Cockey's Pit Beef in the Garden

       

                                          
         Right across the street from Hollins Market, Cockey's is a small bar/take out. They had a framed reproduction of Gauguin's Cruel Tales (Exotic Sayings) from 1902 on the wall. Make of it what you will.

         The grill is going in the side yard next door, which on our visit was sun-splashed and verdant. Cockey's serves beer, and it is possible to imagine spending a pleasant summer evening there. I ordered a rare Pit Beef sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and horseradish. The meat is smoky, totally black on the outside. Not quite as rare as I could wish, but certainly nice and soft. Thick sliced with an ashy layer of crisp mixed with hearty globs of fat. There were one or two dry well-done slices in there, but they actually seemed to add structure and balance. Any other quibbles I possibly could have had were overcome by pleasant service and the peaceful dining environs.