Clark’s Barbecue, Kernersville, North Carolina

On my last trip to Clark’s Barbecue, I was so impressed that I included it in my list of the Top Ten Piedmont Barbecue places. I’d wanted to eat there again, and my chance came when instead of our usual Ride Home from the Beach stop at Wilber’s, we extended our vacation with a trip to Blowing Rock.

We had an early start time. Liza arranged to leave in time to visit with a Davidson friend in Greensboro, so Nancy and I left early, too , and forged ahead to the mountains. That put us in Kernersville at lunch time.

I really just want to highlight two aspects of our meal. First, Nancy ordered a salad with some pork barbecue on top, about which more in a minute. The other aspect addressed complaints from some people that the pork at key Eastern North Carolina places is chopped too fine. In response, I advised them to ask for it to be chopped the way they want it. (That’s a fault in me and many other men, I realize. When faced with a complaint or problem, we offer a solution, when we actually are supposed to empathize: “That must be frustrating.”) Anyway, I decided to personally demonstrate my point, and asked for a pork plate with a rough chop. The result:

Now that is a rough chop. I had some and it was very good. tThen I had some of their regular chop from Nancy, and the finer chop tasted better. I think it worked better with the sauce.

I can’t move on without saying one word about the vegetables at Clark’s. Wonderful. Or without paying homage to their doughnut-shaped hushpuppies.

Just look at those for a minute. There you see some fine hushpuppies.

The dramatic tension having reached its height, we now turn to aspect #1, Nancy’s salad. Here it is.

Nancy was speechless, and all I could say was, “Gooood Lord!” If ever there were a picture worth a thousand words … . Your appropriate comments might include, “Whoever said barbecue places don’t have anything for vegetarians?” or “Too much lettuce.”

Anyway, go to Clark’s. You’ll be glad you did. Get some turnip greens and butter beans and pintos. Eat some hushpuppies. Get the pork chopped any way you like it, although you might just trust the folks there to cut it the way they think it should be cut. Either way, you’ll enjoy it.

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