Great way to stretch that dining dollar at Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach

So, you're craving some seriously good 'cue, but also trying to be mindful of how much you spend going out to eat each week. Can two people really go out and get a great barbecue dinner without breaking the bank?

It can be tricky, but if you play your cards right it can be done, especially at Tropical Smokehouse along the Dixie Corridor in West Palm Beach.

This restaurant, dubbed the "best locally owned restaurant in Florida" and one of the "top 50 barbecue joints in the South" by Southern Living Magazine, makes great barbecue.

From the basics like brisket and pork shoulder to slightly more eccentric Cajun gator sausage and smoked mahi, along with one of the best burgers you'll ever sink your teeth into, it's all good. But... have you tried the drumsticks?

If not, you should, because, as I've discovered, at three for $8.50 or six for $14, this is serious bang for the buck.

Though maybe not as popular in the culinary world as it's neighboring appendage the wing, the drumstick is a rock star at Tropical Smokehouse.

They are prepared by first Frenching (removing the meat/cartilage) the ends of each drumstick, then hitting them with their house rub and smoking them over low heat for two to three hours using oak with some hickory blended in for a sweet note.

Then they are flash fried to order to crisp the skin before being glazed with either Tropical's sour orange or FLA Fire glaze. Finally, they're topped with a bit of cilantro and sesame seeds.

Tropical Smokehouse owner and chef Rick Mace describes the sour orange as being "born out of mojo that is reduced and then mixed with honey" and the FLA Fire as a sort of homage to Blue Front barbecue sauce in that it's a mashup of vinegar, ketchup and mustard that then has scotch bonnet peppers incorporated into it for some heat.

Yes, they are expertly prepared and packing a massive flavor punch, but are they filling?

Let's just say this, if a chicken was crossed with Olympic speedskater Eric Heiden, these would be the legs. Seriously, they incredibly big, meaty and delicious.

To compliment those drumsticks and complete that reasonably-priced night out, go for the special on the sides.

They're three for $12 and the choices include Caribbean slaw, collard greens, golden rice, sweet plantain, smoky black beans, broccoli slaw with sunflower seeds, shredded kale & pepitas, Jimmy Red cornbread, white cheddar mac, crispy yuca and crinkle fries.

To be fair I've yet to try the Caribbean slaw, sweet plantain, smoky black beans or the golden rice, but the others? You can't miss, especially the collard greens.

Chef Rick said he got the recipe from a guy he worked with in Las Vegas, who had taken it from a book by Southern chef and the "Mother of Soul Food" Edna Lewis. Chef Rick's take on this classic involves Benton's Country Cured Bacon from Tennessee, garlic, onion, red pepper, diced tomatoes and vinegar and it's delicious.

Tropical Smokehouse dinner for two for under $30 - the recap:

6 drumsticks ($14); 3 sides ($12); Then share. Trust me, the portions are generous. No one will be left hungry.

What: Tropical Smokehouse

Where: S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday

Information: eattropical.com

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Drumsticks, sides provide great bang for buck at Tropical Smokehouse