly interested to know that VooDoo sells bottles of Abita beer.
The deal between BBQ Boyz and VooDoo is the biggest one in the ten-year history of the New Orleans restaurant, nearly doubling the size of the company's planned locations.
BBQ Boyz is partially funding the Florida franchises with money from investors who are participating in the U.S. government's EB-5 program, which is designed to stimulate the flow of money and create new jobs, allowing green cards to be given to foreigners and their families who invest in a qualified EB-5 project.
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