Nilla Vanilla Wafer Banana Pudding

Smokin' good food at Southern Pacific Smokehouse

It’s a barbecue joint where you’ll also find American comfort food. There’s a cocktail lounge with an artisan drinks program beefy enough to take on some of the city’s more influential bars. For example, Southern Pacific’s bartenders make their own pineapple gums and orgeat — pretty sophisticated stuff. And four nights a week, an adjacent music area seats 110 people for dinner and features full-on shows. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and windows look out on the dining patio. The kitchen is open, so diners can watch the constant ballet of chefs and servers orchestrated by gouts of flame and omnipresent sizzles. Piped background music, a house mix that ranges from rock to pop to jazz, is at just the right volume to create a sense of action without the aural hammering so typical of contemporary restaurants. Dry-rubbed baby back ribs, a house specialty, are available in an appetizer portion ($9) or as a meal ($17 or $25 for half or whole slab). The Berkshire pork ribs were coated in a house dry rub, smoked for four hours, then slow-roasted for two. This meat was so tender, it fell off the bones when we picked them up. I liked the sweet smoky flavor and classic pork finish under the lightly spiced buzz of rub. Meal-size portions come with seasonal wood oven-roasted vegetables and superior, fluffy-buttery mashed potatoes. I’m finding myself getting increasingly hooked on side dishes in restaurant after restaurant, because so many of these are distinctive as well as reasonably priced. The ones at Southern Pacific Smokehouse, all $5, are no exception. Mac and cheese ($5) was a terrific version, tender elbow macaroni veiled in a three-cheese sauce, with a buttery crumb topping so crunchy it was like a savory crème brulee. I didn’t get to try the cast-iron cornbread, but several orders went by and it looked wonderful. Sides also include sweet-potato fries, fat-roasted asparagus spears, wood oven-roasted vegetables, sautéed arugula and spinach, French fries and onion rings. Do try some of the cocktails, in particular a summery Pisco punch ($9) sweetened with the house-made orgeat, an almond syrup with roots in the 18th century. Refreshing, complex punches, based on a variety of liquors ($8 per glass) go beautifully with barbecue, in particular the Round Midnight punch with its blend of Old Forester 100 Bourbon, black tea, orange and Florida crystal sugar.

flavorfull: Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers

The first time I ate this banana pudding, I ended up about an hour into the wrong part of Brooklyn. I was so focused on the pudding that I didn't notice when the train I was on went over the East River instead of under it, or when I missed the last stop where I possibly could have transfered to a train traveling the right direction. That's how good this pudding is. (Let's leave aside the fact that I have no sense of direction).  The fateful day when I was introduced to this pudding was also my first day of work ever in NYC. Now, again, I work quite nearby the source of this delightful pudding ( Magnolia Bakery ). I think about it all the time. Sometimes I wish I could just eat this for lunch. And dinner. And breakfast. And, of course dessert. Really, it's that good. You have to try it. And then, if you're in NYC, you need to go to Magnolia Bakery and try it. (Plus, you'll look less like a tourist if you aren't in line for the cupcakes only...

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