PIGS IN AN OFFICE BLANKET
The Dish
Maybe it’s because we’re a year older. Maybe it’s because we’re tired of bullsh*t. But nowadays, when we judge a restaurant, we place just as much value on the level of soul as the level of food. Today, we found both. Hidden in an industrial park on southeast corner of 15th Avenue and Deer Valley Road, lies a clandestine doorway leading to one of the best temples of quality meats in town–Pork on a Fork.
It’s operated by two longtime friends, Wes Hansen and Justin Erickson, who came out to AZ in order to spread the gospel (read: sell) pork from a family farm back in Nebraska. Wes and Justin have been faithfully working the Farmer’s Market scene here for over a year, quietly building regular clientele and a name for themselves. The packaged pork products would eventually need a permanent home, and of course it made sense to turn said pork products into edible fare on the spot. In order to get the smoked goods up to par, Hansen and Erickson even began entering barbecue competitions.
Now, with a permanent smoker in place, the duo turn out some of the juiciest pulled pork we’ve tasted, brisket with a perfect level of smoke, and a spicy Polish dog that’s just a friggin’ pleasure to eat. We tried everything from the seasoned waffle fries to the classic, tightly-packed BLT. All is worth going back for.
So the food’s good, maybe even competition quality, but where’s that soul we speak of? Look at the menu boards below. No fancy LCD screens. White paper glued to poorly cut foam core. Love it. The servers were just a couple groovy young kids that couldn’t care less about a “uniform.” The tables, of which there are few, are packed in close, for some people, maybe a little uncomfortably so. The place feels like a secret – but the kind you can’t wait to tell people about. News is spreading fast on Yelp. Check out the 14 reviews that average 4.5 stars here … written by Yelpers that aren’t even part of the Twitter Mafia (you know who you are). These reviews are seemingly generated by actual third partiers!
So definitely, try to get there soon. There’s no doubt you’ll drive right past Pork on a Fork during your first visit. Their location is tricky. But there’s no doubt you’ll return and then, not only know where to go, but what we’re talking about.
Pork on a Fork
1515 W. Deer Valley Rd.
Ste B-102
Phoenix, AZ 85027
602-606-7965
http://www.porkonafork.com
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