Lip-Smackin’ Pulled Pork at the Bar All Week

For three years, I lived in Charlottesville, Virginia, just long enough to produce an heir and business partner, my son, Drew.  One of my early culinary experiences there was having lunch at a venerable restaurant called “The Hardware Store”.  Yes, the joint was housed in a former hardware store, and it was way cool.

I ordered a pulled-pork sandwich, which the menu said was a specialty, and was served with house-made coleslaw.  I had very high expectations because I am immensely fond of both of these dishes that were at one time high on my list of essential food groups.

After a lengthy wait—everything takes time in the South—my lunch was presented and I was immediately disappointed.  The sandwich was gorgeous and accompanied by beautiful French fries.  But, alas, there was no coleslaw.

“Excuse me, miss. . .I understood that coleslaw comes with this,” I said to the server.”

“And you got it,” she replied.

My retort, with an obvious note of Northern irritation was, “It appears to be invisible.”

“Lift up the bun,” she said, and retreated to assist more knowledgeable customers.

Chef Alexander’s latest bar menu-only special served all week is constructed similarly.  The foundation of his North Carolina-style pulled pork sandwich is Niman Ranch pork shoulder, smoked for eight+ hours in our Traeger smoker behind the restaurant.  Seasoned with a Southern-inspired vinegar-based sauce, it is piled on to a sesame seed bun, which is the same resting place for house-made, cool and creamy coleslaw (with a crunch on the end!).  It is served with French fries and house-made cucumber pickle spears.

Join us at the bar tonight through Sunday and enjoy our August bar-only special for $12.  (This dish was modified after the first go-round on Tuesday night; we added French fries and adjusted pricing. . .full disclosure!)