To folks down in Texas, the term “barbecue” doesn’t mean meat that’s been slathered in dripping sauces the way we generally find it in the South; it means the meat’s been rubbed with a combination of spices and seasonings, then smoked slowly over high heat. That’s the kind of barbecue that Michael Marx wanted to bring to Charm City with his new restaurant RUB. Marx already has a steady following in these parts, having opened the popular Blue Agave several years ago in Federal Hill. For his newest venture, he’s completely gutted and renovated two adjoining rowhouses in South Baltimore and outfitted the dining rooms with rustic touches like custom wooden chairs with longhorn-shaped cutouts in the backs and real cowhide seats, and striking custom ironwork, from the overhead chandeliers to the playful table towel dispensers forged from horseshoes. On the menu, you’ll find beef brisket barbecue, smoked organic chicken, smoked turkey wings, ribs and such, along with killer sides like corn pudding, garlicky creamed spinach, mac-n-cheese and potato salad. For dessert, we found ourselves torn between the banana pudding, peach buckle and the bourbon pecan pie, so we ordered all three! 1843 Light St., 443-677-4681.
