No bib required

Armed with a monster appetite, I headed over to Duke’s Plates & Pints in Arden Park to try its Brisket Burger ($15.49). This half-pound brisket patty is cooked to order and topped with Tillamook cheddar, applewood-smoked bacon, thick-cut onion rings and house barbecue sauce—all stacked in between a buttery ciabatta bun. I appreciated the judicious dollop of sauce, which enhanced both the delicate sweetness of onion and the smoky succulence of crispy bacon without overpowering the tender brisket flavor. It’s a decadent burger, as all barbecue should be, with a perfectly balanced sweet-and-smoky tang. And it won’t stain your shirt when you tear into it. 510 La Sierra Drive, dukesplatesandpints.com.