Greetings from Carrboro,

Bibs are definitely out of fashion. No question. Even the ad hoc version of tucking a napkin into the collar of your shirt before eating has lost its mojo. At least in public. It no longer projects a jovial air of culinary bravado and anticipatory gastronomic pleasure. Far from it. Now squeamish parents quietly urge their children not to stare as if the offending diner forgot to wear pants.

But the truth is that certain meals require preparatory hygienic fortification. Not all, mind you. Just a select, oh-so-important few. And, boy, are they worth it.

Case in point: heavenly slow-cooked ribs. If you don’t use your hands, they’re just not nearly as delicious. Period. And it sort of requires at least one other person at the table likewise participating to keep all gustatory bashfulness at bay. No one wants to look up mid-bite to find their date putting on protective goggles.

And that’s why we have the Acme rib night. It’s a Carrboro collective embrace of all things smoked and saucy and divine. We get all of our pork locally from Firsthand Foods in Durham – it really is the best. And then we spend 24 hours brining and smoking and mopping and coaxing. There will also be potato salad, baked beans, and onion rings along for the ride. And apple pie a la mode because, well, because we can’t help ourselves.

The Acme Rib Night. Wednesday, September 12th. (Yes, that’s next week!) It’s going to be great. And, don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of napkins. Plenty.

But if delicious just can’t wait that long, today is Thursday and that means Acme Half-y Hour. All of our wonderful Shooting Point Oysters are half-price for half the night (5:30-7:30). For the mathematically challenged, that means a dozen oysters are $12. And that, I must say, is a deal. What are you waiting for? A bib? The weekend starts here.

This weekend at Acme. Cast-iron skillet crab cakes. Chile relleno. Acme cornbread. Eastern Shore clams with Carolina corn. Grilled bone-in ribeyes. Oh-my oysters. Cold beer. Blackened salmon. Fig tarts with buttermilk whipped cream. Overnight beef short ribs. Lane snapper with southern ratatouille. Bubbly. Scuppernong pie. Bourbon cocktails. Baked farmhouse eggs. Gumbo. Southern tomato pie. Pecan-crusted fried chicken. Delicious is here. Right now.

Well, that’s all the news from Acme. The staff at Acme look forward to serving you soon.

Cheers,
The Staff at Acme

Reservations 919-929-2263 or online