Picnick Smoked - Rookie Vendy 2009 Finalist

Since we were not able to make it to tonight's sold-out 2009 Vendy Awards, we decided to check out one of the 2009 Vendy Awards Rookie Finalists:  Picnick Smoked.  Having just opened in mid-August to long waits and huge crowds, we braced ourselves for an afternoon baking in the sun.  Happily, we found no line upon arrival (11:45 AM) and quickly discovered why, in just one month of operation, Picnick Smoked has already become a destination of choice amongst the Wall St. lunch crowd.

If you're a meat-lover, as we are, you're going to love this menu!

 

We chose the Picnick Express combo (meat + drink = $9) which means our Freshly Squeezed Lemonade was only 50 cents additional to our Kobe Brisket (reg $8.50).  The Kobe Brisket is by far the best item on the menu!  The meat easily pulls apart - it's so soft and tender!  This brisket just melts in our mouth!  The bread is buttered, toasted, and crunchy.  The lemonade makes for a refreshing drink.

We also got a Picnick Deuce special (meat + drink + side = $11) of the Pulled Heritage Pork sandwich (reg  $6.50), Picnick Slaw (reg $3), and lemonade (reg $2.50).  We loved the slaw - mustard based, not too creamy nor too astringent - but full of crunch and flavor.  We were happy to get wet naps because the sandwich was messy (as good BBQ should be!) and the meat was tasty, though the Brisket was better.

 

Picnick Smoked is located in Mannahatta park, in front of 120 Wall Street fountain (on Wall St btwn Front and South Sts).  The park features a few tables and chairs which makes this parkette a nice area to get our of the office and enjoy a lip-smacking outdoor lunch.