The Smoken’ Joe sandwich ($8.99) brings a good portion of brisket. It’s poached again, but brisket stands up better to the poaching process. Plus, it had a nice, smoky flavor, so this was still fair country eating. A brisket platter is $12.99, and one of “burnt ends” — probably an even better bet — is the same price. The hamburger ($7.99) consisted of good meat on a nice bun, but it came well done when we ordered it medium-rare. You can also get fried catfish ($13.99) but not fried chicken, and there’s absolutely nothing but side orders for damn-Yankee vegetarians.
Smoken’ Joe’s has a short but choice list of drafts, including Samuel Adams Boston Lager ($3.75/12 ounces) and Octoberfest ($3.75). Both were clean and cool, though with barbecue, the edge goes to the fuller-bodied Octoberfest. Non-alcoholic options include lemonade and Harpoon root beer. Desserts are made by Petsi Pies of Cambridge and Somerville. They aren’t huge, but they are choice. Tops was the Key lime ($4.49) with the true wild-lime flavor, lemon-chiffon color — never eat a green Key lime pie — and graham-cracker crust. But there was nothing wrong with the slightly chunky sweet potato pie ($3.99) or the Bourbon-chocolate pecan pie ($3.99).
The room is a simple storefront with white-laminate tables, red walls, a blond-wood floor, and framed photos and concert posters of blues and soul greats. In keeping with that theme, the music is all soul, and mixes some obscure Curtis Mayfield songs with some well-known hits by Sam & Dave.
Servers at Smoken’ Joe’s are both attentive and charming, and offer helpful opinions about matching sauces. The crowd is young and doesn’t know barbecue, but they’ll get into the real stuff over at SoulFire on the other side of Allston/Brighton, if not on treks to the great Southern revivalists of Cambridge and Somerville, or the African-American traditionalists of Dorchester and Mattapan. Adjustments must be made for this restaurant to succeed, but so much else at Smoken’ Joe’s is authentic that I am optimistic they will re-que, so to speak.
Robert Nadeau can be reached at RobtNadeau@aol.com.
