eat & drink
Kimchi Smoke
● WES TWOOD
FOOD Korean and American barbecue
AMBIENCE Cheerful, brightly lit storefront
SERVICE Order at counter, food brought to table
DRINKS BYO
PRICES Sandwiches, bowls, boxes, $8-$24; sides,
$2-$7; desserts, $5-$7
OPEN Lunch and dinner, daily X
F301 Center Avenue, 201-497-6333
kimchismoke.com
By Fran Schumer
In 2007, Robert Austin Cho was a 36-year-old real estate broker, born in Seoul, living in Hackensack. One
day, watching a contestant on Throw-
down! With Bobby Flay smoke ribs over
smoldering wood, he found his calling.
Growing up in Jersey, where he
earned a Rutgers bachelor’s in business management in 1997, Cho had only
seen people grill meat. Soon he was in
Paramus’s Van Saun Park practicing on
a mini-smoker. Within weeks, he won a
barbecue cook-off at a local church.
After several years of performing
well in competitions, festivals and
pop-ups, Cho opened Kimchi Smoke
in a shoebox of a space in Bergenfield
in January 2016. Winning awards and
social media shout-outs, he relocated
last November to a simple, bright,
fluorescent lit, 38-seat storefront in
Westwood.
Fans can relax. Cho’s buttery brisket,
signature Fatboy BCS (
bourbon-chipotle sauce) and crunchy Asian slaw remain state-of-the-art. A good example
is his juicy pork belly (tender yet lean),
slathered with a tangy glaze made with
Korean gochujang fermented spices
and tucked into a pillowy brioche bun.
Cho, 45, has a knack for culinary
mash-ups that verge on weird. Take his
Reuben Lee, a Texas-Korea remake of
a classic New York Reuben sandwich.
Smoked brisket replaces corned beef.
Fatboy BCS and remoulade replace
(oft-insipid) Russian dressing. Smoked
kimchi replaces deli cole slaw. The
bread remains rye, but the slices are
toasted and buttered, and the sandwich
is better because of it.
Cho’s most audacious mash-up is
congratulations chef de latour, martyna krowicka
— food network’s chopped champion
the 25 best restaurants of 2016 — nj monthly | 4 stars — star ledger
save the date . . . march 31st — april 1st
crystal springs resort 9th annual wine & food festival
#explorecrystal | 866.627.2302 | thecrystalspringsresort.com
chef de latour, martyna krowicka
