Dezon McKinney and family serve up what mama Lynn Adams promises is "Second-best to home cookin' when you don't feel like cookin'." That's right.

Walk on into the cozy Pit Barbecue at the southwest corner of Base Line Road and Carnelian Street in Sunrise Center - that's north of where Vineyard Avenue changes its name - and prepare to walk out with some great chopped beef on a French roll, pork ribs, dirty rice paté, collard greens and cornbread.

The place is small: four chairs and two tables inside, and the same accommodations outside. But Dezon and family have warm hearts and will reserve inside seats for you if you call ahead. In fact, calling ahead isn't a bad idea for placing any order because all main courses have to be grilled way ahead of time. Besides that, calling ahead reserves main courses, side dishes and desserts that otherwise will make it out the door during the dinner-hour rush.

Now for the particulars.

Entrées: Dinners include one meat, chicken or fish selection with choice of two side orders in the $8 range. Dinners feed one or two, depending on appetite. Meats offered are pork ribs, sliced beef and links. I'm not used to the dryness of links, but that can be remedied with a splash of Dezon's barbecue sauce and a side of perfect cole slaw.

Sandwiches: Although Dezon says the chopped beef sandwich - he'll slice it on request - is his best seller, he also offers pork rib, link or chicken sandwiches, all served on a French roll. Prices are $4.50 to $4.95 and include one side order. All well worth the price.

Combinations and samplers: Treat yourself to The Pit's Sampler ($7.25), a taste choice of three meats in a sandwich-size boat with one side order. I'm not a ribs fan, but you've got to include them in the sampler. Those pork ribs have a good measure of delectable flesh on them, enhanced by stick-to-the-ribs mild sauce. Family platters and packs are also available.

Now about that original recipe sauce - it comes mild or hot from the pan. Or you may get those blended to something in- between. Or spiced up for people who want to shout "Hoo-boy" when they eat Cajun-style.

And don't leave out the side orders. Yum! Regular sides which accompany most orders are four ounces, but they're also available a la carte in four-, eight-, 16- or 32-ounce quantities (85 cents to $5.75). Black-eyed peas and Ann's dirty rice paté are highly recommended. Cornbread is mandatory at 50 cents a serving.

Dezon's Specialty Dishes include Cajun cabbage and come in eight-, 16- and 32-ounce packs, priced from $2.85 to $10.50. Red rice, prepared hot and spicy with a combo of chopped meats, is a must-try item. The gumbo wasn't to my liking, but there is plenty else to choose from.

Home-made desserts include Ann's eight-ounce peach cobbler ($2.25) and Becky's sweet potato pie ($7.25, or $1.85 by the slice) - her popular Creole cakes-of-the-day feature select liqueurs ($2.25).

See Dezon and family at The Pit, 8661 Base Line Road, Rancho Cucamonga, or call (909) 948-5252.

Lynn told me to remind you to call ahead when planning holiday picnics and other large-group catering occasions. The Pit is open at 11 a.m. and most major holidays such as Labor Day; Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday until 8 p.m.; and Thursday through Saturday until 10 p.m.

Gary Brodeur has appeared with his mouth wide open during several Restaurant Review segments on Thursday editions of "Inland Empire Television News." Of French-Canadian ancestry, he surely has some cousins down in Louisiana's Cajun country.