York York Barbeque

By Matthew Endacott

The word “barbeque” in Korea is synonymous with the idea of eating meat we cook ourselves with tons of banchan (side dishes), kimchi, and for those who partake, soju. Korean barbeque is always a treat, but for someone wanting a different experience, the York York Barbeque restaurant is a quality destination to eat. York York offers what many ex-pats have grown up loving – brisket, ribs, cole slaw, french fries – the whole shebang.

Atmosphere and Service

Even the walk up the stairs is exciting. The building stands alone at the top of a hill giving the impression of a high-class establishment. Not many places in Korea have a lawn to appreciate and around the back is a patio area with picnic tables to get the full barbeque experience when the weather is nice. Inside is pleasant: the lighting is soft and warm; the furniture is simple but stylish; and the decorations have a classic Americana feel to them. Absorbing all this while eighties American pop played through the sound system created a good vibe in the spot.

The staff was pleasant and happy to seat us with our menu, which was only Hangeul. For those that do not read or speak Korean, ordering may be a challenge, nonetheless, the staff is quite accommodating and try to help as much as they can

Food

There were a few choices for single items, like a grilled cheese sandwich and fries for 8,9000 won, chili
cheese fries for 11,000 won, or even a falafel burger with pulled pork for 21,900 won. Those sounded nice, but we were there for the BBQ set for two – brisket, chicken breast, pork neck, pork ribs, cole slaw, french fries, salad, three rolls, and cabbage for 29,000 won. When the set came out, I was surprised to see it was able to fit on one tray but that did not deter my appetite. Two barbeque sauces sit on the table: one tastes standard, a tad on the sweet-side, and the other seemed to be blended with balsamic vinegar. They have a spicy sauce upon request.  Though good, we believed it to be Ligo hot sauce. I personally prefer spicy, so I mixed the regular BBQ with the hot sauce and it was exactly what I was looking for.  The brisket was the largest portion and most flavorful of the meat served and when paired with the rolls it was decadent. While the grilled chicken breast and ribs tasted fine, they were surprisingly small portions. The chicken looked like a half breast and my biggest disappointment was the set has only two ribs – one per person. Another highlight, pork steak was juiciness cooked to perfection, and well-seasoned. The sides as well, the cole slaw had great flavor, the fries were crisp and tasty, the rolls were rolls (a treat to have in Korea). However, the salad (basically lettuce with a light sauce) left us wanting. For two hungry adults, the set alone was not enough.  We also ordered a side of pork and beans for 2,500 and 1,000 won for two extra rolls was well worth the price and completed the meal nicely.

The best surprise was its extensive variety of quality beers filling nearly two pages of the menu. Kona, Samuel Adams, Leffe, to name a few of the multitude of other bottled imports, plus Stella Artois on tap at a reasonable 7,000 won. A few of these satisfied my whole experience. I would recommend going to try York York Barbeque for its brisket, beer, and atmosphere. Overall it was a great dining experience.

Directions–

Address: 광주광역시 동구 산수동 112-1 번지

Address: 112-1 Sansu 2(i)-dong, Dong-gu, Kwangju

Phone: 010-4644-9659

Time: Tuesday-Sunday pen-12:00 p.m. Close-10:00 p.m. (last order at 9:00 p.m.)

The location is in an obscure place but a nice area. You can take buses: 01, 15, 27, 28, 74, 80, 187, and 1000 to 산수오거리or Sansu 5-way bus stop. It is approximately a 600 meter walk North West. After getting off the bus, walk north until you can take your first right through a residential area. Keep walking until you reach the next main road and turn left. York York Barbeque will be just up the road on the right side of the street on a small hill.