Allen & Son Bbq

Allen & Son looks like a barbecue place. It has vinyl tile flooring, wooden tables, checkered oilcloth tablecloths and slat back chairs. Keith Allen is a hunter and the walls are covered with pictures of ducks, pheasants and intermittently a stuffed large mouth bass or two. The walls are painted cinder block and paneling. This place has the right feel.A walk out back quickly tells you that this is a “serious” barbecue place. Large brick barbecue pits on either side of a sizeable firebox billow with gray smoke and good smells. Outside, whole hickory logs await the chain saw and a splitting maul. Keith Allen still does the Paul Bunyan-thing himself. There are few Eastern North Carolina-style barbecues still using wood or charcoal. Allen & Son is the only place that I know of that splits its own wood.The barbecue only comes chopped. It has a tangy, rich, brown taste with smoky overtones. The outside brown mixed in gives it a great flavor and more body. Sauced at the smokehouse, none is added in the kitchen. This rich (not fat) tasting ’cue has a wonderful peppery taste and good zip without adding sauce at the table.