Alabama and Texas might not meet on the map, but they do in a strip mall in Carson. My Father’s Barbecue has been around since 2014, but it only came onto our radar earlier this year when Eater spotlighted owner and pitmaster Shalamar Lane, who grew up assisting her father at backyard barbecues. Now that we’ve checked it out for ourselves, we’re here to report that we dropped a fork in awe after one bite of silky brown butter mac ’n cheese. And that was just the beginning. The brisket is meaty, sliced thin, and moist enough to have its own skincare regimen. The pork ribs come covered in a pungent, molasses-y bark. And you’d be messing up if you left without trying a chicken or pork link. The sausages are practically ready to burst on eye contact, and when they do snap in your teeth, you’re met with spice and funk that can only come from hours upon hours of careful pit-tending. This Alabama/Texas-style BBQ spot needs to be fast-tracked on every meat-eating Angeleno’s to-do list.