This summer, a food cart parked in the River Garden at the Stewart House in Athens is serving up Korean street food classics with a local twist. Tommy Boy, a pop-up by Jenny Lee and Thomas Ballinger, is a collaboration with Ballinger’s parents, who own the historic inn.
“The Stewart House was looking to have someone take over the outdoor food program and that’s sort of where we came in,” says Lee. “Tommy and I were out on one of our fishing trips in Palenville when we saw a food cart in the Rip and Wolf [liquor store] parking lot.”
In late May, Tommy Boy set up in the River Garden, the Stewart House’s outdoor bar and dining area overlooking the Hudson River, with boat docks in view. Under a canopy of colossal willow trees, the River Garden offers picnic tables shaded by red umbrellas, with plenty of dogs lounging alongside their owners. Guests can seat themselves and order drinks at the four-sided bar—run by the Stewart House—or wait for table service. On a rare, humidity-free evening, it’s an ideal spot to linger by the river.
Ballinger, who also owns the restaurant/bar The Seneca in Ridgewood, known for its smashburgers, has a long history in hospitality. Lee brings both creative and culinary experience to the project having previously collaborated with Ballinger on Korean-influenced pop-ups under the name Seetotable. She’s also a graphic designer and marketing content creator.
Though they initially considered bringing The Seneca’s signature burger to the Hudson Valley, they changed course. “The smashburger at The Seneca is really good and we originally thought let’s bring the burger up north,” says Lee. “But after much thought, we concluded that there were already a ton of New American options in the area, especially within Athens.”
Instead, the pair leaned into their shared background cooking Korean cuisine. “With our prior experience with Seetotable, we created tasting menus with focus on Korean cuisine and seafood. We felt that it was more aligned with the space and the summer season,” says Ballinger.
That decision is paying off. “The community has been very welcoming,” he says. “A lot of customers have been thrilled to have something new in the area. Of course, as expected, we have some eyebrow raisers and some who’ve never tried Korean food. But we are enjoying the challenge.”
Tommy Boy’s menu is carefully curated, with a focus on bold flavors and local ingredients. Kimbap is a centerpiece, offered in three variations: smoked beef ($15), made with Kinderhook Farm beef marinated in a housemade Korean BBQ sauce, plus carrots, beet-pickled daikon, and perilla from Vernon Street Farm; umami mushroom ($15), with cremini mushrooms from Tivoli, organic eggs, and cucumber; and Spam musubi ($13) topped with teriyaki sauce.
Bibimbap rice bowls are another standout, offered in two versions: smoked beef ($19) or umami mushroom ($19), both layered with seasonal vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, beet-pickled daikon, and organic eggs. Rounding out the menu is a shrimp mushroom japchae ($10) made with glass noodles and oyster mushrooms, and the spicy shrimp cucumber salad ($13), a crisp, cooling dish with just the right amount of heat. To drink, the iced yuja mint lemonade—with fresh squeezed lemon juice, yuja citrus chong, seltzer, and mint—is a crisp, refreshing complement to the menu’s spicier offerings.
In addition to the lemonade, Tommy Boy offers a playful assortment of imported drinks, including Qdol sparkling fruit sodas featuring Pokémon characters like Pikachu and Bulbasaur, as well as apple soda and Ocean Bomb soda printed with Sailor Moon.
Sourcing for high-quality local ingredients was a non-negotiable: “Growing up, my family was always about quality in what we ate. I grew up with freshly pressed sesame oil and locally sourced seafood so the emphasis in sourcing local in our venture was key.” Tommy Boy works closely with several local small farms to ensure fresh, high-quality ingredients. Vernon Street Farm, a small-batch producer in Athens specializing in Asian vegetables, supplies much of their produce. Mushrooms come from Tivoli Mushrooms, while smoked meats are sourced from Kinderhook Farm. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are frequently obtained from Story Farms, reflecting the team’s commitment to supporting local agriculture.
“Working in this industry I’ve always wanted to get away from commercial sourcing if possible, so given our location and the farms available to us, it was a no brainer,” adds Ballinger.
Tommy Boy will be open through the end of summer, and possibly into the fall. The team is also planning to expand into catering and continue with seasonal ventures. Updates and additional information are available on Instagram at @tommyboy.club.
