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

 

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.

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.