12 Bones

There’s nothing better than slow-roasted pulled pork that melts in your mouth. I’ve recently come to be a lover of pork sandwiches when eating out back home. However, I was told that I had not had authentic pulled pork until tasting the southern cooking of 12 Bones Smokehouse in Asheville, North Carolina.

The establishment has an easy-going atmosphere with large garage door windows and picnic table seating. Food is ordered at the counter with a self-service station of flavored Barbecue sauces. The walls are covered in edgy posters advertising upcoming shows of local musicians.

I ordered the pulled pork entree without the bun. It came with a choice of two sides so I took a stab at whipped sweet potatoes with macaroni and cheese. I love mac and cheese but can sometimes be disappointed by restaurant versions. Not the case with this dish! The noodles were creamy but not overly soupy with a natural blend of shredded Monterrey Jack cheese. Add a little pepper and voila! My mashed sweet potatoes wer smooth and delicious but I think I may prefer the salty crunch of sweet potato fries instead. Each dish also comes with a side of cornbread.

The pork is served without sauces allowing each hungry customer to determine the flavor and amount of BBQ to savor over their meat. I pumped a sampling of the sweet BBQ to disperse into my meal as I ate. The tender meat seemed to crumble on the tongue with each juicy bite.

President Obama himself has put 12 Bones on his itinerary all three times visiting Asheville, followed by a mountain hike. The Obamas’ 2010 visit: 12 Bones NC Food of Choice