July 1st, 2009
I didn’t expect much when my girlfriends and I abandoned an empty and depressing Irving Mill for a more lively scene at Wildwood Barbeque down the block. Good barbeque is tough to come by in New York and with Wildwood being part of the B.R. Guest restaurant consortium I had my doubts. Could a puppy mill of restaurant trends churn out something grand?
My snooty early judgements were proven wrong. I was deeply impressed with the great flavors of the food and our waitress who was friendly and accomodating. A wacky chopped salad with tomato, feta, cucumbers, capers and everything else under the sun was a crunchy, refreshing starter to the upcoming meatfest. I was overjoyed by my tender, saucy and smoky lamb ribs with a fair amount of slippery fat. You see, dry rubbed ribs are not my thing. When I eat ribs I like to go all-out. Give me something that can put that dish-towel napkin to work! I eyed my friends’ barbequed chicken and took a bite, finding it to be sweet and delicately spiced, but no match for my awesome ribs. Creamy, aged cheddar mac n’ cheese, brussel sprouts in a cute cast iron pot and skinny sweet potato fries rounded out the meat fest. They also have a wide beer selection including lots of IPA’s, local stuff and even some Abita brews (love to represent my former college town of N’awlins). If you dig Bourbon, they boast 32 varieties.
In the ranks of serious BBQ houses in the city, Wildwood can hold its own. The mac n’ cheese was leagues below Hill Country’s dense, rich version, but the lamb ribs provide a challenge to Hill’s beef. It’s nice to be pleasantly surprised.
Wildwood Barbeque: 225 Park Avenue South
Cuisine: Barbeque
Average App/Entree Price: $8/$20
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.
Word to the Wise: If you don’t eat pork, Wildwood is the only restaurant in the city to serve lamb ribs (according to our waitress).
Filed under BBQ, Neighborhood, Quick Bites, Restaurant Reviews, Union Square | Comments (2)
December 9th, 2008
I will be the first to admit that my BBQ knowledge is limited. I’ve only recently learned about all of the different styles i.e. Memphis, Texas and North Carolina. What I do know, is that I’ve yet to have REALLY good BBQ prior to my trip to Hill Country. Oddly enough, BBQ has been a bit of a NY trend lately, with old timers like Blue Smoke and Dinosaur BBQ continuing their popularity and new kids like Wildwood BBQ and Q in Westchester popping up. I’d tried a few of these places and for some reason, they fell flat. The meat wasn’t moist enough, the sides were bland. Hill Country was the first place I’d heard was actually fantastic, said to be authentic Texas style BBQ in Chelsea. I’m not sure what made it authentic but it was DAMN GOOD, that’s for sure.
Hill Country is a lively duplex with large communal tables filled with hungry carnivores who rub elbows while watching the football game, projected onto the big screen or listening to regular band performances on stage. Upstairs, patrons line up with trays and butcher paper (no plates) and approach the counter to make selections from the meat masters behind. You order brisket, ribs, and chicken by the pound and the guys will pile it onto your plate while checking off your personal ticket, which serves as a bill at the end (leaving you free for seconds if you dare).
I ordered the brisket moist (fattier than the brisket lean) which was my favorite part of the meal. It was definitely moist, smokey, and perfectly tender. With a dash of hot sauce it was sublime. The gigantic beef ribs had a nice sweet, smokiness though they were a bit dry, I’ve heard the pork ribs are better. The sides I had were phenomenal: creamy, sharp mac and cheese plus string beans with salty fried onions. I tasted a yummy bite of the corn pudding too. They also run a special on a bucket of Lone Star beer, 6 beers for $30 I believe. If you love BBQ, you can’t miss Hill Country.
Hill Country: 30 W 26th Street (betw Broadway and 6th ave)
Cuisine: Texas BBQ
Average Entree Price: Anywhere from $15 to $50 depending on your appetite!
Food: Very Good
Service: Good
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.
Filed under BBQ, Chelsea, Good for Groups, Neighborhood, Occasion/Special Feature, Restaurant Reviews | Comments (6)
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