MIAMI LAKES (FL) -- It's a hot, humid day in Miami. The line outside La Traila Barbeque has grown to more than 100 people an hour after the doors opened on Saturday, the Saturday before Memorial Day.With anticipation of something new, people waited patiently for two hours. South Florida is known for its diverse cuisines, but the best barbecue is not one of them."What is brisket?" One female patron asked the question out loud while reading the digital menu on her smartphone. She fell in love with it after ordering it. A man came out with a plate to go and declared it the best barbecue he'd ever tasted.Standing near the door, wiping his forehead with water and wiping away sweat, is Isaiah McKenzie, Buffalo Bills wide receiver and return man. He has been catching passes from Bills quarterback Josh Allen for much of the spring. McKenzie, a customer service representative for BBQ, is trying to make customers happy at his new restaurant's opening day.He stands at 5'8 and weighs 170 pounds. Customers can trust the 2017 fifth-round draft selection of the Denver Broncos to tell them he "just works here."McKenzie stated, "I just want it to be normal." It's barbecue and beer. Miami is great for Latin food but not BBQ. It's definitely not Texas. Living in Texas, I would visit Flanagan's or Outback Steakhouse to get ribs. I thought it was barbecue. I had never heard of pulled pork or brisket. It's all well-known now.This was when McKenzie met Mel Rodriguez, a Texas-born pitmaster who mentored him on the game of food. McKenzie, a Miami native, is the face of the restaurant and the NFL's spokesman.McKenzie, 26 years old, provided the majority of the start-up capital for La Traila. Rodriguez, however, is responsible for all aspects of the operation, including the culture, management, and cooking. McKenzie, Rodriguez and their team are bringing authentic Texas barbecue to South Florida.Local fans were hurt when the Bills' 2020 regular season finale loss to the Miami Dolphins saw him score a record-breaking three touchdowns. He hopes that his barbecue will one day make its way to the Dolphins through postgame meals.Pitmaster Mel Rodriguez taught Bills wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie a lot about how to cook, smoke and prepare everything from ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and more. Mel RodriguezBarbecue beginningsOn a return trip to La Traila a month later, customers still lined up for a taste of the barbecue an hour before the doors opened.Rodriguez stated, "Isaiah and me are a good combination." "We each know our strengths. He's great with customers when he's there. He is humble. If customers ask, he will take pictures with them. He'll also be working the register. Pop-ups will be his outlet for food. That's what he loves. He is loved by all who visit him. I run the day-today operations and, of course, the cooking.It's a tale of football, barbecue and chance encounters through family.The La Traila Barbeque Restaurant in Miami Lakes, Florida offers a variety of Texas-style barbecue. Cameron Wolfe/ESPNMcKenzie was with Rodriguez, but they were from two different circles. Rodriguez was at the time dating McKenzie's sister. They met at a family function in 2020, just as the country was about to be struck by the coronavirus pandemic. Rodriguez prepared dinner for them. McKenzie enjoyed it and shared his dream of investing some of his football money in a food truck.It was not the best idea to start a business in the middle of a pandemic. So they decided to do a few pop ups. These are temporary retail locations where they could sell their barbecue. A free pop-up was held in Hialeah (Florida), where 350 people attended. This turnout earned McKenzie & Rodriguez a weekend rental at a Miami fresh foods market. A few months later, they found a better match with Unbranded Brewery Hialeah. They fell in love with the match; what could be better than beer and BBQ?Rodriguez was managing everything, while McKenzie was playing football in Buffalo in 2020. However, the pair still dreamed of owning a brick-and-mortar restaurant. The world was opening up to vaccinations this spring and the pair decided to open a permanent shop at a former location owned by a BBQ restaurant that failed during the pandemic."It's going take a team"Rodriguez increased their daily meat order by 2,000 pounds to meet the demand of La Traila's long line. The food is prepared exactly as the order is placed, just like Texas-style barbecue. They open at noon, and usually sell out by 5:05 p.m. on most days. Brisket is the most popular item.Rodriguez, 40, learned how to barbecue from his father in Austin. Rodriguez has been working on the pit since he was a teenager.Their restaurant is reminiscent of Texas in every way, from the brick walls to the breakfast tacos served for two hours before the main meal.Mel Rodriguez, La Traila Barbecue’s pitmaster, said he wanted to "make damn good BBQ." Cameron Wolfe/ESPNRodriguez, who moved from Austin four years earlier, said that Miami's barbecue is not very good when he first arrived. "We are ahead of the market, so we have some leeway, but I told my staff that I don't just want to make good barbecue. "I want to make good BBQ!"McKenzie said, "We didn’t know we would have long queues. We didn't expect to sell out. We wanted to be open and provide food. It's been a learning experience, but so far it's been great.La Traila isn't just for locals. A few NFL players also enjoy the atmosphere and the delicious food. McKenzie's Bills colleague, Dion Dawkins (offensive lineman), and Sony Michel (running back for the New England Patriots), were both there on opening day. Kayvon Webster, a former Denver Broncos cornerback, stopped by and bought a large order of food trucks in Miami in late June.Where do NFL QBS come from? From California to New Hampshire there have been 43 states and D.C. that have produced NFL quarterbacks. To see the top, bottom and everything in-between, take a deep look at the data. StoryCheck out which NFL quarterbacks hail from your stateMcKenzie and Rodriguez made their restaurant an unforgettable dining experience. Rodriguez cuts the meat right in front of your eyes. There are many special menu items, including the brisket-queso empanadas and McKenzie's favourite, the brisket dessert. This is a combination of macaroni, cheese, baked beans and beef brisket. It also includes crema, queso fresco and cream corn.Owning a business is more than just throwing money at it. McKenzie was surprised to discover that restaurants must pay taxes every 20th of each month. There's also a lot of paperwork involved in running a business correctly. McKenzie should be "hands-on" when he can be away from football.McKenzie will be heading to the Bills' training camp July 28 to help Rodriguez.McKenzie stated, "I want everyone to speak the entire language." McKenzie stated, "I want it be a well-oiled engine. Mel is the ideal guy to manage the day-today operations. He doesn't need to worry about the back or front of the shop. But little details are what make a restaurant great. This is a big goal. It will take a team."McKenzie now has two teams, the Bills who aim to be AFC East champions again, and La Traila which aims to make South Florida's best barbecue.
