Then there were the sides, and not a bum choice among them. Indeed, the cooks at Pat's seem to have lavished the same loving, expert attention on their accompaniments as they do on their meat. The kids loved the chunky herbed mashed potatoes in mild gravy, and my husband loved his sweet and peppery baked beans, cooked to creamy tenderness with bits of meat. The red beans and rice were stew-like, slow-cooked and studded with chunks of spicy andouille sausage. We also had cool, sweet and butter-yellow potato salad and golden, crisp and tangy cole slaw with a spicy kick. I can't decide which one was best, and I can't wait to go back on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday to sample Pat's jambalaya.

There's no dessert, but that's no big loss for a meal like this. Just pick up some ice cream on the way home, like we did. Or sit back and let those sweet blues fill you up, instead.

Pork ribs $4-$23.50; combination plates $15.50; chicken $9.50-$11; sandwiches $11; sides $3; jambalaya $3.50 (served Wednesday-Friday only).

Rating: *** 1/2

Where: 155 W. Commonwealth Ave. (2125 South)

Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Saturday, 4-8 p.m.

Closed Sunday

Payment: Checks, credit cards accepted

Phone: 484-5963

Web: www.patsbbq.com

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Stacey Kratz is a freelance writer who reviews restaurants for the Deseret Morning News.

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E-mail: skratz@desnews.com