Brick Oven New York Pizzeria – Gangnam

We’d heard a lot of good things about Brick Oven New York Pizzeria. Truthfully, most of them are deserved. The little restaurant was packed when we arrived. A quick 10 minute wait got us a table for two, though for a bigger group the wait may have been longer.

The wings didn’t look like much, but they were crispy and spicy, and the closest thing to good old, American bar style as I’ve had over here. They went quickly, and I had to be convinced not to request another order. We expected the pizza to be pretty good, but this appetizer was the surprise of the night.

One bummer was the price of the beer. They don’t have anything on tap, so it’s strictly bottle prices. I tried the sangria instead, but I found it over-sugary and under-winey. The fruit detracted from the wine rather than complement it. The lemonade Eric ordered was very sweet, but fresh and tasty. Next time I’ll take the teetotaler option.

The pizza was fantastic. When you go, make sure you order a half and half to try several kinds. It’s not printed on the menu, but for a 3000 won fee, they’ll let you split the pizza, even if your choices have different sauces as ours did. I have a deep, longstanding love affair with pepperoni, and while I adore living in Korea, it’s not always easy to find good quality, spicy pepperoni that crisps up just right. This pepperoni delivers on all fronts. The pesto side was almost as delicious, filled with chicken, spinach and feta cheese. It was garlicky and satisfying.

The crust was crisp and thin, just as New York pizza should be. Despite the chintzy taxi cab plates and the glaring fact that they cook their pizza in a commercial pizza oven rather than a brick oven, they seem to have gotten the pizza recipe just right.

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Williamsburger – Baekhyeon/Pangyo

Baekhyeon is a really pleasant place to walk around. During summer weekends, there are hand-made craft vendors set up along the fountains that flow all the way down the main cafe street, and throughout all the seasons, the pedestrian-friendly area has countless events and festivals. It’s also a neighborhood with a wide spectrum of restaurants of many themes, and a few standouts like Williamsburger.

Williamsburger keeps it simple and tasty – a handmade patty seasoned and topped with hot sauce, bleu cheese dressing and a fried onion ring on a soft sesame seed bun. They have a variety of toppings, but one thing all the burgers have in common is a simple flavor profile. They don’t rely on gimmicks to sell their fare – the meat is good enough to stand on its own.

One dish I hadn’t yet tried was the “Hole French Toast”. The toast is soft on the inside, crispy on the edges. The hole in the center is filled with a perfectly cooked over-easy egg and covered with mild cheese. I found the combination a bit strange when I ordered, but once I tasted it with maple syrup, it made perfect sense. The dish also came with a salad, small biscuit with fruit chutney and a couple of slices of bacon that were thick and delicious – the house-cured breakfast meat may have been my favorite part. You wouldn’t expect to find great brunch food at a burger place, but this was quite good.

The Oreo flavor of the milkshake was a good break from the traditional vanilla/ strawberry/ chocolate you usually find. The creamy cookie concoction was well blended without being too thin and one was big enough for two people to share.

The wings were very well cooked, but fair warning – the sauce has a heavy Tabasco content. The meat was still moist, and the skin was a bit crispy on the edges.

If you’re craving some grilled meat, Williamsburger will suit your needs nicely. The food is fast, delicious and a good price. The neighborhood is also a great place to window shop or grab dessert after you chow down.

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