Neighborhood Eats: Memphis Seoul fuses Southern soul food with Korean flavors in Brooklyn
CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- This week's Neighborhood Eats takes you to a fusion restaurant combining spices, smoky bites and bold flavors.
Memphis Seoul is a Brooklyn eatery serving Southern cooking with a Korean kick.
Executive Chef Bart Hubbuch is a Texas native and says he's been cooking Southern food his entire life, but was also looking for something to fuse it with.
"Southern cooking is very flavorful on its own, and Korean ingredients add a spice element that just kind of kicks it up. The flavor just explodes," Hubbuch said.
Richard Blue, the director of operations at Memphis Seoul, says their menu is a bit of a hodgepodge. Some of their dishes include steamed buns with meatloaf or pulled pork, fried chicken or catfish and also barbeque jackfruit.
Their signature dish is the bulgogi meatloaf, which is a traditional Southern meatloaf fused with a Korean barbeque marinade.
"We like to say we are uniquely familiar because it is familiar food, but with a unique flavor profile," Hubbuch said.
Traditionally, New York government programs that help people afford food don't allow hot food purchases. But a new restaurant meals program allowing participating food spots to offer hot meals for those in need is changing the game, including at Memphis Seoul.
"People on benefits, on food stamps, on SNAP and EBT in New York were limited to only cold food and groceries mainly when using their benefits," Hubbuch said. "And they were not allowed to use their benefits on hot food, and now they can under the restaurant meals program, and it's a game changer."
According to Blue, Memphis Seoul was one of the pilot restaurants to initially partake in the program. He says the program has not only had a positive impact on their restaurant, but also on the community.
"Besides the small business aspect of it being a potential revolution for a mom-and-pop business, there's been a great need in the area for hot meals, and it's really great to be able to provide another option for people who've been unable to get hot food to try something new and different," Blue said.
Hubbuch in the meantime foresees the program getting bigger and bigger, and says once the awareness increases, it will become part of the fabric of New York City.
"It's fun to be able to get a hot meal in a snap," Hubbuch said.
You can find out more about the restaurant on the Memphis Seoul website.
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