Allen & Son Debate, part 2

So, clearly Jennifer wasn't too into Allen & Son's barbeque. It doesn't come as a total surprise to me, but that is just because I was with her when she ate there. David and I both enjoy eating at Allen & Son. I'm not sure we fall into the camp that sings the restaurant's praises all over town, but we haven't had the reaction Jennifer did on any of our visits.

I kind of like the atmosphere at Allen & Son. You cross some railroad tracks, pull up into a gravel parking lot, and there's a freestanding structure—a nice change from the strip-mall locales of some other joints. Inside, there are plastic checked tablecloths, friendly waitstaff, and some attempts at cute decor (as noted by Jennifer). David hates the soft rock playing, but I am able to ignore that.

The food is acceptable, if not always exceptional. I have not had the problems with tough, undercooked ’que that Jennifer has had. I can't say the sauce is memorable, but my ’que has always been tasty and comes in a good-sized portion. The coleslaw is also fine. It's true that the hushpuppies are fairly mediocre, but that's true in half the ’que joints you go to. Not that I'm excusing it!

Last time, I ordered fries with my meal, and they made even Jennifer's coconut pie look dry—they were soaked and shimmering with grease. Oddly, I ate most of them anyway. They were fresh, at least!

I had heard that the desserts at Allen & Son were worth saving room for, but I have to agree with Jennifer on this one. The menu board always presents a tempting list of options, but so far, the ones I've tried have been very disappointing. The cherry cobbler was piled with literally dozens of cloyingly sweet cherries; I couldn't finish it. This last time, I decided to play it relatively safe and order key lime poundcake; it was radioactive green and tasted just OK. You've heard about Jennifer's coconut pie. So, I think it's safe to recommend getting dessert elsewhere.

Considering the national press it has received (e.g., in a 2002 article in the New York Times), I do think Allen & Son is probably overrated. On the other hand, I think it's a pretty good option for Chapel Hill or Hillsborough residents who want a laid-back dinner in a decent, authentic-feeling atmosphere. Maybe they're inconsistent—after all, Jennifer liked her catered Allen & Son ’que—but then, supposedly Don Murray's is, too, and we are all glad we tried that ’que joint!

My rating:

—Sarah