I'm talking about a house-made knish topped with pulled pork, about hand-crafted black cherry-garlic sausages, about pastrami smoked in the restaurant's own kitchen.

One night, I opted for a $24.95 four-course "chef's choice" tasting menu. That meal began with a "baby" pastrami Reuben, a layering of lean, smoky, entirely delicious meat, coleslaw and melted cheese piled on a brioche and cut into quarters. Next came a small homemade knish (whose potato filling could have used a bit more onion) crowned with tender pulled pork moistened with a cumin-spiked barbecue sauce. It preceded succulent flash-grilled barbecue shrimp, bits of spice rub clinging to them, atop a polenta-like cheese-enriched spoon bread. I finished every last bite. A dessert assortment containing an apple cobbler, a brownie and more fed four.

But I get ahead of myself. Lunch and dinner kick off with a bowl of peanuts still in their shells but somehow salty on the inside. Just as addictive are the tangy-sweet house-made pickles that accompany every meal. Goldgell, however, has yet to perfect his corn bread, which I found alternately overbaked and overchilled. Soups, though, have consistently been grand, changing according to chef whim. Once, I had a devilishly creamy roasted tomato, garlic and black bean soup. Another time, I was impressed by a smoky-rich corn chowder with a yogurt topping.

I have sampled some sensational sausages in an array of flavors -- a fruity garlic-black cherry, a fiery andouille and a ground beef that tasted almost Middle Eastern. Accompanying caramelized apples were pleasingly firm, not too sweet.

With its smoky pastrami and moist, thinly sliced brisket, Hog House gives Jewish delicatessens a run for the money. Twice, however, cheese was absent from the brisket Philly cheese steak sandwich.

Ribs have been variable, as is often the case at barbecue restaurants. I've had baby backs that were tender, spice-crusted wonders and others that were tough and either dry or over-sauced. On the other hand, the barbecued chicken has always been juicy, infused with spice and the flavor of the smoker.

Owner Brian Sellars is still tinkering with side dishes. The creamy macaroni and cheese was ideal once, cold another time, but the pasta, at least, was al dente. Cole slaw, drowning in liquid on earlier visits, improved later, although it could have been crisper. Baked beans, however, invariably struck the right balance of sweet and smoky. Collard greens had a nice twang of acidity, thanks to lemon juice. Creamed spinach was extremely rich once, less so the next time. But the stellar hand-cut French fries, hot and freshly showered with coarse salt, defined perfection.

I confess to having indulged in way too many homestyle desserts: a hot and just sweet enough apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream, a walnut-studded brownie loaf, warm and fudgy, a surprisingly good deep-fried Snickers cheesecake encrusted with Frosted Flakes, and a superb banana chocolate pudding dolloped with freshly whipped cream.

With only five tables and service more friendly than fast, odds may be against instant gratification. While awaiting a table or takeout order, you may find yourself entertained by a faux deer head singing in Willie Nelson's voice. Lighten up. It's barbecue.

Assessment
Smokin' BBQ

Cuisine
Barbecue

Price Range
Inexpensive (Under $15), Moderate ($15-$25)