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photo credit: Benji Dell
The Park's Finest BBQ
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Serving American barbecue classics with a Filipino twist, Park’s Finest in Echo Park sticks out not just on this list, but from pretty much anywhere in the city. Smoked meats, like slow-roasted pulled pork, roasted chicken with a candy-like crust, or longanisa hot links sliced in a perfect row, are all fantastic. But nothing compares to their coconut beef adobo, made from a 16-hour smoked chuck stewed in coconut cream and fish sauce until it falls apart. The best way to sample the greatest hits at Park’s Finest is their Worker Plate, a Wednesday special that includes a medley of Filipino BBQ and sweet cornbread bibingka for less than $20. It’s such a great deal, we immediately imagined ourselves hanging out here weekly in one of their leather booths watching ESPN on the big screens in the dining room.
Food Rundown
Coconut Beef Adobo
This stuff is magical. Creamy and spicy. We could eat a gallon of this and be happy. Definitely the first thing to order on a non-Wednesday.
Cornbread Bibingka
This moist cornbread is closer to a slice of cake than it is to the crumbly, dry squares you find at a lot of BBQ places. There's also a hint of coconut that gives it the sweetness of Filipino bibingka. Don't leave without an order of this.
Hot Links
Spicy as hell and perfect when paired with their traditional barbecue sauce.
Pulled Pork
While this dish is a BBQ restaurant staple, you can skip the version at Park's Finest. It's made with juicy, slow-roasted pork shoulder that pairs well with the vinegary-based BBQ sauce, but it's just not as exciting as the other smoked meats on the menu.