New BBQ Joint in Crown Heights

By COLlive reporter

Sruli Eidelman, the man behind Izzy’s BBQ Addiction which offers fans and customers Texas-style Kosher barbecue meats from his own kitchen, is opening a restaurant in Crown Heights.

Eidelman projects 3-4 months for his new barbeque place to open, having recently signed a lease at 397 Troy Avenue (between Montgomery and Crown Street), reports Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine.

The not-yet named, counter service restaurant will offer seating for about 25-30 people, a significant change of location for Eidelman who has been working out of his home kitchen on Eastern Parkway until now.

His Texas-style of BBQ will offer real barbecue fare with no gas assisted smokers. He will offer local micro brewed beers and expects to do lots of catering from his kitchen.

The store will be an expansion of Eidelman’s current pop-up shop, which he runs once a week, rising before dawn and loading his two smokers with brisket, beef ribs, chicken or whatever else he feels like.

As he’s cooking, he posts the menu on his Facebook page, and orders — mostly from his friends and family, at this point — begin pouring in. When the meat is ready — sometimes up to 16 hours later — Eidelman loads up his car and makes his deliveries, mostly in the Crown Heights area.

A year ago, Eidelman was a complete novice, having never tasted barbecue before, The NY Jewish Week reported in February. He grew up in Midwood, Brooklyn, and also has a day job in quality control at a custom cabinetry company.

Luckily, he met Ari White, the El Paso, Texas-born chef and owner of Wandering ‘Que, a kosher barbecue company that also “pops up” around New York City, and Eidelman’s barbecue education began the moment he tried a bite of White’s fare.

“I absolutely loved those flavors,” said Eidelman, who is married with children. “I thought, ‘This has to become part of my life.’ I think that this kind of food is something that is missing from the Jewish cuisine.”

“I want this to be a place where you can sit down, order a great craft beer, listen to some bluegrass music and talk with your friends,” Eidelman told the NY Jewish Week. “And I think that more Jews need to try this kind of food.”