87 South Elliott Place
Airy, friendly and nestled in a cute triangle in Fort Greene, The Smoke Joint is an appealing spot to enjoy smoked meats and that’s exactly what I was craving last weekend when we stumbled upon the place. We shared the plate of pulled pork and a half rack of baby back ribs. Both were tasty, the ribs perhaps winning out for flavor, but extra kick, flavor and moistness can be added with the sweet or spicy sauces that come to the table. The sides: a creamy, bring-to-a-picnic-worthy potato salad and a cakey, sweet cornbread were perfect companions as well as the refreshing “Tiger Woods” – an Arnold Palmer for a new generation.
In that area near BAM, where it might be hard to find a spot before or after a show, I highly recommend Smoke Joint. Adjacent there is also the Pig Bar, a bourbon lover’s paradise that I’d like to visit once I can throw one back again. Ben Grossman and Craig Samuel serve what they call “real New York barbecue” so BBQ snobs can’t make too many crying comparisons. I’m not sure where they land for me in the grand scheme of local BBQ because I don’t always order the same thing, but my guess is someplace in the high middle.
But what do you think?