Korean barbecue spot with award-winning bulgogi now open at Camp North End

Blasian Asian Way, a Korean barbecue fusion spot, has taken over Saru Ramen’s spot at Camp North End after opening Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Blasian Asian Way, a food truck known for its Korean inspired dishes with a twist of American influence, is serving up a blend of Korean and American flavors from owner Jeffery McBride.

Blasian Asian Way — which moved to Charlotte from Fayetteville in 2022— “was born with the goal of introducing these succulent flavors to as many people as possible,” Mary-Kate Quist, a representative for Camp North End, told CharlotteFive.

As McBride’s mother is Korean and his father is African-American, the use of the term “Blasian” is in reference to his Black and Asian heritage.

“I’m actually half African-American and half Korean .... born and raised at Fort Bragg,” McBride told QC Life in 2022.

McBride recalls the nostalgia of his mother’s influence on his style of cuisine. He told CharlotteFive: “I always watched her cook, and whenever she prepared kimchi and things like that, I’d get down — they call it kimchi squat — with a big ole pot or bowl and put together the ingredients for the kimchi.”

Using locally sourced and organic ingredients, Blasian Asian Way’s award-winning bulgogi is delivered with a variety of American-style dishes.

More highlights from Blasian Asian Way’s menu include:

• A chicken bulgogi rice bowl, made with steamed white rice and vegetables.

• Blasian wings, always served with rice, which you can order in 6, 10 or 15 counts.

• Bulgogi tacos, which have kimchi, carrots, purple cabbage, cheese and spicy mayo.

• Yaki Mandu, made with fried dumplings with dipping sauce.

“The marinade that I use for the wings is my Bulgogi blend — so Bulgogi marinade, which is a Korean-based marinade, and then blended with my Bulgogi barbecue blend, with a hint of something called Gochujang, which is like pepper paste,” McBride said.

And you can look out for Soju and other alcohol products, which McBride said he plans to debut on the restaurant’s menu soon.

“I’m training staff to help me with [the Camp North End] location. So I’m going to get the ABC license soon. Just right now, I need to prioritize and focus on getting the space open, period.

If you’re an avid follower of the food truck, there’s no need to worry – Blasian Asian Way will continue operating alongside its new brick-and-mortar location.

As for Saru, Raydal Hospitality owner Dalton Espaillat told CharlotteFive that there are no immediate plans to re-open the ramen shop elsewhere. However, there remains a possibility that we’ll see Saru pop back up again down the line.

Heidi Finley contributed.

Blasian Asian Way

Location: 1801 N Graham St., Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28206

Menu

Cuisine: Korean barbecue, fusion

Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday

Instagram: @blasianasianway

This story was originally published July 24, 2024 at 1:24 PM.

Mari Pressley

The Charlotte Observer

Freelancer Mari Pressley was an intern on the Charlotte Observer’s Service Desk and CharlotteFive. She studies mass communication with a concentration in journalism, while minoring in writing and photography. Her previous experience includes interning for Credit Karma’s Editorial team and serving as Managing Editor at Winthrop University’s school newspaper, The Johnsonian.