What began as a quick Thursday night trip to REI in Westbrook ended with a succulent dinner at Paper City BBQ. It also made me a fan of burnt ends.

As my spouse, Tracy, our friend Chris and I were perusing the vast world of outdoor gear at the shop, I declared that I was hungry, which came as a surprise to exactly no one.

The three of us hopped in the car, and I fired up Google maps on my phone for nearby options. We landed on Paper City BBQ, in downtown Westbrook, which was new to all of us.

I was salivating at the list of appetizers, which included hot honey pork wings, chicken ‘n’ waffle fries, and nachos.

But I skipped the apps and headed right into the entree. All entrees at Paper City come with two sides and pickles.

You can get a half-pound of brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, house sausage, chicken, pork belly or St. Louis ribs. If you’re hardcore hungry, you can upgrade to choosing two or even three meat options. These all sounded delish.

It’s also worth noting that Paper City BBQ offers something called The Meat Sweats. It’s all seven meats (3 pounds total), plus six sides for $100.

The burnt ends are where I landed. They’re the ends of smoked beef brisket, served in chunks.

After a few minutes, the food arrived on metal trays.

I immediately tried one of the mini cornbread muffins. It was cooked perfectly and still warm. All it took was a quick hit of butter to make it sing. I heroically offered one to Tracy, who also loved it.

I spied a small amount of purple something or other on the tray and Tracy, who is more of a foodie than I could ever hope to be, identified it as pickled beets and cabbage. Points to Paper City for getting me to eat my vegetables.

The mac and cheese was a welcome guest to the meal’s party, and paired well with the star of the show.

The burnt ends were flavorful, tender and delectable. I’m glad I veered from my usual order of standard ribs. The serving size was just right. I added some supplemental sauce to them, choosing the mildest of the three available, and washed it all down with a pint of cold Miller Lite, continuing my tradition of being the most basic beer person on the planet, a title I hold proudly.

The place was just shy of its two-year anniversary, and I hope they’re in it for the long haul, which these days is no easy task.

One change I’d suggest is to ditch the plastic cutlery and sides containers for diners eating in. But other than that, the prices are good and the food outstanding. My meal cost $21, which skews more bargain than pricey, at least in my book.

Burnt ends entree, $21, Paper City Barbecue, 855 Main St., Westbrook. papercitybbq.com