Homing In on Barbecue Perfection at D.C. Takeout

But it doesn't stop there. The potato salad isn't the best I've ever eaten, but it's a very good rendition, with just the right amount of mustard in the dressing to give it a little bite. The coleslaw is slivers of cabbage with a little carrot in a sweet yet vinegary dressing that just needs a little salt.

The fried okra begins as frozen slices but is breaded and cooked to order, arriving at the table with just the right proportion of batter to okra. It tastes bright, with just a touch of the slime that characterizes good okra.

The french fries are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, and are slightly flavored with an Old Bay-type seasoning. And the place has real onion rings that taste like sweet onions in a light batter.

I prefer my baked beans with a little more brown sugar and mustard, but these have a real barbecue taste. Other side orders are macaroni and cheese and collard greens.

The Red Line Grill offers several types of seafood -- fried catfish strips, fried shrimp, whiting and salmon. Everything is prepared to order. The home-style breaded shrimp is crisp, not overcooked and actually tastes like shrimp. There is also Boom! Boom! shrimp that are fried and tossed in a creamy sauce.

But there's one more gem: the hot wings, meaty, succulent little wing drumettes that are packed with flavor and seasoned with the hot sauce in your choice of heat. The medium wings have just a little fire, and they aren't dripping with sauce -- as many wings are -- so they are relatively neat to eat.

So what's the caveat for the Red Line Grill? It's a family-owned and wholly family-operated small business. It's not fast food, because everything is cooked to order. Service can be slow and erratic -- but the person taking your order may be one of Smith's young teenage children, son Jovon or daughter Quanaeshia. His wife, Aca, also helps out. The restaurant doesn't serve beer, but the cooler is filled with all kinds of soft drinks, including orange soda.

The Red Line Grill serves home cooking in the best sense of the word. And it's less than a block from the Metro, for anyone wanting to check it out.

For nearly five years of reviewing restaurants, I've always asked myself the question: If this restaurant were in my neighborhood, would I eat there?

Finally, a place in my own neighborhood meets my criteria.

The Red Line Grill, 6912 Fourth St. NW, 202-291-9464. Metro: Takoma. Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 1 to 9 p.m. Sundays. Pulled pork sandwich, $5.99; chopped beef sandwich, $6.49; rib sandwich, $6.49. Half-slab of ribs, $12.99; full slab, $23.99. Seafood, $7.99-$14.99; side dishes, $1.99 to-$2.95. Buffalo wings, 10 for $6.75, 50 for $29.75. Wheelchair-accessible.

If you have a favorite restaurant that you think deserves attention, please contact Nancy Lewis atlewisn@washpost.com.