Here’s the Beef

NOSH

DINING AROUND THE D

Here’s the Beef

ESTHER ALLWEISS INGBER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jewish and Muslim (halal) dietary traditions have one big thing in common: Pork is forbidden. At A.B.’s Amazing Ribs in Dearborn Heights, staking claim as Michigan’s only 100% halal barbecue restaurant, the ribs offered are hickory-smoked beef back ribs. After tasting them and the rest of the menu, I’d say there is much to brag about.

I recently watched restaurant owner Ali “A.B.” Bazzy during a cooking segment on WDIV-TV’s Live in the D program. When he sliced into a round of prime grade beef brisket with a lovely black char on top, my lunch plans became a mission to check out Bazzy’s place.

He opened his restaurant-meat market in March 2019 with business partner Abe Jebahi, a longtime friend. Both self-taught in the art of barbecuing, Bazzy started off making ribs with a smoker in his garage. Today, he said, the partners smoke 1,500 pounds of meat at a time, selling “a ton of brisket and 400-500 slabs of ribs a week” for carryout, catering and dining in. Creekstone Farms in Kansas supplies meat for A.B.’s, included on several area “Best Barbecue” surveys.

A store billboard and paper menus show the array of from-scratch items. Orders are placed at a service counter, where Hassan Bazzy, 14, is helping out this summer — “it gets him away from videogames,” his dad said with a laugh. Customers eat at bare tables in a clean, comfortable, 2,500-square-foot paneled dining room. Before digging in, they grab their own wrapped plastic silverware, purchased water or pop bottles from the cooler and lots of extra napkins. The meal will be hands-on, messy eating because of Bazzy’s “amazing” house-made barbecue sauces. The horseradish-based white sauce perfectly complements A.B.’s brisket. He also developed his own salad dressings.

So, what’s cooking? The slowly smoked back ribs, short ribs, brisket and chicken wings can be ordered individually as “Plates,” with a choice of two sides: Mac’n cheese, tangy coleslaw, seasoned french fries and smoked beans with bits of brisket. The sandwiches, served with fries, include Wagyu (Japanese beef) burger and hand-battered North Atlantic cod.

To try nearly everything, I recommend “A.B.’s Feast” — combination platters serving up to eight diners. My generous platter for one easily fed two. Stars of my lunch were two large, tasty and tender, bone back ribs; one-third pound of mouthwatering brisket; and three sweet and smoky wings. The biggest platter also has a whole smoked chicken, and trays of side dishes and Greek or Caesar salad. The cornbread is good, too.

A.B.’s ships its meat and other products nationwide every Monday; order by noon Sunday.

“We get Jewish customers here all the time, from Royal Oak and Southfield,” said Bazzy, whose business is open daily, except Monday. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. TuesdaySaturday, and until 6 p.m. on Sunday “or until we’re sold out,” he said. “We sell out every time. The meat never lasts till our closing time.”

A.B.’s Amazing Ribs

27310 Ford Road Dearborn Heights, MI 48127 (313) 914-2159 abamazingribs.com *** ½ out of ****

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