Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 23, 1993 TAG: 9304230447
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOLORES KOSTELNI SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Up until a year ago, these uncontrollable yearnings could be satisfied only with a bee-line trip to the neighboring state that is famous for its chopped pig sandwiches. Now, eastern North Carolina-style barbecue is in Roanoke.
Local barbecue fans have sent me to Carolina B-B-Q-Shack on Williamson Road and Famous Anthony's at Southwest Plaza. Although the end products are entirely different, both have their following. It just depends on which one you prefer.
At Carolina B-B-Q-Shack, a first-rate pork barbecue prepared in authentic eastern North Carolina-style is served. Except for the rolls, everything is made from scratch every day on the premises. This includes almost 30 pork shoulders that are slowly smoked, the expertly concocted barbecue dip and the cabbage-thick coleslaw.
At Famous Anthony's, the chopped pork barbecue sandwich ($2.19-$2.79) is assembled from commercially prepared products. Everything has been cooked or made someplace else. This comprises the meat that is cooked and chopped elsewhere; the mayonnaise-based coleslaw; and the very smoky-flavored, thick deep red sauce that is smeared on the filling. This is a tasty sandwich, but in no way does it compare with Carolina B-B-Q-Shack's version.
Even before Mike Nardone, Famous Anthony's manager, told me about the composite product, I had been disappointed in three sandwiches: All of them contained varying amounts of unchewable gristle mixed in with the meat. Gristle is unheard of with serious hand-chopped barbecue.
So my equation would be even, I also had three sandwiches at Carolina B-B-Q-Shack, and each one was just like the one before: absolutely delicious. The chopped meat achieves the fine, soft-firm texture that typifies the best eastern North Carolina barbecue. A quiet, natural smoky flavor is detected. The thin, vinegar sauce provides the right degree of bite with lovely jolts of heat.
As a sandwich ($1.95-$2.45), they don't come better. A nice, soft, steamed bun; a generous quantity of chopped, tender, tasty pork; just enough coleslaw that's thick with cabbage; and a container of extra sauce on the side, equals paradise.
With my barbecue, I gorged on orders of freshly made hush puppies (75 cents-$1.25) that literally exploded on my tongue with crisp cornmeal seasoned with a hint of onion, and light, crunchy, beer-batter onion rings (85 cents-$1.35). Just thinking about it makes me salivate.
Roanoker John W. Cochran, one of Carolina B-B-Q-Shack's three owners, quickly saw the niche for his favorite food when the popular Jack's closed a few years ago. As an ex-Marine and a recently retired business executive, Cochran knew there was only one way to do it right: study with the masters.
He spent an entire year learning how to prepare the genuine article from the "great ones" in Goldsboro and Lexington, N.C. In fact, he did his apprenticeship under the legendary Wayne Monk of Lexington. From Monk he learned the crucial specifics: combining several spices with only 40-grain distilled vinegar to get the exact flavor every time; using only the best pork shoulders; and taking time - sometimes eight hours - to smoke the meat just right.
Not only is real eastern North Carolina barbecue good eating, I've concluded it's healthy, too. After all, it's the "other white meat," the fat drains off as the meat cooks, and there are no funny-sounding additives. It satisfies.
Dining Out's evaluations of restaurant accessibility to the handicapped are conducted by the Blue Ridge Independent Living Center, a nonprofit organization.
Dolores Kostelni has been a restaurant consultant, manager and chef.
FAMOUS ANTHONY'S\ Southwest Plaza 772-7140 4183 Electric Road (across from Tanglewood Mall) 989-8472\ HOURS: Open seven days a week. Monday-Saturday, 6 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m.-11 p.m. BEVERAGES: Beer, soft drinks, coffee, tea.\ PRICE RANGE: $2.19-$3.99 (for barbecue only)\ CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED? No\ RESERVATIONS REQUIRED? No\ NONSMOKING SECTION? Yes\ HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE? No
\ CAROLINA B-B-Q-SHACK\ 4206 Williamson Road N.W. 362-1553\ HOURS: Open seven days a week. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.\ BEVERAGES: Soft drinks only, coffee, tea.\ PRICE RANGE: 95 cents-$5.95.\ CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED? No\ RESERVATIONS REQUIRED? No\ NONSMOKING SECTION? Yes\ HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE? No\
by CNB