Smoky Rose

Every night, Smoky Rose prepares a selection of specials with titles — The Pork Dish, The Fish Dish, The Chicken Dish — which signal both simplicity and pretension. The Fish Dish is a simply seasoned, pan-seared rainbow trout fillet with deliciously crispy skin, set atop an almost too generous heaping of veggie sides.

Among the veggies are roasted celery root and sunchokes, a scattering of charred sweet corn and, stealing the show, outrageously good collard greens served with the pot liquor.

What about the barbecue basics? They’re pretty solid. The house style places full-on smoke flavors in the backseat behind the rub and inherent flavor of the meat. The sausage links are petite and arrive in a pair on the two-meat plate with good firmness. The jalapeño cheddar link has a satisfying amount of spice.

The restaurant’s carrot cake is something out of the ordinary. It’s not a traditional slice but rather a round, ultra-moist cake served hot and garnished with caramel rather than frosting. With the cake, as with the fish, Smoky Rose’s chef twists pay off big time.