Baekjeong

My mother-in-law visits us in NYC every Labor Day weekend to see the U.S. Open. While she's here, we always try to take her somewhere really fun and unique for dinner. She had expressed an interest in Korean BBQ on a previous visit. Though Leah and I are no strangers to the wonder that is KBBQ (in fact we had our first date over hot pieces of grilled kalbi), we had not been to Baekjeong before.

In short, it was an awesome time, great for bother beginners and veterans (my mother-in-law loved it!). The price is higher than many other KBBQ joints, but the quality and experience is totally worth it.

Baekjeong
1 East 32nd St, New York, NY
baekjeongnyc.com

I can't recall exactly which combination of meats we ordered - I believe it was a beef/pork combo which likely included short rib, pork jowl, and other meaty jewels.

The "moat" around the grill was a fun novelty, as it allowed for the cooking of additional little side dishes like corn, eggs, and peppers & onions.

Though the grilled meats were of course fantastic, I am a huge sucker for searing hot Korean stews - Baekjeong's soybean stew with either brisket or kimchi was the real highlight of the evening for me!

Hometown BBQ

Another great afternoon at the unparalleled Hometown BBQ!

Hometown BBQ
454 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY
hometownbbq.com

Arrived around noon on a warm August Saturday - fortunately it wasn't very busy yet.

Drinks

Bloody Mary

Old Fashioned

Again, I have to reiterate how much I love Hometown's Bloody Mary - thick and rich, unlike the watery swill served at most places. The Old Fashioned wasn't the best though.

Thick Slab Pastrami Bacon

One of the absolute standouts on the menu, the roughly half-inch thick smoked bacon just utterly melts in your mouth, and pairs perfectly with the sharp mustard sauce. 

Brisket Tacos

Queso, White Onion, Pickles

These were very tasty, but we thought their pulled pork tacos (which had on the previous visit) were a bit better. 

Korean Sticky Ribs

Cashews, Scallions

The flavor on these was amazing. We unfortunately got a dry end toward one side of the rack (meh, it happens), but the rest of the ribs were great. 

Vietnamese Hot Wings

Toasted Sesame Seeds, Green Onion, Cilantro Ranch

Another killer mainstay - so sticky, so sweet!

Beef Rib

Lamb Belly Banh Mi

Cornbread

Smoked Pit Peans w/ Brisket Burnt Ends

Dill Pickles

Queso Mac N' Cheese

The mother lode. Last time we had visited, we ordered one of the giant beef ribs but it was missed on our order. We were extra-excited to try it this time around and man oh man, this hunk of beef is not to be missed. Almost gelatinous in texture, it is an absolute meat masterpiece, with a very sharp black pepper kick. True barbecue art here, folks. 

The lamb belly banh mi remains one of my favorite sandwiches on earth, and their sides are also top notch.