New Barbecue Joint Opening on Roosevelt Row in Phoenix on March 2

Phoenix is about to get even more barbecue.

Trapp Haus BBQ, a restaurant helmed by a veteran of the competitive barbecue circuit, will open on March 2 in Roosevelt Row. The pitmaster will be Phil Johnson, nicknamed "Phil the Grill." Johnson's barbecue restaurant will combine Southern cuisine and a "New York vibe."

Johnson will be smoking brisket, pork, chicken, links, and St. Louis-style ribs. He'll be fueling his smoker with apple wood, cherry wood, and hickory.

Barbecue will be sold on platters. Meats will be available by the pound. Sides will hew closely to your typical 'cue sides. We're talking baked beans, waffle fries, greens, slaw, and jalapeno grits.

On the competition circuit, Johnson won accolades from entities like the Kansas City Barbecue Society. While praise earned on the competitive circuit is nothing to dismiss, it's worth noting that competition barbecue is a strange beast. Judges on the competitive circuit often look for different flavors and textures than you would when sinking your teeth into rib meat.
Johnson was born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island. He worked in construction until the market tanked in 2008. In 2009, he moved to the Valley. Not long after, Johnson started a food truck, Sammitch.

Some of Sammitch's menu items will appear at Trapp Haus BBQ. These will include a Reuben-style pastrami, a pulled pork sandwich, and a "Philly cheese steak" made from brisket and topped with coleslaw. Also making an appearance will be Johnson's wings, called "Philly Crack Wings."

A few menu items will deploy smoked meat in unconventional ways. There will be an empanada stuffed with brisket, mac and cheese flecked with brisket, and a roster of barbecue bowls, one that will bring together an unlikely pair: barbecue and salad.

Looks like the great barbecue scene we have here in metro Phoenix is about to get a little more character.

Trapp Haus BBQ. 511 East Roosevelt Street.
Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (or until sold out); Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (or until sold out).
*Sunday brunch will last until 2 p.m.