(08/13/06) (02/25/07)

Wilson’s Holy Smoke BBQ is located on Post Road in Fairfield, just west of the downtown area and right off I-95 (exit 21). The pitmaster is Ed Wilson, a veteran of the barbecue competition circuit as both a cook and a judge. As you pull up, the place looks like a converted residence. Driving into the small parking lot in back, I could smell the wood-flavored smoke. When I walked in, I took in the small room, with a chalkboard menu, an ordering counter, open kitchen, a few stools and one large communal table. A shelf spanning the perimeter of the room displayed barbecue sauces from across the country. Behind the counter are menus from some famous BBQ joints. I like the fact that they’re willing to pay homage to some famous places. They don’t serve alcohol yet but will after an upcoming expansion.

The compact menu here sticks to the BBQ basics: babyback and St Louis pork ribs, sliced brisket, pulled pork, chicken and sausage.

On a Sunday afternoon visit, I tried a three-meat platter ($20.95) with ribs, brisket and pulled pork. All meats come unsauced, allowing you to decide whether to sauce. The ribs were fairly small, but had a nice bark with a lot of rub and a good flavor, done in a Texas style. I liked them but thought they were a little dry. Brisket was more moist, with a really nice flavor and a beautiful smoke ring. It had just the right amount of fat and decent tenderness. I would have liked a little more bark, but it was good. The highlight was the pulled pork, which was pink, moist, tender, and loaded with flavor. With one great, one good and one OK meat, I’d say the meats were good overall.

On a second visit, my wife and I both ordered two-meat platters ($18.95). The thin-sliced brisket was less fatty but just as moist and cooked to competition tenderness. Ditto the pork, which exhibited the full spectrum of tenderness from the crisp outside to the delicate inside. Ribs were juicier than last time and had just the right tenderness (allowing a clean bite) and good flavor from smoke and spice. The small but moist 1/4 chicken included on the combo was mildly smoky and had a good dose of spice on the skin. Both the chicken and the pork were a little on the cold side. Barbecue shouldn’t arrive hot, but it shouldn’t be cold either. My take on this visit was that the meats were smoked perfectly but lost something in the handling afterward. It was still a good barbecue meal, but with a little tweak, this could have been a great barbecue meal.

Sides on both visits were very good. Savory cole slaw had just a hint of vinegar and a good amount of celery seed. Collard greens were fairly simple and cooked just to the point where the leaves lost some of their firmness. Baked beans were excellent, with a few different kinds of bean, a slightly firm texture and a good combination of sweet and spice. Mashed sweets could have easily found their way inside a pie. Cornbread was coarse and crumbly. My favorite side was the pickles, thick-cut slices with a strong kick from spices in addition to vinegar. On the second visit, my server forgot to include the pickles.

I liked the BBQ sauces at Wilson's. The vinegar sauce packed a burst of contrasting flavors, with a tartness common to the Carolinas. The house sauce was a good mix of tangy, sweet and hot. The chipotle sauce had a little more heat.

The staff here was friendly and helpful. The owner greets each customer as if he or she is a regular, and that’s a good thing.

The bottom line: This is authentic, competition style barbecue, with the pork and brisket the standouts. Overall, Wilson’s fell a little shy of knocking my socks off, but I have a feeling it will someday. I already rank Wilson’s among the best Connecticut BBQ joints I’ve tried and am hoping my next visit pushes them higher.