A bit more of that Austin groove we yearn for here in North Texas arrived recently with the opening of Smoke. That&rsquo;s the new restaurant at the Belmont Hotel in Oak Cliff, itself a destination that puts us in the South Congress Avenue spirit.</p><p>The Cliff Cafe, which occupied the old coffee shop at the 1940s-era Belmont, closed in late summer and reopened as this new concept last month. The name refers to the cooking methods employed, as a variety of hardwoods burn for all cooking, from the grill to the pit oven to the smokehouse.</p><p>Smoke&rsquo;s direction comes from an illustrious cuisine team, led by executive chef Tim Byres, whose late, lovely Uptown restaurant called Standard won him national praise, and whose most recent post was that of executive chef at Stephan Pyles, also in Dallas. Working out the concept with Byres were Chris Jeffers and Chris Zielke from the wildly popular nearby Bolsa.</p><p>To prepare, Byres went on a food research mission in a restored 1969 VW camper, driving through Louisiana and Arkansas, and to Greenville, Jackson and Oxford, Miss., talking to Southerners who shared their passion for their own versions of soul food.</p><p>He also wandered around the great smokehouses of Central Texas, poking around in Austin, too, where Bunkhouse Management, the Belmont&rsquo;s management company, is located. The inspiration he carted home from his journey can be documented on a trip through the Smoke menu you see today.</p><p>His "back to basics" sentiment is evident on the barbecue side of the menu, where a standout is the coffee-cured beef brisket ($6 for a sandwich, $9 for a half-pound serving, $18 for a pound). Tender and deeply flavored, the brisket paired well, as did tangy andouille hot links ($6-$16), with the slaw ($2-$6), which mixed a double-crunch whammy of cabbage and jicama with blue cheese.</p><p>My only complaint with the barbecue offerings is the Scantron ordering system: You fill out your order and hand it to your server, but this seems to interrupt the flow of a nice evening of sipping wine and gabbing with friends. Our server sensed that and asked me to just tell her our order, realizing it would be easier all around.</p><p>There&rsquo;s a nonbarbecue menu, too, giving Smoke a split personality. Our pick was a generous plate of iron skillet-seared sea scallops ($24), arranged over fresh, supple brussels sprout petals, strips of crisp, smoky pancetta and white beans dusted with crushed red pepper and squirts of lemon &mdash; an excellent choice for a lighter impact.</p><p>The appetizer that proved addictive was the crispy hominy ($5), a bowl of seared hominy scattered with chili powder and fresh lime juice. The starter, which could serve as a small entree, was the thick smoked salmon ($9), topped with an over-easy duck egg and graced with crisp asparagus stalks.</p><p>A slice of hot fudge pie ($7) couldn&rsquo;t have been less necessary, but we couldn&rsquo;t resist on a chilly, rainy night. The sweet finish gave us a moment to survey the room, warmed by a roaring fire and decorated with everything from contemporary paintings to kitschy &rsquo;70s-era family portraits. The effect seems very Austin-like in its funkalicious way.</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> <strong><span class="infobox-head">Smoke </span></strong><br /> Belmont Hotel, 901 Fort Worth Ave.</p><p>Dallas</p><p>214-393-4141</p><p><a href="http://www.smokerestaurant.com">www.smokerestaurant.com</a></p><p><strong>Hours: </strong>7 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday</p><p><strong>Cuisine: </strong>Barbecue and grilled goods</p><p><strong>Essentials: </strong>Full bar; no smoking; major credit cards; wheelchair-accessible</p><p><strong>Entrees: </strong>$6-$14 at breakfast; $6-13 at lunch; $6-$24 at dinner</p><p><strong>Signature dishes: </strong>Coffee-cured beef brisket</p><p><strong>Recommended for: </strong>Palates looking for full flavors</p><p><strong>Good to know: </strong>Vegetarians are accommodated; food served late; live music Thursday-Saturday evenings.</p><p></div>