From Aledo to Taipei — A Fort Worth Pitmaster’s Unexpected Leap Into Taiwan’s Food Scene

As anyone who follows Dayne and Ashley Weaver on social media knows, the co-owners of Dayne’s Craft Barbecue just wrapped up a spirited visit to Taipei, Taiwan.

Over the past week, fans of the Aledo-based barbecue restaurant, which ranked No. 7 on the Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ List, have watched the couple hop on mopeds through crowded streets, explore Taiwan’s coastline, and work through bowl after bowl of Taiwanese street food.

Last year, business owners from Taiwan approached the Weavers with an ambitious plan to open a Texas-style barbecue restaurant in the heart of Taipei, leading to the opening of Dayne’s Texas Barbecue inside the CITYLINK Nangang complex.

Dayne tells PaperCity Fort Worth that when the developers originally approached him with the concept of opening a satellite location of his barbecue restaurant overseas, he thought the proposal was “too good to be true.”

“I told them that anyone I go into business with should be able and willing to come out here to try our food and discuss going into a partnership,” Dayne recalls. “Eight or nine days later, four people show up. They brought two pitmasters who were already involved in barbecue, a chef, and a media person. I showed them around, and they trained here for 30 days. After that, we were all super interested in doing something together.”

Inside Dayne Craft Barbecue Owner’s Move to Bring Texas Barbecue to Taiwan

Located inside a multi-story shopping complex built directly above a major train station, Dayne’s Texas Barbecue sits in the middle of one of Taipei’s busiest hubs. Dayne describes the setting as a high-traffic, all-in-one destination, where hotels, retail, and dining are stacked together, placing his restaurant alongside dozens of other concepts in a fast-moving environment.

The menu focuses on traditional Texas barbecue, but leaves room for local interpretation, Dayne says, adding that dishes include brisket fried rice and pork belly lumpia. The OG burger is also on the overseas menu. Dayne recalls the moment he saw Dayne’s Texas Barbecue in person.

“They had shirts for me to wear and the whole menu ready,” he says. “We basically had a media day where 30 influencers took over the restaurant to film. One of them was named Henry, and he took me to the nicest restaurants in Taiwan. We became instant best friends. I got kind of thrust into this crazy world. We went to this whiskey bar where they had the highest quality whiskeys on tap.”

While he was there last summer, Dayne said he learned a lot about Taiwanese cuisine and street food, including what locals call “beef noodle soup,” which Dayne and his team periodically make in Aledo using smoked brisket.

“It’s a slow-cooked beef broth with a little star anise, garlic, and ginger in there, creating that classic Far East flavor base,” he says. “They add a bean paste to spice it up a bit. It’s a fermented paste that gives it some umami.”

Room to Grow Across Southeast Asia

Bringing Texas barbecue to a new market and culture has come with challenges, Dayne says. Taiwanese food culture, in general, is very tuned into ratings and online reviews. Barbecue is held at 145 degrees, he says, meaning slices of brisket come out warm, not sizzling. For diners at Dayne’s Texas Barbecue, that disconnect in expectation could mean a less-than-stellar Google review. Exporting beef to an island nation also adds additional costs to many dishes.

The business partners behind the Taiwan location want to open multiple Dayne’s Texas Barbecue locations, Dayne says, adding that there’s the potential for adding burgers and shakes concepts as well. With a busy restaurant in Aledo and the potential for collaborations on several new barbecue concepts overseas, Dayne says the past year has “felt like a dream.”

“While I was there, I only slept two hours a night because I was so wired and excited about what opportunities could open up,” he continues. “I felt incredible pride in our Texas culture and barbecue while I was over there.”

Dayne is considering setting up an international tour, with possible stops in Australia, Taiwan, Japan, and Northern Europe, where he would host pop-up dinners and barbecue classes.

“Texas barbecue is so popular right now, and I’ve got my foot in the door,” he says. “Anything I do can help this Texas barbecue boom go international. That’ll only help Texas. I just kind of stumbled into it.”

It wasn’t part of the plan, he says, “but that’s how life is.”