If you are ever here, eat there #17: New York (again)

New York in March-April can be delightful. Or it can be VERY cold. When we visited, it was VERY cold. We know that it can be delightful, because people kept on telling us how nice the weather had been the week before. Grrrr (or rather Brrrrr). Venturing even a few blocks from our hotel for dinner took great will-power, but a visit to Virgil's Barbecue was worth risking a little frostbite (in fact we made a point of going back there when we returned a few years later).

Virgil's is a bustling and cheerful Southern-style steakhouse and, as Americans love statistics, I can report that they have 2 genuine Southern Pride smokers, each with the capacity to hold 1 400 pounds of Memphis pork spare ribs, Texas sliced beef brisket, whole barbecued chickens and Carolina pulled pork shoulder. This is not a place for vegetarians.

We hadn't booked, so had to wait a few minutes in the packed bar downstairs before being shown to our table. The waiters were quick, friendly and efficient in a hearty, "Hi, my name is Bob and I'll be your waiter this evening" kind of way. The smoky and spicy scent of the barbecue (no doubt combined with the belief that cold weather burns a LOT of energy) led to a slight over-ordering spree, centred around the Memphis Style Pork Spare Ribs. The starter (a generous and fresh Waldorf salad) and the side dishes (in addition to the usual fries, chicken wings and onion rings, these include cheddar cheese grits, collard greens with hickory ham and corn bread) were full of flavour - real comfort food - but the main event was the largest and meatiest plate of pork ribs I have ever attempted. Delicious. We didn't make it as far as dessert (not sure if anyone does), but would go back in a snowstorm for those ribs.

Virgil's Barbecue is at 152 West 44th Street, New York, NY Telephone 212 921 9494