Ever wanted to eat Korean barbecue on the set of a space-age steampunk film? Well that’s kind of the vibe you get on the first floor of G2 Korean BBQ on Elizabeth Street. On the ground floor the effect is more muted, but once you climb the stairs you’ll see it. The huge warehouse looking space is filled with shining copper ventilation shafts that hang from the ceiling and look a lot like robot arms from Lost in Space. But they come in peace, to save you from smoke overload from so many tables cooking all at once.
There is something very reassuring about a Korean barbecue menu. If there are no beef ribs, pork belly or mixed mushrooms on there, you are not in the right restaurant. Here the young Angus beef ribs are marbled little girders that cook quickly over the hot coals and stay juicy. The thinly sliced pork belly is the smart choice for two reasons: it helps temper the richness of your meal and cooks in record time.
The staff are very hands-on with the cooking here, helping to turn your basket of mixed mushrooms, cut your marinated bulgogi beef into portions and rearrange your grill to get some proper heat on your wide, flat slices of zucchini and potato. If the whole process of cooking for yourself is why you like Korean barbecue you’re going to have to hold onto the tongs firmly.
Some Korean barbecue joints go hard on the marinades and others prefer to let the meat be the star. G2 is the latter. The seasoning comes afterwards when you dip your morsels into the ssamjang or house-made sweet soy. It doesn’t get simpler than salt, pepper and sesame oil, but when you combine them with rich beef cuts the results are magic.
Depending on how you order here it can be a cheap night out or an expensive one (especially if you’re going for the all Wagyu set menu) but it’s not the drinks that’ll drain your hard-earned – the house white is a chardonnay from Thievin’ Devilin and at seven bucks a glass or $25 for the whole bottle it’s a quaffable bargain.
When it comes to no-frills share plates, these guys have pitched things right. Tender cuts, fresh veggies, cheap wine and warehouse vibes are a powerful combo for dinnertime fun in the heart of the city.
