Mmmmmmm! My car smells amazing right now! No, it’s not a new car smell … it’s not a bag of freshly roasted coffee beans from Caffe Rococo … it’s not a baguette from The French Bakery, and it’s definitely not my dogs after a trip to Marymoor Park in the rain (I know this one doesn’t fit, it’s just that this is what my car usually smells like!)

It is, however, the smell of smoked pulled pork, ribs, brisket and hot links from the HP’s Smokehouse BBQ truck located in the QFC parking lot on Juanita Drive Northeast and Holmes Point Road.

Stanley Hamilton Payne II (he prefers “HP”) is the owner and master chef of HP’s Smokehouse BBQ. I took the seat of honor in the cab of his truck recently to spend some time with this “smoking” genius.

To get started, HP left no stone unturned. He contacted Kirkland city planners, the Washington Clean Air Commission, Kirkland Fire Department, King County Licensing Board, etc. He has dotted all of his “i’s” and crossed all of his “t’s.”

Armed with compliance and valuable tricks of the business shared by The General and Clyde, HP’s Smokehouse BBQ officially became a business in September 2012.

HP has been smoking barbecue for as long as he can remember, learning his seasoning techniques from his mom. He even named his Missouri-made custom barbecue smoker “Sylvester” after a family member. And speaking of Sylvester, HP made sure he specified that the firebox went all along the backside of the smoker for even heat distribution. Sylvester comes equipped with a warming box and a flat grill for multitasking.

But let’s get down to what’s really important – the food.

All of HP’s meats are sourced from a local Kirkland supplier – hot links, brisket, ribs, and pulled  pork are his mainstays. Yes, the beautiful red smoke rings adorn the brisket and the ribs.

HP does his magic to all of his meats about halfway through the smoking process for an outstanding finish. All of the sides and desserts are made from scratch.

He‘s got a very complete menu but you must know that he does not always have all the items with him at any given time. However, he is very flexible and so friendly that I am pretty sure he will go out of his way to make you very happy.

Even though the meat stands on its own, HP’s homemade sauce kicks it up a notch. It contains the usual ingredients with two secret ingredients that make his sauce unique. And of course, you’ve heard this before, if he told me the secret ingredients he would have to kill me so I decided to let that go.

Not only was HP born and bred in Seattle, his roots go all the way back to his grandparents who actually lived in Kirkland.

HP has put his heart and soul into playing the drums in a dance band and apparently he has an amazing collection of jazz albums. He was a railroad switchman, drove a Metro bus and sold Cadillacs for more than 20 years.

Now, it’s all about the best wood-smoked barbecue and down-home sides/desserts he and his team can craft. Speaking of his team, HP wanted a special shout-out to go to Ms. C, his children, and pit master Uncle Al Franklin whose loving support and talents he could not do without.

HP is passionate about his barbecue; high quality and best customer service are his trademarks. Look for his truck with the red and white checkerboard on the side and a big open-sided tent set up for al fresco dining from 4-8 p.m. Tuesdays at the Black Raven Brewing Co at 95th and Willows in Redmond.

His main location, however, is the QFC parking lot at Juanita Drive Northeast and Holmes Point Road in Kirkland from 12-7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and most Saturdays.

Always check Facebook at HP’s Smokehouse BBQ for up-to-the-minute locations and news. HP welcomes customers at both locations and will also cater private, corporate and community events for 10 or more people. He accepts cash, credit and debit cards (no checks). He can be contacted at 425-628-9885.

P.S. I borrowed the title of this column from an unsolicited testimonial from a regular customer who came for a pulled pork sandwich while I was interviewing HP.

Kirkland resident Victoria Martin welcomes reader feedback on her reviews at martin.victoria917@gmail.com