They Do ‘Cue, Too

Jersey’s ethnic diversity adds new dimensions to barbecue.

Brazilian
Waiters parade through the dining room wielding skewers of rotisserie-grilled meats, sliding them onto guests’ plates with a knife. The fixed price includes salad and vegetables and all the meat you can eat. Choices include top sirloin, beef ancho, filet mignon, pork loin, lamb chops, sausage, several kinds of chicken and, at Rodizio Grill, bacon-wrapped turkey.

Brasilia Grill
99 Monroe Street, Newark
973-589-8682

Rio Rodizio
2185 U.S. 22, Union
908-206-0060

Rodizio Grill
13109 Town Center Boulevard, Voorhees
856-344-5110

Korean
Embedded in the center of each table is a charcoal brazier. You order from a lengthy list of thinly sliced raw meats, seafood and vegetables. The best-known meat, bulgogi, comes marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and pepper. With chopsticks, you put the foodstuffs on the grill, where they cook quickly, usually requiring just one turn. Before the grilling begins, you may be delighted or bewildered by the array of salads and condiments placed on the table. These are likely to include the iconic Korean kimchi and other pickled dishes. Non-grilled options often include Korean-style noodles, dumplings and chicken wings.

Picnic Garden
150 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs
201-816-9300

Poong Lim
2054 Lemoine Avenue, Fort Lee
201-944-8699

So Moon Nan Jip
238 Broad Avenue, Palisades Park
201-944-3998

Portuguese
Whole chickens are butterflied, marinated in garlic, wine and paprika, and cooked on a charcoal rotisserie, producing moist meat under coveted crisp skin. Also popular are ribs and sautéed chicken in a spicier red garlic sauce. Dishes traditionally come with rice and fries.

Nunzio’s Charcoal Grill
2071 Springfield Avenue, Vauxhall
908-688-8040

Solar do Minho
15 Cleveland Street, Belleville
973-844-0500

Tino’s BBQ & Grill
229 Littleton Road, Parsippany
973-588-7979

Peruvian
Polla a la brasa is the beloved staple. Chicken is marinated overnight in paprika, cumin and garlic, then grilled on a charcoal rotisserie. Peru’s large Chinese and Japanese communities give rise to Asian-Latin fusions such as lomo saltado, a stir-fry of marinated beef, onions, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes.

Pepe’s BBQ
977 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange
973-736-156

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  1. Cassie

    Why is there only one listing for South Jersey? Aren’t there any others? I’m a transplant who misses the diversity of North Jersey and I would LOVE to know where I can find places like these.