If there’s smoked and grilled meat in the afterlife, it could well taste like what can be had at Heaven’s Table BBQ (2238 N. Farwell Ave.). The small enclave in the Crossroads Collective food mall is inversely proportional to the sizeable flavor achieved by chef and lifelong barbecue aficionado J. Alston. A recent two-meat meal featuring beef brisket and a half-chicken boasted meat that nearly melted in my mouth, with a balance of smokiness and juiciness that less expert grillmasters may envy. Possibly because of space considerations, there’s only one sauce available; but its thick mixture of sweetness and heat more than suffices. The side dishes merit mention for their creativity. A bowl full of what Alston calls his house-baked beans contain about as much pulled meat as legumes, and his Brew City grits are cheesy—in the good, dairy way. Cornbread is, alas, available only as an extra, and it is one to try upon my next visit. Heaven’s Table also offers combination dinners intended to serve three to eight diners and offers an alternative to Milwaukee's fish fry tradition with a Friday grilled salmon special.
