Karne

Some places require a suit jacket or dress that says “I’m at an event.” The latest spot that requires this type of primping? Karne, a high-end take on traditional Korean barbecue in The Heights. With chandeliers that might cost more than your mortgage and smoking Old Fashioneds presented on platters, Karne looks like the kind of place where the Real Housewives Of Houston would go for a casual lunch, meaning it’s not casual at all. Prioritize it for a celebratory date night or group dinner involving anyone who takes their meat seriously. For a little bit of everything, get the $60 per person “karnivore platter” which comes with five different cuts and plenty of banchan. The platter changes daily, so cross your fingers and hope that the hanger steak and smoked rib meat with a marbling that looks painted on both make the board (and if not, they’re worth adding on). By the time your server has finished flipping your last piece of ribeye, you’ll feel so swanky, even the clack of your heels on their floors sounds different.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Food Rundown

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Karnivore Platter

The karnivore platter comes out on a board with five chef’s choice cuts of meat. Cross your fingers and hope that the smoked rib meat and hearty hanger steak all make the board.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

K.B. Corn Cheese

Corn cheese at Karne is subtly sweet and has tender bell peppers and tiny bits of ham mixed in. The gooey cheese completely covers the sizzling bits of corn like a blanket.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Wagyu Kimchi Fried Rice

The wagyu kimchi fried rice has a lovely cooked egg resting on top. The rice is crisp, but still tender, with a nice bite from the spicy kimchi.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Banchan

Banchan at Karne pairs well with the grilled meats, and our favorites here are the spicy burdock root pickled with jalapeno and onions, the kimchi, and the bright and refreshing scallion salad.