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Owner Josh Bowen drew inspiration for this informal, sparsely decorated smoke joint from his hometown Kansas City. Those seeking proof need no more than a plate of burnt ends, a K.C. delicacy prepared here as twice-seasoned, twice-cooked morsels of fatty beef brisket whose smoky, caramelized edges give meaning to their popular nickname "meat candy." The rest of the menu, a smörgåsbord of slow-smoked, dry-rubbed meats, settles into a cozy cross of regional recipes. Bowen's dry rub, blending brown sugar and coffee with salt, pepper, and paprika, merges seamlessly with juicy pork spare ribs, which sport a subtle hint of wood smoke and layers of expertly rendered fat. Sliced brisket and pulled pork shoulder are less consistently tasty, but a locally made lamb sausage offers a complex bite of Midwestern 'cue by way of Greek Astoria. And the house's whole smoked chicken is astonishingly moist. — James Boo

The Underground Gourmet’s 2012 Cheap List‬

Burnt ends platter with side, $13; quarter rack pork spare ribs, $9; half chicken with side, $9