Chest pains. Slowed, labored breathing. A giant smile on your face and a bit of BBQ sauce stuck to some part of your face. Not that much lighter a wallet…
These are the results of a trip to Allen and Son, one of my favorite NC BBQ joints. Living in NC for 2.5 years has led me to a few places now, and A&S is still my favorite. My friends Dave (you have seen a couple of his posts) and Amy swun through NC and I decided to take them to taste some delicious NC BBQ – Eastern Style! Perhaps I should explain:
In North Carolina, Barbeque is first and foremost a noun. BBQ is pulled pork. There is no brisket or steak or chicken or anything else. You can, of course, GET those things – but they ain’t BBQ. There are two primary types, East and West. This civil war of sauces pits (BBQ pun intended) vinegar-based sauce, the eastern style, against tomato based sauce, the western (or Lexington) style. Although I live in central NC, I live in an area surrounded by eastern stye BBQ houses, and A&S is one of the best. The BBQ is sumptuous, with an incredibly soft texture. The sauce balances the fatty pork with a beautiful tangy acidity that only eastern vinegar sauce can bring to the scene. Plus…the ambience is…hilarious.
When I eat BBQ, I want checkered table clothes, porcelain pigs everywhere, and waitresses that bring you literally, a HALF A GALLON of ice tea when you order it. Oh yeah – no such thing as unsweetened ice tea here. Did I mention the diabetes along with all those heart attack symptoms above?
The BBQ Plate with slaw and hushpuppies. The classic never loses its character.
Dave got the BBQ plate, Amy had the burger…and I…well, I had the Ribs. With a capital R.
The heart starts beating faster…
Pork Ribs - with slaw and the best potato salad ever.
To be honest..I rarely get the BBQ at A&S anymore. Someone said that I’ve ‘learned my lesson’ about eating A&S BBQ, which isn’t really true. That’s a little like saying a whiskey drinker ‘learned his lesson’ from all that beer he used to drink. I haven’t learned anything..I’ve just moved on to what I consider to be bigger and better things. Like ribs. Why? Question answered:
These things are delicious. Absolutely delicious. And they fall apart. Amy tried to eat the bone. I warned her that I didn't know what would happen to her digestive system on the remaining 5 hour car ride ahead of her...
In summary – if you’re in the area…go here. Trust me. I’ve been here enough that I’ve moved on to the ribs.
Allen and Son Pit Cooked BBQ
919.942.7576
6203 Millhouse Rd
Chapel Hill, NC 27516