This article was originally published in the September 2018 Trenton Downtowner.
A few months ago, Princeton University student Grace Lee created a short item for a student publication. The following, “Familiar Flavors,” describes her visit to Trenton and a restaurant that specializes in an all-American type of comfort food.
Last September I went to Trenton for the first time to apply for a Social Security number. Every time I visit a new place, I make sure to try one of its highest-rated restaurants on Yelp. Of course, Trenton was no exception. As I waited for my Uber to pull in on Nassau Street, bright red filled my phone screen. My anticipation for temporary liberation from university dining services grew. One restaurant immediately grabbed my attention: 1911 Smokehouse Bar-B-Que. Barbeque, the authentic kind, not the hamburgers and hot dogs at Princeton, has long been a family favorite because my parents settled in Texas, a beacon for barbeque fanatics, shortly after their marriage. Naturally, barbeque drew my attention, and this project began there.
Every time I walk into 1911 Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, the musty, charred smell of cooking ribs makes my eyes water a little. But before I can shy away from the smoke and heat, I’m always engulfed by the warm welcome of Mr. Hallett, the head chef of the restaurant, and greetings from the employees. In Trenton, New Jersey, 14 hours and 7,000 miles away from actual home in Seoul, South Korea, 1911 has become the place I go to see familiar faces and food. Through “Familiar Flavors,” I want to shed light on those people who have let me indulge in a reminder of home. My usual of brisket with candied yams and coleslaw is surely not Galbi or Kimchi-jjigae, my mom’s home specialties, but thanks to the 1911 Smokehouse, it is now as familiar a flavor as any.
1911 Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Restaurant, 11 Front Street, Trenton, Monday to Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Thursday and Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 1:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. 609-695-1911.
