212-533-2500
225 Park Avenue South (@ 18th Street)
Last night I had dinner at Wildwood, the world’s only entirely “free-range” barbeque joint. Wildwood has been around for almost two years and is part of the BR Guest Restaurants group (Blue Water Grill, Dos Caminos, etc.)… It was pretty good. I haven’t had BBQ in years, so I’m not really sure what kind of amazing-ness I was expecting, but I definitely did not leave disappointed.
I started with the “Kentucky Cooler,” which was whiskey, vodka, white peach, lemonade, and delicious. The whiskey list at Wildwood is pretty impressive as well a very classy beer list, one choice from Pennsylvania is simply called “Cold Ass Beer.”
My friend and I shared a pulled pork sandwich, a half rack of baby back ribs, green beans, and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese tasted like Stouffer’s (good/bad??), the green beans were really garlicky and nice, and the meat was all very good. I really liked all of Big Lou’s special BBQ sauces and spices.
One semi-complaint I kind of have about Wildwood is how quickly the food came out, everything we ordered was on our table literally less than five minutes after we ordered. The service was kind of typical of a high-volume chain and the atmosphere was kitschy and fun. I won’t be back soon, but then again, I probably won’t eat BBQ for another year. My final opinion about Wildwood: it is a fine place to recommend to a tourist (as long as they’re not Southern).
BY: LAUREN BROWN
