Officially opened February 9, 2009 after much anticipation, Top Chef Howie Kleinberg’s new down-home barbecue restaurant, Bulldog Barbecue at 15400 Biscayne Boulevard is already a success with locals with its moderately-priced North Carolina-style fare, lemonades made a-la-minute, Champagne and beer by the glass, and all-American house made desserts.
“We’ve had such an overwhelming – and exciting – response,” says Kleinberg. “We opened quietly on a Friday night and were instantly inundated with guests. We were already seeing repeat customers just two days after, and it’s still going strong. We’re thrilled!”
At Bulldog BBQ, Kleinberg enhances his down-to-earth barbecue with a few haute cooking techniques and ingredients, as well as a bit of his Top Chef flair that inspired his Bulldog nickname. In the 1,300 square-foot, 50-seat restaurant, full of action, energy and excitement, guests can sit at a butcher paper-covered table or at the stainless steel bar and observe Howie and his staff hard at work through the open kitchen.
Long before his star-turn appearance on the Miami season of Top Chef in 2007, where his bold attitude earned him the nickname “Bulldog,” Kleinberg (33) toiled in other people’s high-end restaurant kitchens. In mid-2007, after becoming a finalist in the competition and leaving the show, Kleinberg decided to tenaciously pursue his own culinary dream and has since been hard at work on this concept. “Spending summers in North Carolina with my family, I was practically weaned on barbecue,” said Kleinberg. “It’s the food that I love to eat and the food I love to cook. Now, with Bulldog Barbecue, I’m taking these classic recipes and making them my own.”
Kleinberg’s menu offers guests a selection of enticing barbecue specialties ($14-$22), prepared with his secret recipes for house-made marinades, spice blends, rubs, and barbecue sauces. Main dishes, run the gamut from succulent baby back ribs, a chicken and ribs combo, savory pulled pork, tempting beef brisket, marinated skirt steak, to hot smoked salmon, and shrimp and grits; all served with Carolina slaw, cornbread, and a choice of scrumptious side items.
Tasty sandwiches ($9-$13), encompass the flying bulldog – grilled chicken breast, avocado, arugula, and roasted garlic mayo, and the Black Angus burger – topped with cheddar or blue cheese, caramelized onions, arugula, tomato, and chipotle mayo; served on potato rolls with chipotle or sweet potato fries. Other mouth-watering options include the rock shrimp & oyster Po’ Boy – cornmeal crusted rock shrimp and oysters, Old Bay mayo, arugula, and tomato; and a vegetarian smoked Portobello burger with caramelized onions, arugula, tomato, and balsamic mayo.
To kick-off a great meal, diners choose from an array of tantalizing Snacks ($6-$9) such as the house favorite: cornmeal crusted oysters, divinely fried and served atop tomato-avocado salad and finished with green garlic mayo and crispy bacon. Others include a white chili made with ground turkey, cheddar, cornbread crumble, and scallion cream; BBQ chicken flatbread topped with pulled chicken, charred red onion, jack cheese and house sauce; shrimp and corn chowder, cornmeal crusted rock shrimp, roasted corn, bacon and scallions; and BBQ lettuce wraps with a choice of pulled chicken or pulled pork, served with roasted corn, jack cheese and scallion cream.
Large salads, or Grass as the Bulldog calls it, ($7-$13), are big enough to share as an appetizer and encompass a classic wedge – crisp iceberg lettuce, tomato, twisted onions, crispy bacon and bleu cheese dressing, Cobb – smoked chicken, avocado, bacon, hard cooked egg, bleu cheese, tomato and buttermilk ranch, and Homestead tomato salad – arugula, blue cheese, candied pecans and basil-balsamic vinaigrette.
Traditional Fixins ($2-$4), the perfect accompaniment to any dish and good enough to combine for a veggie main plate, include classics such as mac n’ cheese, corn pudding, burnt end beans, cheddar grits and chipotle fries. For the younger set, a children’s menu ($6-$8), offers perfectly sized chicken tenders, pulled pork and chicken or brisket sliders, among other selections.
With true all-American flair, desserts ($6-$7) made in-house, include crispy fried apple turnovers, milk and cookies, S’more pie, and hot chocolate puddin’ cake – the perfect ending to any meal. Kleinberg wants guests to wash it all down with one of his root beer floats, old-fashioned ice cream sodas, lemonade made a-la-minute or choose from an impressive array of sparkling wines by the glass, red and white wine or bottled beer.
Nestled in a Biscayne Boulevard strip mall in North Miami, the quaint restaurant oozes at-home comfort with a side of casual elegance and a heaping spoonful of energy. Guests are greeted by a wall of Chicago brick that meets the stainless steel, L-shaped bar overlooking the bustling open kitchen. Lining the adjacent, crimson colored wall are simple cherry wood tables covered in brown butcher paper, each containing a wall mounted caddy holding a bottle of Howie’s secret BBQ sauce and a paper towel roll to sop up delicious spills. Wrought iron chairs and three-foot candelabras add to the rustic feel and cast a warm glow throughout the dining room.
In 2007, prior to becoming a Top Chef contestant, Kleinberg was at the helm of some of South Florida’s most popular dining establishments, including Ivy Restaurant & Lounge and The Food Gang. In the mid-1990’s, after a stint at Johnson & Wales University, the passionate rising star chef embarked on a culinary journey, which helped cultivate his talent and business savvy. Kleinberg worked alongside award-winning chefs such as Mark Militello and Tim Andriola, as well as serving as part of the team that opened the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne.
Bulldog Barbecue is located across the street from Florida International University – North Campus at 15400 Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami. The restaurant serves lunch from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and dinner from 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., seven days a week. All major credit cards accepted; ample free parking available. Reservations for large parties only: (305) 940-9655
