Man, beast collide at Itaewon's latest, greatest smokehouse

By Gemma Wardle

The restaurant, opened by pit master Jeff Kang and his partners, is a dark wood and cool steel-styled affair where meat lovers can get a real taste of American-style barbeque.

Unlike most barbecue joints in town, all the meat is cooked in their own oak-burning smoker, which is fed the old-fashioned way, by hand.

Although more time consuming, Jeff is committed to his product, getting up at 1am each day to feed it with more wood. This hard work and dedication pays off once you taste his meat, though.

The brisket is juicy pink slices of cow-flavored heaven. Cooked to perfection, meat and fat melt on the tongue. Another standout dish is the juicy chicken quarters, coated in house-made sweet and sticky barbecue sauce. With good old sides like apple coleslaw, chipotle lime potato salad and spicy mac and cheese, you are in for a good meal and a good time.

To complement the food, consultant mixologist Ray Say Oh has devised a list of cocktails that will cut right through the fat of the meat. The “I shot the Sheriff” is the smoothest Arnold Palmer you’ve ever had, a delicious mix of tea and bourbon. While the “Boardwalk Lemonade” has sweet and sour notes in all the right places.

While the restaurant is open, it is only for a soft launch, so do expect a few kinks and be ready to give some feedback. Reservations are not being taken, so it is first come, first served.

Manimal is at 2F, 455-33 Itaewon, Seoul, and open from 5:30pm onwards Tuesday to Sunday. For more information call 02-790-6788.