Mighty Quinn has always done only a few things well, among them a superlative brisket and magnificent burnt end baked beans. The magnificence of the baked beans rested on the magnificence of the brisket burnt ends that perfumed the beans and added texture. We’ve had them at least thirty times. On two recent occasions, though, our beans had no burnt ends – replaced, instead, by chunks of their very mediocre sausage. The sure but subtle heat of the beans is missing, as well, replaced by the harshness of cayenne sprinkled as an afterthought by an unsteady hand. The dish has descended swiftly from sublime to stoopid. We won’t be getting it again.
