Oakblue Kitchen takes barbecue to a whole other level. I don’t just mean they have some killer barbecue, which they do, but they serve up dishes you won’t find anywhere else in Greenville. Southern BBQ meets Korean BBQ in the casual, funky setting that is Oakblue Kitchen.
Inspired by a heritage of Korean cooking, while also taking notes from Southern classics, Oakblue’s menu delivers a diverse mix of smoked meats, southern sides, and surprising flavors. For example, their Ssam Plate is truly one of a kind. Consisting of lettuce wraps filled with either pulled pork topped with chow chow, smoked brisket topped with pickled onions or Korean style short rib topped with kimchi, this is how you get to try a little bit of everything. Drizzle their savory, spicy Ssam sauce on top, and you’ve got one flavor-packed bite.
Another intermingling of Korean flavors and barbecue staples are present in their K.F.C. wings. Standing for Korean Fried Chicken, these crispy wings are tossed in Ssamjang sauce and come to the table piping hot. Don’t be weary of the Ssamjang sauce. While it does pack some heat, it can easily be muted by the creamy blue cheese dressing that comes alongside.
Now for a crowd-pleaser: The Fried Chicken Sandwich. What’s not irresistible about a fried chicken sandwich? Well…if the chicken isn’t crispy, bun isn’t toasted, and there isn’t a scrumptious sauce to drizzle on top, it’s a let down. Oakblue Kitchen’s chicken sandwich meets all my specifications with a crispy, moist piece of chicken drizzled with hot sauce, topped with house pickles and served on a toasted bun.
This next dish may get overlooked, but it is a contender for my favorite bite of the evening. The Korean Philly takes the ingredients of your typical Philly cheesesteak (steak, grilled onion, peppers, and melted cheese between a sub roll) and turns the volume wayyyyy up. To be perfectly honest, we were too full at this point to even eat the bread, but didn’t miss a beat as we dove right in with bites full of tender, marinated flank steak, sweet grilled onions and poblano peppers, and topped with melted queso cheese.
Korean BBQ or Southern BBQ? That’s the predicament at Oakblue Kitchen. We tried both plates that evening, so let me help you make the choice a little easier. The Korean BBQ plate still comprises all the components you desire from a barbecue restaurant: tender meat, crunchy slaw, savory side, and a flavor-packed sauce. At Oakblue, they just switch it up a bit with Galbi style short rib, Napa kimchi, roasted brussel sprouts, and a spicy Chogo sauce. On the other hand, there’s your Smoked Brisket Plate that comes with pickled onion, BBQ sauce, and your choice of two sides. We went with the oh-so-creamy macaroni and cheese and the crisp, fried okra. In my opinion, both dishes were pretty impressive, but if you find yourself at a place specializing in Korean BBQ, go with that.
I should mention that Oakblue Kitchen offers a wide-variety of craft beers, as well as unique cocktails. Don’t miss their Happy Hour with $1.75 domestics, $2 house liquors, $3 house wines, and get this…all starters 50% off! Oakblue Kitchen is located at 109 N. Main Street next to Mast General Store. They are open Tuesday – Saturday from 11:00am – 10:00pm and on Sunday from 10:00am – 4:00pm.
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