Park's BBQ - Los Angeles

Their quality meats and magnificent marinades have steaked their claim in K-town, and this year they catch the critical eye of Michelin. One star for the P1, IMHO, even though Michelin didn't agree. Order that Taste of Parks BBQ to sample all the meats that matter.

Plenty of Banchan to play with, little plate of pickled delights. Even the salad looks like a work of art. 

Started off with a small side of Dumplings. Savory pockets of juicy pork, tasty, but not truly necessary. 

They'll grill the meat for you if you're helpless, so sit back and relax because they'll never let it burn. Service is swift and attentive, without being overbearing. 

Paper-thin slices of Brisket come off the grill as fast as they go on. The pieces are tender, but you do have to chew. 

Side-by-side sits a Short Rib, a beautiful cut with marbled veins. This meat is not even solid - it turns to liquid in saliva. 

Ggot Sal, too, melts in your mouth the moment it hits your tongue. Juicy, beefy bliss. 

Galbi is scored for tenderness with a sweet marinade to maximize the savor. Bulgogi is thin and dripping with sweet soy, no less delicate, no less delicious. 

Break it up with cold bites of Naengmyeon, it spaces out the mouthfuls of meat. The sweet chili broth is refreshing, and the noodle texture is on point.

I've had good Korean BBQ and I've had great Korean BBQ, but nothing comes close to Park's. I don't have the words to fully capture the magic of their meat - you have to eat it to believe it. 

Mian - Los Angeles

Man, it's hard to find a place like Mian. Supply chains are shot and prices are soaring, and if you want good food, prepare to pay. 

Except Mian-Los Angeles is an LA establishment with SGV prices, and you can get gooey, tar-yolked Thousand Years Egg in Chili Sauce for a measly price of $5. Be prepared for the pungence - you love them or you hate them, and there is no in-between. Either way, the chunky green chili sauce is to die for.

Soothe your spice and slake your thirst with a cup of Mung Bean Tea. It's a sweety-beany slurp, and it only costs 3 with refills for free. 

Have you ever seen anything quite as pretty as this Pork Pan Fried Dumpling dish? The juicy mince is a contrast to the crispy starch-fry and does a flavor-dance with a sauce both spicy and sour.

The Half Crispy Skin Chicken may not be their main attraction, but it's something to cluck about. The skin isn't all that crispy, but the chicken is pretty perfect.

You can't come to a place called Mian and not have a bowl of mian. Their signature Chengdu Zajiang Noodle is possibly the best bowl of noodles I've ever tasted - just the perfect balance of long, eggy al dente noodles coated with savory pork, a rich fried egg and a slightly spicy sauce you can't stop eating. 

Of the Osmanthus Rice Balls, I was not a fan. The sweet rice balls were rock hard, and I'm not sure if they were undercooked or if this is just how they are. The simple slightly-syrup they come in is refreshing after a hot meal on a summer day. 

Man, I'm in love with Mian. The food is as straightforward and simple as it sounds, but it's executed with absolute mastery, and I dare you to find better mian in LA.

Truth BBQ - Houston, TX

Everyone has a pandemic vice, and not all of them are bad. Covid has created many a sommelier, I'm sure, and for others it's a healthy new hobby like hiking or an anxiety-alleviator like gardening or crochet. 

My vice is a map of mail-order barbecue from legends such as Snow's and staples such as Truth. 

We get a bit of a sampler, and as usual, start with some Sausage. This casing has a real snap to it, the most pop of any I've had. That meat is juice-dripping so revel in those rivulets of liquid pork. Goes good with some of their semi-sweet Stay Gold Mustard. 

Racking up some points are the Truth Ribs, tender outside and crimson within. Strong smoke, though they do have to be torn off the bone with very little force. I dig this rib rub, but smearing a little of the OG BBQ Sauce on top will do. It's a thin sweet-water, and it gives that black pepper seasoning a little lift. 

The White Lightnin' sauce is as it sounds; about as thick as it can get without becoming a solid, a ranch dressing where mayo subs for milk. Smear on just about anything for a rich hit of something smooth to balance out the smoke and salt. Pro tip: Spread some on a chicken biscuit-sandwich and the result is electric. 

Alright, I already like Truth, but my truth lies in the Brisket. A hard-packed pec of hulky heifer, a notoriously difficult cut, a challenge-accepted by the star pitmasters of the Lone Star State. Meat melts on the tongue under a gooey girdle of fusing fat as smoke permeates the palate.

Truth be told, I still prefer Snow's, but I don't know if I could easily pick a favorite if I compared them side by side. Almost alike yet each with its own distinct and spectacular style. Same-same but oh-so different.