Texas Flavor in Downtown Boston

By Simeng Dai

Sitting at the long table made from bowling alley in Sweet Cheeks Q, Rashad Nelthon and his girlfriend waited for the food, having the biscuits from an iron basket and the drinks from mason jars.

Appealing by the name, they stepped into the restaurant with a Texas flag on the wall, for the first time. They started chatting with the man sitting right next to them.

“The owner and the chefs really want to reflect the Texas feel in downtown Boston,” Lillian Schmertz, the manager of Sweet Cheeks Q said.

Started three years ago, steps away from Fenway Park, Sweet Cheeks Q brings Texas food and traditions to downtown Boston. From food to Texas traditions, Sweet Cheeks Q “hosts parties for the guests.”

The owner Tiffani Faison, one of the two finalists on the first season of the Top Chef, and the chefs went to Texas before they started the restaurant in Boston, according to the manager.

Made from bowling alleys and church doors, the tables in Sweet Cheeks Q are called “ the allies.” The ally can serve 14 customers at the same time, including two seats at the end of each side.  

“It’s traditional in Texas to have long tables for people to sit down and get BBQ, we got the idea from that,” Schemertz said.

Communal dinning is becoming popular, which allows customers to have more relationship experiences with other guests and the servers.

 “It’s a kind of IN thing to do,” She said.

Both the manager and the waiters said they’ve had guests become friends sitting next to each other.

“We don’t have a freezer,” Schemertz said proudly. Working as the manager for two and half years, she knows the business well. Meat delivered from the co-op organic farms in Indiana, Montana and North Carolina every day.

In his overall, a black shirt and pants, Jordan Kish travels through the tables busily.  He has been working in Sweet Cheeks Q for three years and is positive about the future.

“Pigs are taken apart in our kitchen, and we have steady business daily," Kish said. 

All the drinks, including wine and cocktail, are served in different sizes of mason jars.

“It fits into the Texas country too, sort of,” Schemertz said.

The restaurant makes the source in house freshly every day. The flavors are a little bit spicy, which are different from the local source, which is very sweet.

“It’s Texas style and new, especially for people from New England.” Schemertz explained.

Brought by his daughter at B.C., Ralph had lunch with his family. He used to barbecue, "but I think they can do a little bit better than me," he said, smiling.

Robbie Diminico, graduating from Boston University in May, 2014, has been working in Sweet Cheeks Q for two and half years. His favorite part of the work is creating communication. "Though we serve high quality meals, we try to create a laid-back atmosphere," Diminico said. 

Because of the fame of the founder Tiffani Faison, Sweet Cheeks Q attracts customers ever since it started. “I think Tiffani brought a part of the customers. But now I think the food is the reason bringing people back,” Schemertz said.

 “We want the entire food and services to create the real feel for where it comes from, Texas,” Schemertz said