Wildwood BBQ

To celebrate this year’s Super Bowl, CT and I were invited to a party at our friend DM’s apartment. He keeps a kosher apartment so that meant no mixing dairy and meat or any pork products of any kind. Yes, at first you would think the food would be terrible with those restrictions, but DM really outdid himself and hosted a fantastic party where everyone left full and happy (except for the Steelers fans, hahaha.) However, we couldn’t go the whole day eating kosher, so I suggested we go out for lunch to Wildwood BBQ.

NYC has become quite the BBQ town in its own right the past couple of years. There is Dinosaur, Blue Smoke, RUB, just to name a few. One place that usually falls under the radar is Wildwood. It could be that this restaurant is part of the BR Guest restaurant empire, so it may not have as much cred as the others. Then again, Blue Smoke is part of the USHG empire.

I have been to Wildwood a few times and have enjoyed it. They do a great job getting the smoke in the meat, but without it tasting like an ashtray.

The place was pretty quiet around 1pm on a Sunday, but they were expecting a large crowd later for the game. We noticed they also called the Super Bowl the “Big Game” on all their flyers and chalkboards. Are restaurants not allowed to say “Super Bowl?” Weird.

CT didn’t have breakfast, so we shared an appetizer. Wings seemed to be required, it was Super Bowl Sunday afterall. Instead of the usual flavor, we decided to share the Caribbean Jerk Wings ($9.75). These were grilled and smoked. The fresh lime brought a good brightness to the spice. Eventhough they weren’t fried, the wings were still crunchy from the grill. They were very similar to the wings at Blind Tiger Ale House. If you are looking for a different kind of wing, I would definitely recommend trying these.

CT says: I was surprised that these were grilled and still crunchy! Definitely a great surprise though, and made me feel a little healthy so I could happily indulge during the game!

CT was in a rib mood so she got a half rack of the Kansas City Baby Back Ribs($15.50). I had one and enjoyed the smokiness of the rib, but that’s about it. CT was disappointed that it didn’t come with any sides let alone a piece of bread.

We remedied that quickly by ordering a side of tater tots($4.75). The tots were fried nicely and not very greasy, but had a bit too much salt on them.

CT says: I thought it was a little expensive for just a half-rack, since many places will cost that for ribs and a side. Still, I was happy with the flavor of the ribs. Just saucy enough, but not overly so, and with a touch of smokiness. The meat wasn’t falling-off-the-bone, but quite tender. The tots on top weren’t too salty, but they definitely got saltier as we ate through the bowl. However, I thoroughly enjoyed how crispy they were.

I try not to eat too much meat for lunch, so I passed on getting a bbq platter that I would usually get. I decided to try one of their interesting sandwiches. I chose the Wild Park Brisket Sandwich($11.95). It was Sliced Smoked Brisket Topped with Provolone, Onion Rings, Coleslaw and Vinegar Chips. This was a ridiculous sandwich. It got pretty messy early on with so many components between the bread. The sandwich tasted good, but the individual components got lost. I had some brisket that fell out and enjoyed the tenderness and smokey flavor a lot, which was less detectable when combined with cheese, onion ring, and cole slaw. The chips were too vinegary for my taste. Although I loved the crunch, the flavor was socked my palate.

All in all, Wildwood is a great place for BBQ. They have actually won some awards at various competitions, so although based in NYC, they can play with the big boys. The prices are a bit towards the high side, but the quality of the food can justify most of it. The restaurant is just north of Union Square, so if you happen to be in the area and crave some BBQ give Wildwood a shot.