crown heights’s best barbecue gets even more fired up

by Marisa Procopio

Tell most Americans you know of a “fast casual” barbecue restaurant, and they’ll shrug impassively. After all, isn’t that what a basic fast-food joint is—a place where you can wear jeans while unwrapping your melancholic, heat lamped burger?

But what if you could still wear jeans but someone came up with a vast improvement on the food part? Like…vast.

“It’s a more authentic experience [here],” said Micha Magid, co-owner of Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque, along with Christos Gourmos and pitmaster Hugh Mangum. “There are no waiters and waitresses; you go right to the cutting board, grab a beer, and go sit down. If you go to Texas, this is how it’s done.”

Named after Mangum’s eldest son, the first Mighty opened in the East Village in 2012, prompting lines down the block. Others followed, and last February, the company announced a 2,575-square-foot restaurant will be sited on the top floor of the Empire Outlets retail development on
Staten Island’s St. George waterfront.

The menu is deliberately limited, which allows the kitchen to focus on getting the best out of the Carolina- Texas blend of barbecue.

“It’s different styles, with [dishes like] smoked brisket. It’s not overly saucy,” explained Magid. That dish, like most fare at Might’s, goes over hardwood fired smoke, not gas. This helps to impart a unique flavor to the meat, which is all natural (raised without additives and minimally processed). Moreover, “we try to source locally whenever possible,” he added. And “everything’s from scratch. We work really hard to make sure the food is consistently good.”

Inside, pendant lighting dots the room and diners assemble family style at reclaimed wood tables.

Aside from favorites like brisket and pulled pork, there’s the aptly-named Brontosaurus Rib…and it’s glorious. (Google it and look for the photo in which Mangum holds the rib high and it blocks his entire head.) But what exactly is it?

“It’s a rib on the bone, a short rib,” said Magid. “Almost a pound of meat. Really tender. ….smoked on the bone.”

Dirty Frites are skin-on fries nearly buried in meaty burnt ends, chile-lime sauce, red onions, and scallions. But Mighty’s also steps away from traditional collards and cornbread sides. It makes sense; on their own, they’re wonderful, but paired with such hearty main courses, they can be overwhelming. “Lighter fare,” as Magid puts it, includes sides like roasted beet salad with fennel, mint, and orange vinaigrette, and a buttermilk broccoli salad. Offering sodas like fresh ginger ale is a welcome departure from the norm as well.

“When you hold up the bottle you can actually see pieces of ginger,” smiled Magid. “And it’s made with cane sugar [instead of corn syrup].”

Still hungry? Take home a bottle of Mighty’s own barbecue sauce, and start dreaming of what you can make with it.

Mighty Quinn’s BBQ
899 Bergen Street
718.857.2339 / mightyquinnsbbq.com