Smoke BBQ Does Killer St. Louis Style Ribs

This week Helen Freund heads to Smoke BBQ, the new Northshore barbecue spot from the Ox Lot 9 team: Though the smoked wings and brisket are both legit, Freund "would travel to the Eastern seaboard and back for the eatery's smoked St. Louis-style ribs. Encased in a deep chocolate-colored char."  A "convivial family atmosphere" and generous portion sizes also make this worth the trip to Covington, but the appetizers are "hit or miss." [Gambit]

Tom Fitzmorris reviews small Uptown stunner Avo: The courtyard is "inviting," but T-Fitz finds that chef Nick Lama's modern Sicilian adds little to the local Italian dining game but "creates the illusion of diversity." Make sure to "ask a lot of questions" about the menu and beware of "low seasonings" and dishes "in desperate need of some Parmesan cheese... more important than the imperative for creating new culinary approaches."  Approaches such as NOT deep frying calamari.  +2 Hipness Points even though "spaetzle should not be crunchy."  [CityBiz, subscription required]