dining out
Korean BBQ + Kimchi =
Flavor Explosion
Sweet and savory combos surprise and delight the taste buds
WRITTEN BY JOYCE VENEZIA SUSS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MITSU YASUKAWA
KOREAN BBQ CHICKEN WINGS
R
obert Austin Cho’s
smokehouse specialties
are wafting through
northern New Jersey,
attracting a growing
legion of fans who
enjoy new flavors, or a new twist
on classics.
Cho came to the United States as a
young boy, and grew up eating his
family’s Korean specialties. As an
adult, he began experimenting
with barbecuing and smokers, and
ultimately mastered the art of smok-
ing meats and creating tangy sauces.
Cho started selling his creations at
food festivals and pop-up restaurants,
eventually opening a tiny restaurant
in Bergenfield. After just nine
60
FALL 2017 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE
months, he moved to a larger space
elevated sloppy joe, with grilled bul-
in Westwood, and recently opened
gogi beef slices and Cho’s Fatboy
a second location in Montclair.
BCS — an amazing barbecue sauce
The main attraction in most of
that’s far better than ketchup —
Cho’s specialties is
topped with cheese
the spicy, salty
and kimchi.
Montclair
Korean relish
Kimchi Smoke’s
known as kimchi
top seller is the
— made from cab-
Austin Cho 1.0:
bage and Daikon
chopped brisket
345 BLOOMFIELD AVE.
radishes, and quite (973) 744-390, KIMCHISMOKE.COM
mixed with Fatboy
different from mild
Bourbon Chipotle
green pickle relish served at
sauce, remoulade, the ubiquitous
American picnics. Cho sometimes
kimchi, cheese and scallions on a
smokes his kimchi to add another
toasted potato roll. I was skeptical
dimension of flavor.
about so many different flavors, but I
He also uses other Korean special-
became a believer after the first bite.
ties to transform American classics.
On Fridays and Saturdays, Kimchi
The Gangham Burger is more like an
Smoke loyalists rush to get the
KIMCHI
SMOKE HOUSE II
>