Dining & Drink, Eat It

Eat It – Last Meal

1 Comment 29 September 2011

Preamble Ramble
All aboard the Argo! We’re off on another voyage on our Quest for the Golden Cheeseburger. Hang on, Argonauts. I’m at the helm of this ship and Zeus knows I don’t know how to steer the damn thing.
This week takes us to Brenda’s Bigger Burger in Fayetteville. If you’ve never eaten at Brenda’s you should definitely get out of the house and get yourself acquainted. It’s on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard just east of Government Avenue.

Food for Thought
The standard fare for any cheeseburger quest should be a cheeseburger, fries and Coke. A Coke may be replaced by a chocolate shake if you can down that much food in one sitting. I can’t, so I opted for the former.
Brenda’s regular cheeseburger is big. So big, in fact, that I couldn’t finish all of it. It was large, greasy and delicious — just like I like my, well, my cheeseburgers. It was pure beef that had been lovingly handformed into a patty and then topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles and mustard. All of the toppings were tasty, fresh and plentiful. My partner-in-dine ordered the Super Cheeseburger and it was so big he had a little patty envy. He decided that next time he could probably get by with just the regular cheeseburger. The fries were previously frozen, which you all know I detest, but these weren’t too shabby.

There was a pile of them, too. I think they should serve them in a bucket instead of the paper wrapping. There are enough that you could share them if you wanted.

The Sporkcast
(on a scale of 1-5 sporks)
Atmosphere: 4.25 concrete sporks with chipped tines. It’s hard to rate the atmosphere at Brenda’s, because it’s a walk up place where you order at the window. There are a few tables out front, but most people get their grub to go.
Food: 4.85 sporks with bandanas tied around the handles. I loved the burger and tolerated the fries better than I usually tolerate frozen fries. Next time, I think I’ll add bacon to my cheeseburger and try an order of onion rings.
Staff: 4.90 sparkly sporks who sing ABBA covers. The girl who took my order was friendly and quick, and it seemed like she enjoyed her job.
Dollars Spent: My cheeseburger and fries set me back a little over 6 bucks. That’s pretty darn reasonable for the amount of food I got.
Chance of Returning: I’ll continue going back to Brenda’s for awesome cheeseburgers just like I have for years.

On a final note, this will be the last installment of Eat It. I’ve had tons of fun and great food. Thank you all for reading and for all the email. I loved reading every single one — even when you didn’t agree with my review. You’ll still be seeing my name on an article once in awhile, so I’m not completely disappearing.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite food quotes by the late chef, James Beard: “A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch.”

Dining & Drink, Eat It, Uncategorized

Bean Palace Makes a Fine Plate

No Comments 22 September 2011

By Rachel Birdsell
TFW Contributing Writer

Preamble Ramble

I was out at War Eagle Mill last year around this time for the crafts fair. I wanted to eat at the Bean Palace then, but it was a little too crowded. Since it’s cooled down I thought a bowl of beans was necessary, so I loaded up the partner in dine and we headed to War Eagle.

Fair warning: the restaurant is on the third floor of the mill and there isn’t an elevator. If you are unable to walk up the stairs, they will set up a table for up to 6 people downstairs. I viewed the stairs as a way to work up an appetite on the way up and as a way to work off a little bit of lunch on the way down.

Food for Thought

Because I’d driven to the Bean Palace for beans, that’s what I ordered. The beans came with a slab of cornbread and a side of coleslaw. I added a side of fried potatoes, because I’m pretty sure that if you don’t eat fried potatoes with your beans and cornbread, you’ll be eaten by zombies.

The bowl of beans was quite ample. The beans were smoky and had a touch of black pepper in them. They were tender without being mushy. I plopped on a spoonful or two of chopped onion that they had at the condiment bar and the beans went from good to great. When I added some of their Vidalia Onion with Jalapeno Hot Sauce to the beans, I was in Bean Valhalla.

The cornbread wasn’t as sweet as I like, but it was very corny. Maybe I should say that it had a very strong corn flavor. I remedied the lack of sweetness by baptizing it with honey.

The slaw was good enough to pass muster, but the potatoes failed horribly. I think maybe I got the batch that had been sitting under the warmer for awhile. They were kind of like eating potato flavored super balls — a little rubbery for my liking. You’ll be happy to know that I didn’t try bouncing any of them on the floor.

The Sporkcast
On A Scale Of 1-5 Sporks

Atmosphere: 4.25 vintage sporks with rusted tin handles. The wooden floors look as though they’re original to the mill, and the walls are covered with antiques. If you love antiques as much as I do, you’ll want to make enough time to look around and maybe lust a little bit.

Food: 4.35 deep fried sporks with a cornmeal coating. If I could have just rated the beans and cornbread, the rating would have been much higher. Unfortunately, the Super Ball Potatoes were the underachiever that lowered the spork count.

Staff: 4.80 niobium sporks with light-up tines. Everyone was friendly and they all seemed to be happy about what they were doing.

Dollars Spent: My meal was around $10 which seems to be a little high for such a simple meal, especially considering that I only had water as my drink.

Chance of Returning: I’m not sure I can justify spending $10 on such a simple meal. However, the Bean Palace does offer sandwiches made with meats from Ozark Smokehouse at reasonable prices, and some cobblers that are probably well worth the less-than-$3-price tag.

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com. I’ll check it out and let you know what I think.

Dining & Drink, Eat It, Uncategorized

Fallin’ for that Lovin’ Oven

No Comments 15 September 2011

By Rachel Birdsell
TFW Contributing Writer

Preamble Ramble

Recently, two of my sisters moseyed down from Kansas City for a short visit with their favorite sister. One day we were exploring Eureka Springs and decided that we needed a slice or two of pizza. We opted for Lovin’ Oven Bakeria based solely on the fact that there was a pizza paddle on their logo. I realize that’s a pretty goofy way to pick a restaurant, but this time it worked in our favor.

Food for Thought

While perusing the menu, it became clear rather quickly that Lovin’ Oven wasn’t just about pizza. They also offer salads, sandwiches, soup and pasta entrees. We started with the hummus platter, which was a mound of hummus surrounded by black and green olives and warm pita bread. The hummus was magnificent and had just enough garlic to wow you without making your fellow diners keel over from your breath. When I scooped up some with a few of the olives, it was like a little taste of Mediterranean heaven.
After gorging myself on hummus, I thought a salad and slice of pizza was necessary. I didn’t realize exactly how much food I was in for. I had the Greek salad, which was spinach topped with feta, artichoke hearts, green and black olives, mushrooms, red onions, tomatoes and zucchini. I had the small salad, but you’d never guess that from the size. This salad was big, bold and beautiful. Most importantly, everything was fresher than a 1950s coed. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a gorgeous plate of veggies at a restaurant before.
Then my delightful waiter hoisted out my slab of pizza. I’m not exaggerating when I say “slab.” The slice was as big as my dinner plate. I ordered mine with jalapenos, green and black olives and Italian sausage. The pizza crust was filled with herbs and possibly a hint of magic unicorn dust. I absolutely loved the crust. The sauce was also excellent, as were the toppings. All in all, it was one of the best slices of pie I’ve ever been introduced to.

The Sporkcast
(1-5 sporks)

Atmosphere: 4.25 hand painted sporks with curly tines. The décor is a little funky with mismatched tables and an assortment of art on the walls. The restaurant/bakery is very clean, and I’m pretty sure you could eat off the floor safely, if you were so inclined. If you do have an inclination to eat off the floor, you might have an issue or two.
Food: 4.85 spicy Italian sporks named Luigi. The food was absolutely fantastic. The baked goods also looked divine, and had I not been completely stuffed, I would have tried a brownie or two.
Staff: 4.90 shiny sporks with halos around the handles. Our waiter was more than tolerant. We changed our mind about our order roughly 36 times, and he was still extremely nice. He deserved some kind of medal.
Dollars spent: My slice of pizza and salad (I made one of the sisters pay for the hummus) was around $10. The salad was $5.50, and the ginormous slice of pizza was only $4. Both of them were worth every little penny.
Chance of returning: I will go back many times to Lovin’ Oven for a little taste of Italian Mediterranean goodness.

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com.

Dining & Drink, Eat It, Uncategorized

School House Cafe Fails the Test

No Comments 08 September 2011

Preamble Ramble

When I wrote my review for Hugo’s cheeseburger, I received a lot of emails letting me know where other great cheeseburgers can be found in the area.  So, we’re now officially on a new quest: The Quest of the Golden Cheeseburger.  Buckle up, Argonauts.  It’s time to board our ship.

Food for Thought

The first stop in our quest was School House Café and Market in Goshen.  It hasn’t been open very often, but was pretty busy when I went in for lunch.  They offer a single and double cheeseburger with the normal fixings.  I opted for the single with a side of sweet potato fries.

I’ll start with the fries and get them out of the way.  They had absolutely no flavor.  I ate two or three just to make sure it wasn’t just one loner fry that was flavorless, but all of them were that bad.  They were the Newt Gingriches of the fry world, bland, listless and overdone.

Thankfully, the cheeseburger was more than a few steps up from the fries.  It was a hand-formed patty, which is crucial in having a good burger.  It wasn’t seasoned, but it was juicy, and the flavor of the meat carried over the other toppings.  The toppings were the typical onion, lettuce and tomatoes. The bun was your average white bread bun, nothing exciting, but it was fresh.

Is this a contender for the Golden Cheeseburger?  Unfortunately, the fries brought down the entire meal to well below the contender status, and the cheeseburger just wasn’t enough to bring it back up to the standard required to be the Golden Cheeseburger.

The Sporkcast
(on a scale of 1-5 sporks)

Atmosphere: 3.75 wooden sporks with corrugated tin tines.  There is a lot of wood and exposed air ducts, which makes a blend of industrial and country cabin.  The atmosphere is very laid back and relaxed, and no one will look at you sideways if you wear your overalls to lunch.
Food:  3.75 transparent sporks with PVC handles.  I liked the burger.  I didn’t fall in love with it, but I liked it enough that maybe a couple of times a year I’d invite it over. But I would insist that it didn’t bring over its sidekick of boring sweet potato fries.
Staff:  4.85 sporks that are singing Walking on Sunshine.  Everyone there was friendly, especially the very nice woman who took my order and told me I looked pretty.  She was the best!  (I’m shallow enough that compliments totally work in my book.)
Dollars Spent:  My cheeseburger, fries and drink was only around 7 bucks.
Chance of Returning:  Even though it’s not Golden Cheeseburger status, it was a good burger.  Plus, there are a slew of other sandwiches that I’d like to try, and I did notice a menu for fried pies that I’m pretty sure were serenading me with their siren song.

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com. I’ll check it out and let you know what I think.

Opa for Komos Cafe

Dining & Drink, Eat It

Opa for Komos Cafe

No Comments 25 August 2011

Eat It: Kosmos Greekafe

Relocated restaurant gets you to the Greek fast

2136 N. College Ave.

Fayetteville

421-7482

By Rachel Birdsell

TFW Contributing Writer

Preamble Ramble

Kosmos has recently moved from its Dickson Street location to College Avenue. Its new home is right beside Slim Chicken’s in the building that once housed Arby’s.

Kosmos is what I consider to be Greek “fast food,” so it’s only fitting that it’s in a former fast food building. Thankfully, the food at Kosmos sits much better on the palate and on the stomach than most other fast food.

Food For Thought

There are a few additions to the menu, but your old favorites are still available. I started my lunch with the roasted eggplant dip that’s served with warm pita bread. The dip was awesome, albeit a bit too cold. I like it better at room temperature, but I understand why it’s not possible to serve it that way in a restaurant.

If I was a betting woman, I’d bet that the eggplant was roasted over an open fire (”Eggplants Roasting on an Open Fire” happens to be a very famous Greek Christmas carol). The dip was smoky and had a bit of a bite. In fact, my dining partner ordered the spicy feta dip, but my eggplant dip was much spicier. You want to know a secret? If you spread your pita with the feta dip and then dip it in the eggplant dip, it’s fantastic.

I followed the dip with a Greek souvlaki pita, which was filled with marinated pork, tomatoes and onions and doused with a healthy helping of tzatziki sauce. The pork was tender and tasty, and when I couldn’t finish the entire sandwich, I picked out the pork because it was that good. The tomatoes didn’t taste exactly ripe, but I’m not sure you can even get ripe tomatoes anywhere anymore unless they’re from someone’s garden. I realize that last part makes me sound like an old timer reminiscing about “back in the day,” but — goshdarnit, you young whippersnappers! — I don’t think ripe tomatoes should become extinct.

The Sporkcast

(1-5 sporks)

Atmosphere: 3.5 sporks with azure blue handles. It looks just like an ex-fast food place that’s trying to look Greek with minimal effort. In other words, they put up some new menu boards and painted some of the walls blue.

Food: 4.25 dancing sporks with tiny mustaches on the handle. It’s not the best Greek food I’ve had. That honor is still held by all those wonderful Greek women who bring their food to the Greek Festival in Little Rock. However, it’s still great food for when you want Greek in a hurry.

Staff: 4.50 sporkoloposis that keep shouting “Opa!” Actually, none of the staff yelled anything. They were friendly enough that it was almost like they were yelling good things, though.

Dollars spent: I had to leave behind roughly 9 drachmas at the counter for my lunch.

Chance of returning: Yeppers, I’ll be back. There is some baklava and spanakopita that have my name on them. No seriously, I made them write my name on them.

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com. I’ll check it out and let you know what I think.

Dining & Drink, Eat It

No Reason To Be Crabby

No Comments 18 August 2011

Eat It: China Cafe

Cafe offers pleasing rangoon, more

2630 E. Citizens Drive Suite 15

Fayetteville

442-3998

By Rachel Birdsell
TFW Contributing Writer

Preamble Ramble

China Cafe is another one of the many restaurants that’s taking over the east side of Fayetteville. It’s in the shopping center at the corner of Mission and Crossover. I noticed it before, but always thought it was just another Chinese buffet. Since I like buffets about as much as a like a sharp poke in the eye, I avoided the place. Recently, I saw one of their menus and didn’t see the word buffet on it anywhere, so I thought I needed to check it out.

Food For Thought

The menu at China Cafe is rather vast, much like a menu should be at a good Chinese restaurant. I finally decided on the crab rangoon as an appetizer and the shrimp with Chinese vegetables as an entree, which came with an egg roll and a side of fried rice.

The crab rangoon were some of the best I’ve ever eaten, and unlike some Chinese places in the area, they were fresh, not the hard, frozen rangoon you normally get. They could have been a tad bit less oily, but they were still great and I had a difficult time finding the graciousness to share with my dining partner.

The shrimp was mixed with celery, carrots, Chinese cabbage, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and snow peas. The shrimp were big, but tasted just a bit too salty. The veggies were flavorful and still had a lot of crunch to them. Overall, I liked the dish but I’m not so sure I’d order it again. It was good, but it didn’t wow me and I like to be wowed.

The egg roll was perfect — filled with vegetables and flavor and crispy on the outside.

The fried rice completely took me by surprise. It was actually fried and had a bit of a smoky flavor. It was delicious. I would have liked a pea or two in it, and I had to search for the onions but I would definitely order it again.

The Sporkcast

(1-5 sporks)

Atmosphere: 3 sporks who are so Spartan, they only have one tine. I’m not even sure I can say that the restaurant had decor. It was very utilitarian, which is how it should be. I think Chinese food is better ordered to go and eaten at home.

Food: 4.5 golden sporks with dragons on the handles. Definitely the best Chinese I’ve had in Fayetteville. It’s nice to see a place that has enough on the menu to satisfy everyone without having to resort to a buffet.

Staff: 4.75 surround sound sporks that play urban folk metal fusion 24/7. My server was very friendly and attentive.

Dollars spent: My lunch set me back $12, which included an appetizer for two (but only because I decided to share).

Chance of returning: Heck yeah, I’ll go back. It’s the perfect Chinese takeout.

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com. I’ll check it out and let you know what I think.

Southern Satisfaction

Dining & Drink, Eat It

Southern Satisfaction

2 Comments 11 August 2011

Eat It:Sisters Cafe

 

55 Alamo St.

Eureka Springs

253-5418

 

By Rachel Birdsell

TFW Contributing Writer

Preamble Ramble

(Photo: Rachel Birdsell) The chicken salad platter and sweet tea at Sisters Cafe in Eureka Springs.

I’ve been wanting to eat at Sisters Cafe since they opened a year ago, but haven’t done it until now. The restaurant is in an old house on U.S. 62 West and is owned by twin sisters from Memphis. Their Southern roots are reflected in their cooking. The food is lighter than most Southern cooking, though. Some of the food at Sisters may be smothered and there may be a biscuit and sweet tea to be had, but none of the food is fried.

 

 

Food For Thought

The menu at Sisters Cafe is ever-changing, so upon my arrival I was shown the menu for the day and then asked if I wanted to stay for lunch. I most certainly did want to stay for lunch. I opted for the chicken salad platter and had a pear salad on the side. It was the day of the salad. I also had one of the best glasses of sweet tea I’ve ever had in a restaurant.

The chicken salad platter is a helping of chicken salad that is presented on a bed of lettuce and is surrounded by tomato and boiled egg wedges. The chicken salad was creamy and had large, crunchy chunks of celery. It was loaded with chicken, and while it may have been a little heavier on the mayo than I like, it was still quite good.

The boiled egg wedges tasted exactly like boiled egg wedges should. The tomato wedges were fresh and ripe.

My dining partner ordered the smothered pork chop, cheese and chive mashed potatoes and green beans. I stole a taste (or two) of everything on his plate and everything was outstanding. The pork chop was falling off the bone tender. The green beans were great, and the mashed potatoes were so good they’d make a saint cuss.

 

The Sporkcast

(1-5 sporks)

 

Sisters Cafe in Eureka Springs

Atmosphere: 4.2 hardwood sporks that are tucked into a cotton napkin. The atmosphere is very relaxed at Sisters Cafe, and the dining room is tiny. There may be another room that they open up for dining, but I didn’t see it when I went.

Food: 4.85 sporks that keep calling me “y’all.” While the chicken salad was good, I think next time I go I’ll order one of their hot meals. That tiny bite of pork chop I got was too good. There are also desserts that I need to try. The day I was there they had banana pudding that was still warm it was so fresh. But the only room I had left was in my pocket, so I left banana puddingless.

Staff: 4.95 silver sporks with rhinestones on the handles. The sisters were just the sweetest. They were welcoming, warm and even told us that we didn’t have to rush off when we got up to leave.

Dollars spent: My lunch was $15. Part of that is the high sales tax Eureka Springs has.

Chance of returning: I’ll definitely go back to Sisters Cafe. I think they should open up a napping room so I could have lunch, take a nap, relax for a while and then eat some dinner. Excuse me, to be properly Southern, I’d have to eat some supper.

 

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com. I’ll check it out and let you know what I think.

T&T Burger, Service Dynamite

Dining & Drink, Eat It

T&T Burger, Service Dynamite

No Comments 04 August 2011

Eat It: T&T Diner

Fries disappoint, but Sonora diner overall pleasing

17440 E. U.S. 412
Springdale
751-4797

By Rachel Birdsell

TFW Contributing Writer

 

Preamble Ramble

T&T Diner was on my list of joints to review, and when I figured out where it was, I almost turned around and ate somewhere else. I have to admit that the reason I almost turned around is because the diner is attached to a gas station, specifically, the Valero in Sonora.

The diner isn’t in the gas station, but in an adjacent building that is attached to the gas station by a couple of rows of blocks at the tops of the buildings, so it’s only barely attached. Anyway, I figured that if anyone was going to try a restaurant next to a gas station, I should be the one to take one for the team.

 

Food for Thought

 

T&T is really more along the lines of a dairy bar rather than a diner. I’m pretty sure that when it’s your maiden voyage to a dairy bar-type establishment, the only thing you can do is order a cheeseburger. If a greasy spoon can lay out a decent burger, chances are the other sandwiches will be good. I also got an order of fries with my meal and a small chocolate shake. I’m pretty sure that chocolate shakes are a necessary accompaniment to an inaugural burger.

I really didn’t expect much more than the typical diner frozen fries. Even though my expectations were already low, I was still disappointed with the fries. They most certainly tasted like frozen fries, and when they arrived at my table, they were cold, limp and greasy — kind of like a handshake you’d expect to get from a deep South politician at a fish fry.

After the fries, I did not have high hopes for the burger. I timidly took a bite, and holy cuh-rap! it was good. It was a real beef patty — one that had been hand-formed and then cooked. It had flavor and was so much better than the fries. It didn’t even seem like they could have been cooked at the same restaurant, much less by the same person.

Now, the burger wasn’t the best I’ve had and wouldn’t ever be called gourmet, but for a greasy spoon burger, it was just right. It was piled with fresh lettuce, tomato and onion and was topped with a slice of cheese and held together by a soft bun.

The milkshake was good but most certainly didn’t bring all the boys to the yard. The consistency was great, but it needed more chocolate.

 

The Sporkcast

(1-5 sporks)

 

Atmosphere: 3.4 sporks with a broken tine and stick-on tiles on the handles. It’s exactly what you’d expect a greasy spoon that was somewhat attached to a gas station to be.

Food: 4.00 hand-carved sporks that were singing old cowboy ballads. Now that I know that the regular cheeseburger is passable, I’ll have to try one of the dressed-up burgers.

Staff: 4.5 brass sporks with telescoping tines. The crew at T & T was friendly, prompt and did I mention friendly? These guys were totally covered up in call-in orders and still managed to be super nice.

Dollars spent: There was a special going on when I ate and it was 2 burgers, 2 orders of fries, and 2 drinks for $8.99. I know, right? I think that may have been part of the reason they were so busy.

Chance of Returning: If I’m around Sonora one day with a hankerin’ for a hamburger, I’ll definitely stop back by T&T and get a burger and shake for the road.

 

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com. I’ll check it out and let you know what I think.

Stop In For Comfort Food

Dining & Drink, Eat It

Stop In For Comfort Food

No Comments 28 July 2011

Eat It: Susan’s

Susan’s offers a solid day’s special

1440 W. Sunset Ave.
Springdale
751-1445

By Rachel Birdsell

TFW Contributing Writer

Preamble Ramble

Susan's in Springdale is known for its humorous marquee displays as well as its food.

I have to be honest. Susan’s wasn’t on my list of restaurants to review. Nor was it recommended by one of you. Instead, Susan’s was the choice after trying two different spots only to find one not open and the other only accepted cash, and at that moment, I had about $2.38 on me.

I had eaten breakfast at Susan’s many times, but I’d never tried lunch there. This time I did, and here’s what I found.

 

Food For Thought

 

I ordered one of the day’s specials, which was corned beef and cabbage. For my sides, I chose mashed potatoes and gravy, brown beans and cucumber salad.

The corned beef and cabbage wasn’t anything to make me shout “sure and begorrah,” which is probably a good thing because I’m not even sure what that means. It was OK corned beef and cabbage, but the corned beef didn’t really taste like corned beef. In fact, it tasted like cabbage. I love cooked cabbage, but I don’t want my meat tasting like it. The cabbage was tasty, but it was a little too overcooked for my taste.

The potatoes tasted like instant, so we all know what happened to them. I flung them at my fellow diners. Not really, I just left them untouched on my plate.

 

The brown beans were good, they just needed a little salt to pep them up. They were heavily seasoned with black pepper, which is awesome if you like black pepper. I do, so we were good to go.

The cucumber salad was so much better than anything I expected. It was sliced cucumbers, green pepper, red onions and tomato chunks all mixed in a lovely oil and vinegar dressing. But the best thing is that it was loaded with garlic flavor. It was a bit salty, but other than that it was the best cucumber salad I’ve ever had the pleasure to introduce to my taste buds.

 

The Sporkcast

(1-5 sporks)

 

Atmosphere: 4 low-key sporks that talk in whispers. The decor is rather subdued and sedate at Susan’s. To be honest (again), I can’t think of anything in particular that stood out about the decor. That’s probably a good thing, because it means there’s a good chance there weren’t dead animals staring down at me while I ate.

Food: 4.25 solid steel sporks with cast iron handles. The food wasn’t spectacular, but it was very solid. The portions were all just the right size for me.

Staff: 5.0 sporks who talked like Flo from “Alice.” The staff was wonderful. They were all very friendly and were even nice to each other. I wish the staff at all restaurants were like these women. They definitely improved my lunch.

Dollars spent: I paid around $9 for my meal and a sweet tea.

Chance of returning: I don’t know if I’d make a special trip to Susan’s, but if I happen to be up in Springdale and I’m craving comfort food, I’d certainly stop in for a plate of something good.

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com. I’ll check it out and let you know what I think.

 

Nekkid Flashes Some Pleasant Bits

Dining & Drink, Eat It

Nekkid Flashes Some Pleasant Bits

1 Comment 21 July 2011

Eat It: Buck Nekkid

Brisket, potato salad catch eye at barbecue joint

Buck Nekkid
479-966-4337
3825 N. Shiloh Drive
Fayetteville

By Rachel Birdsell

TFW Contributing Writer

 

Preamble Ramble

 

(Photo: Richard Davis) A heaping o' beef brisket and pork loin - served up simply on a sheet of wax paper - at Buck Nekkid BBQ in Fayetteville.

Buck Nekkid is a new barbecue joint in town and resides in the building where Ryan’s was many moons ago. I was a little worried about what the clothing regulations were. After all, when you use the word “nekkid,” you’re usually pretty serious about no clothing. Fortunately, everyone at the restaurant, myself included, was fully clothed.

 

Food For Thought

 

Upon my arrival, I was graciously informed of the procedure of procuring a meal at Buck Nekkid. It’s like a cafeteria line. You order your meat by the pound, and it’s cut and placed on a square of butcher paper that’s on a tray. The side orders are laid out within arms’ reach, and you grab whatever suits your fancy. Just make sure all you’re grabbing are side dishes and not fellow diners.

I had the chicken, pork loin, potato salad and coleslaw. There are also beans and rice that are offered as complimentary side dishes.

The island bar in the middle of Buck Nekkid BBQ in Fayetteville.

Let’s start with the chicken. It was a leg and a thigh which happen to be my two favorite parts of the chicken. Unfortunately, this leg and thigh must have been from the runt of the egg basket. I normally have a soft spot for the runt, but when it comes to the meat on my plate, I’d rather have the abnormally large chicken.

The pork loin had a lot of marvelous, smoky flavor. But sadly it was dry. So dry, in fact, that when I poked it with the fork it almost disintegrated into little puffs of dried pork. When I drowned it in the barbecue sauce, it was edible, but still wasn’t anything I’d ever order again.

I stole a bite of brisket off of my partner-in-dine’s plate, and I wished I would have ordered it. It was moist, smoky and simply delicious.

Both the hot and mild sauces were good. They were more vinegary than sweet, but had good flavor. I would have liked a molasses variety of barbecue as one of the choices.

The potato salad totally kicked butt. It was the type that is made with Ranch dressing, and it had sliced potatoes and bacon bits in it. It’s my very favorite kind of potato salad.

The coleslaw was a little bigger of a cut than you usually find, but it was sweet and creamy. Definitely one of the better things on the tray.

 

The Sporkcast

(1-5 sporks)

 

Atmosphere: 4.3 Sporks that have spurs that jingle jangle jingle. The decor is Modern Cowboy. There are murals of cowpokes on the walls and a lot of chunky wood. I would have liked for old cowboy songs to be playing rather than the new country that I had to endure through my meal.

Food: 4.0 parched sporks with leather handles. I think if I’d ordered the brisket, this review would have been much more favorable. The sides definitely held their own and the right meat would have turned a mediocre meal into a fantastic feast.

Staff: 4.5 smiling sporks who insisted on being called “Pardner.” Everyone I came into contact with was super friendly and more than happy to help.

Dollars spent: When it was all said and done, I was out 14 buckaroos.

Chance of returning: I think I may have to go back to try the brisket and have more of that potato salad.

 

If you know of a great eating place, drop me a line at rabirdsell@gmail.com. I’ll check it out and let you know what I think.

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