Lexington Bar-B-Que

When you think of Bar-B-Q you think of Lexington, NC not Lexington Avenue in New York City but nonetheless we've found another diamond in the rough.  I've been cyber-sparring back and forth w/ the owner of Black Shack on Lex for a few months.  City Belle and I have been ordering burgers from Black Shack for well over a year and a few months ago they fubbed up our order.  It wasn't a big deal but I still give Jeff the owner a hard time.  CB~CB is a HUGE fan of Black Shack on Facebook and I'm always on the look-out for their food specials. They not only have some of the best burgers in NYC, they also have some really good craft-beer specials.  Let's take a trip to get some Bar-B-Que in NYC: 

(notice the grade A for cleanliness on the left side of the glass)

The interior is set-up like an old-school vintage burger-stand. They even have the little black plastic letters you stick in the menu-sign to spell out the food items.... Yep, it's really that cool.  That's Jeff on the far left w/ the big grin.  He and his crew were more than hospitable. 

 

 It's a splendid stroll from our apartment to Lexington Avenue and it wasn't until Black Shack started talking about Bar-B-Q that I put my walkin' boots on b/c they have a great delivery program.  It's not often you stroll down Lexington Avenue in New York City and happen upon a Burger Spot that boasts an open-flamed grille and Bar-B-Q.  Bar-B-Q?  Where I'm from BBQ is pork, but in NYC the term is used as a verb.  Yankees say, "Let's Bar-B-Q some chicken!" meaning you could grille steak, or salmon or whatever on the grille.  We (Southerners) say, "Let's eat some Bar-B-Q!" We have Eastern North Carolina and Western North Carolina and you can read all about it here: BBQ.  

Jeff issued a humble invite regarding his Que and spoke of marvelous craft beers so I finally made the trek: 

When City Belle and I read this it honestly made our day.  It's not often a fellow Manhattanite admits to a Southerner we can do something better than they can.  But there you have it in black and white...Wait Facebook has blue letters....

on the way

across the street from BS

I just thought this was cool;  the juxtaposition of the new building in the background w/ the dilapidated remodeled one where a roof-top garden awaits all alone......  

Bengali Tiger beer is from Brooklyn. 

 I liked it, but it's a beer drinker's beer if ya know-whad-I-mean. 

BACK in BLACK
imported out of San Francisco, the 21st Amendment...

I think I'll have that.

 The interior is set up very nice.  Simple, refined, w/ a vintage-rustic feel. 

 Don't Drink and Drive, always Hail a Cab! 

Ok, imma be honest.  The sandwich was amazing.  The Que was well above average for NYC.  I mean, it wasn't my uncle Troy's where he slooooow-smokes it for 3 days, but it was still the Bomb!  Jeff home-made this batch.  He hand-made it himself and even came to my table and described for me his process.  Often the Bar-B-Q spots in NYC make huge batches and it ends up being dried-out, but at a place like Black Shack on Lex where the batches are small and announced online it paints a whole different picture.

Sweet Potato Fries... in New York?  Really?  

Yes sirreeee!!!

GO2: BLACK SHACK on LEX

mission accomplished.....

Black Shack Burger

320 Lexington Ave

btw 38th and 39th St
Manhattan, NY 10016
Murray Hill, Midtown East

212.213.0042
(view on map)

I closed my eyes while biting into the Que and just for a moment I was on my back porch in North Carolina drinkin' a sweet tea w/ my Mom and Dad... 

Until next time, 

Country Boy