I finally tried this unique barbecue hot spot.
When Fikscue Craft BBQ in Alameda first opened in the beginning of 2024, lines were out the door with people waiting several hours. If you’ve been reading my blog for some time now, you’ll know that Tommaso absolutely hates waiting in lines so there was no chance in convincing him to do that. We spontaneously decided to go on a Sunday recently without much thought and we both agreed if the line was crazy, we would go elsewhere for lunch. I guess it was our lucky day as the line was rather short (we maybe waited 20-30 minutes).
Fikscue Craft BBQ desrcibes themselves as “halal indo-tex” aka Texas barbecue with Indonesian flavors which intrigued us. They’re only open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and the menu during the week is slightly different from the weekend.
Of course we had to get a variety of dishes since who knows when we’ll be back.
Rendang Plate.
This was easily one of our favorite dishes, a must get if it’s your first time. The rendang plate came with slow cooked smoked brisket in coconut milk and spices served with rice, kale curry, potato fritter, and a fried egg with sambal. Just an umami bomb of flavors.
Beef Back Ribs, Brisket, and Jalapeño Cheddar Beef Sausage.
For their traditional style barbecue items we got the brisket, beef back ribs, and the jalapeño cheddar beef sausage. The brisket was juicy, fatty, and utterly unctuous, another must order. The beef back rib was tasty but I personally prefer pork ribs. Lastly, their jalapeño cheddar beef sausage was excellent; a nice snap on the outside, super juicy on the inside, and extremely flavorful.
Rujak Slaw.
We also got the rukaj slaw that had shredded cabbage, cucumber, and pineapple. While I liked the ingredients, something fell short for me. I wanted a better balance between sweetness and savoriness (it leaned too sweet with the pineapple) and I wished for more fresh herbs and acid to cut through that sweetness.
Fikscue Craft BBQ lived up to the hype with their inventive and bold flavors; it’s barbecue unlike I’ve ever had before. The fusion of Indonesian flavors with classic Texas techniques makes it a memorable experience especially for those who love smoky meats with a twist. Overall I’d rate them an 8-8.5/10.