Farrah Fawcett, Tom Selleck hang on the walls

My husband Ralph and I were on our way to the airport and had time to kill so we headed to the Gaslamp. We found a parking spot but didn’t know where we wanted to go, so we started walking. Smoking Gun’s neon sign caught our attention at the corner of Fifth and Market.

A large square bar sat in the middle of the room. My husband ordered the cocktail named the Smoking Gun— made from Grouse Scotch, Laphroaig Islay Scotch, Averna, lemon, and mint. He’s not a scotch drinker, but he gave the friendly gal behind the bar a thumbs-up and sipped it. We ordered small plates— the brisket sliders for me along with macaroni and cheese, and a pork dish and grilled romaine salad for Ralph.

Somehow the plates were small but the food was large. My two sliders with caramelized onions, horseradish sauce, and arugula was like something out of Southern Living magazine. The meat was juicy and the spices didn’t overpower the flavor of the meat. The macaroni and cheese was Southern food heaven.

Ralph’s salad was good enough he forgot to offer me a bite. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese and toasted bagel chips. His Duroc pork shoulder — the Black and Angus of pork — was succulent.

Farrah Fawcett, Tom Selleck, and other TV star posters hang on the walls. Ping-pong, foosball, and pool tables sprawled around this 7,200 square-foot establishment.