Dixie Brown’s set to open after delay

A hoped-for Independence Day opening was delayed when the owners of Dixie Brown’s Barbeque & Brewhouse restaurant experienced setbacks with kitchen equipment manufacturers and getting their gas hooked up.

But all is getting back on track, and co-owner Sam Gardian expects the downtown Newhall restaurant to open around the end of the month, thanks to a little help from the city, he said.

That’s good news for Bill Gerlach who said he’s been checking on the restaurant’s progress regularly, saying he can’t wait to sink his teeth into some home-style Texas barbecue.

But when all of the work seemed to come to a halt, Gerlach was worried the place might not open.

“We had some setbacks with kitchen equipment manufacturers but got that fixed,” Gardian said. “And we had a problem with the gas company which made us wait over two months; they wanted to take four months. We had to get the (Santa Clarita) city manager and City Council to help us push.”

The city did help them with the gas company and in expediting installation of their gas meter, confirmed Planning Manager Jeff Hogan.

That help didn’t come any too soon either after the owners signed a lease on the space at 6th and Main streets on Feb. 15; spent three months securing all of the county and city permits for tenant improvements; waited for clearances from the health, sanitation, water, building and safety, and city departments; and sunk $175,000 or more into building the eatery out from scratch.

Part of that money and effort went into the interior design, which Gardian described as a “Chicago-style” design with an industrial look — lots of brick and steel.

Because they were starting from scratch, the owners knew they couldn’t engrave the opening date in stone but didn’t expect to wait an extra three months beyond their planned date to open their doors either.

But now diners can get ready to sample Dixie Brown’s Barbeque & Brewhouse’s Texas-style entrees once it does open.

Using Pit Master, or chef, Dan Brown’s own special dry rub on six different types of meats, including aged Angus beef, the meats are slow cooked in a smoker for 12 to 15 hours. The five different barbecue sauces are only served on the side, Gardian described in June.

That’s Texas-style, he said. Otherwise, it would be like ordering a filet mignon and having it served with A1 sauce.

The mix of woods used in the smoking process is equally important. Dixie Brown’s plans to use mesquite, hickory, apple and cherry wood to avoid any bitterness in flavor in the barbeque.

Thirty different craft brews are planned as well, along with a selection of wine.

“We’re excited about them coming to downtown Newhall, and happy to have helped them out,” Hogan said.