NYC BBQ has arrived!

Here's a rare occurance - a second blog entry in the same day. I didn't want this information to wait.

In today's USA Today there is a list of 10 great places to chow down on barbeque. One of which is in NYC: R.U.B. R.U.B is Paul Kirk's NYC restaurant and one of the better barbeque joints in the city. Go check it out this weekend.

10 great places to chow down on barbecue

The toughest thing about declaring the nation's top barbecue joints? Winnowing the list, says Karen Adler, author of nine books on barbecuing, including The BBQ Queens' Big Book of Barbecue and the new Weeknight Grilling with the BBQ Queens, with co-author Judith Fertig (Harvard Common Press, $14.95). Indeed, there is no shortage of smokin' 'cue in this land, and in her travels, Adler has sampled some of the tastiest regional specialties from brisket to short ribs. Because this is National Barbecue Month (proclaimed by the National Barbecue Association, which advises members to "promote the flavor, fun and family ties of good barbecue"), we'll bite. Adler directs USA TODAY's Jayne Clark to some favorite joints.

Dreamland Drive-In Bar-B-Cue
Tuscaloosa, Ala.

This shanty-style roadhouse serves one thing and one thing only: spareribs with a side of white bread. "No fries, no slaw, no pulled pork or brisket. They do one thing, and they do it to perfection. These ribs are fabulous, with a sauce that's in between vinegary and sweet," Adler says. The original locale has spawned six other restaurants in Alabama and Georgia. 205-758-8135; dreamlandbbq.com.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q
Decatur, Ala.

The family-owned restaurant is known for its Alabama white sauce, made of thin mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and pepper, and served with hickory-smoked chicken. "It's very different. But people have been raving about it since the 1920s, when they opened," Adler says. 256-350-6969; www.bigbobgibsonbbq.com.

Hickory Hollow BBQ
Ellenton, Fla.

The restaurant, located between St. Petersburg and Sarasota, serves delicious North Carolina-style barbecue (pulled pork with a vinegar-based sauce). But the 25-plus seasonal vegetable dishes, such as corn pudding, collards and black-eyed peas, pack them in, too. 941-722-3932.

R.U.B.
New York

The initials stand for Righteous Urban Barbecue, and seven-time world championship barbecuer Paul Kirk serves just that at his year-old restaurant in the city's Chelsea neighborhood. The menu features traditional slow-smoked baby back and spareribs, brisket and pulled pork, along with non-traditional offerings such as Szechwan smoked duck and pastrami that's smoked in-house. "Plus, there are free iced tea refills, which is a real Southern thing," Adler says. 212-524-4300.

Wilber's Barbecue
Goldsboro, N.C.

Wilber's serves eastern North Carolina style barbecue — they smoke the whole hog. "This is one of those places with an old-fashioned wood fire pit," Adler says. "The place is huge and popular." It's known for its pulled pork, served on a plate, or as a sandwich, chopped and dressed with peppery vinegar sauce. "When peaches are in season, there's a farmer selling outside, and people leave and eat ripe peaches for dessert in the parking lot." 919-778-5218.

Goode Co. Bar.B.Q.
Houston

"Texas has so many wonderful barbecue places. There have got to be 500, if not a thousand, and so many are good, it's hard to choose," Adler says. In Houston, a good choice is Goode Co. Bar.B.Q., with two locations. "It's a typical Texas barbecue place with rough barnwood interior" serving delicious slow-smoked mesquite barbecue. 713-522-2530; goodecompany.com.

Kreuz Market
Lockhart, Texas

Owner Rick Schmidt inherited the 106-year-old business from his father, but moved in 1999 to a cavernous 600-seat place down the street. With the move, he expanded the menu, adding more side dishes, including German potato salad and sauerkraut. "Kreuz, like several other butcher/barbecue places, serves beef shoulder clod. Most places outside of Texas do not serve this cut," Adler says. "They serve all their meats in brown butcher paper." 512-398-2361; kreuzmarket.com.

The Bar-B-Q Shop
Memphis

The signature dish at this midtown eatery is the pork sandwich on Texas toast — chopped or pulled pork with a vinegar-based sauce. They also serve ribs, and as is typical in Memphis barbecue joints, customers have a choice of "wet" (slathered in sauce) or "dry" (with additional spice rub sprinkled over them). Owner Frank Vernon moved to a newer place in 1987, "but it's still a joint," Adler says. Look for the two dancing pigs on the sign out front. 901-272-1277; dancingpigs.com.

Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue
Kansas City, Mo.

The original location is in an old rambling house in south Kansas City (with two newer locations downtown and in Overland Park, Kan.). "They do one thing better than anyone else in Kansas City and that's burnt ends. They cut off the crusty ends of the meat (brisket, pork roast and ham) and chop it up nice and sauce it (tomato-based sauce with a little vinegar, but not too sweet) and serve it as their signature sandwich, the Poor Russ." Don't miss the barbecued baked beans, made with leftover meat — brisket, pork and sometimes chicken — flavored with meat juices from the smoker. 816-942-9141; jackstackbbq.com.

BB's Lawnside Bar-B-Q
Kansas City, Mo.

For those who enjoy a side of blues with their brisket, this roadhouse is the place, presenting live music Wednesday through Sunday. Owners Lindsay and Jo Shannon add a dash of New Orleans to the menu with their signature dish, Smokey Jo's Gumbo, made of smoked sausage, chicken, turkey and ham in a tomato-based stock. "It's fabulous," Adler says. "They also serves rib tips, which is sort of a lost art. They're a great appetizer." 816 822-7427; bbslawnsidebbq.com.