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Harlem isn’t hurting for barbecued ribs and sweet-potato pie, a fact that isn’t lost on first-time restaurateur Paul Packard. But he and his partner, Gary Smith, have a couple advantages over the competition: Packard’s majority interest in Better Crust Pie Company, the beloved bakery that has been dormant for a decade, and a secret dry-rub recipe passed down from his grandfather, who owned the R & G Café in Lawton, Oklahoma. They’ve also got chef Jeffrie Toney, who’s cooked, at various times, for Willie Brown, Whitney Houston, and the Duchess of York. At the diminutive Oklahoma Smoke, Toney will wood-smoke everything from short ribs to shrimp, all accompanied by classic southern sides. Plans to launch a food-preparation job-training program on-premises and to revive Better Crust’s dinner rolls and apple pie make this venture especially sweet. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

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