Bar-B-Q Truck

ARKANSAS: Bar-B-Q Truck
1591 W. Sevier St.
Benton, AR 72019
Phone ?
Open ?

I saw a BBQ truck alongside the road, and I was hoping for something great. The proprietor said he was planning to open in the brick building adjacent to his current parking spot.



I took the sandwich to the car and took a few bites. The pork had minimal flavor and the Bull's Eye BBQ sauce and cold bun didn't help much. I was also surprised at the lack of slaw in this part of the country. The meat wasn't good enough to warrant further questioning.

Rating *

Craig's Bar-B-Q

ARKANSAS: Craig's Bar-B-Q
15 W Walnut De Valls
Bluff, AR 72041
870-998-2616
Open Daily 9-5

Some of the best BBQ joints are know and even revered for having less than ideally maintained facilities. A little dirt here and there is probably more easily accepted in a BBQ joint than any other food establishment, but this joint takes it to another level. A puddle of water had settled in the middle of the dining room floor where concrete was exposed beneath several layers of well worn linoleum. I pondered the duck hunting themed paneling that was more than a few years old (it's been open since 1947) while I waited for my order of ribs and a pork sandwich.



I didn't have the stomach for the hot sauce this day, so I wussed out and got mild. A sandwich of sliced pork would have been a bit dry if not for the addition of the runny but crisp mayo-based slaw and the thick grainy sauce. The sauce was in no way sweet, but had aromatic flavors from cinnamon, allspice and possibly cloves (although this site claims it's more simple). While unique, it wasn't a sauce that I particularly enjoyed, mainly for its texture, but there are many who love it.



Although there were fewer ingredients to compensate for the sauce, the ribs were more enjoyable. Certainly not butchered to be lookers, these ribs were well cooked, had a good smoky flavor and were plenty tender. What I needed after this meal was a good sweet dessert, so I am now kicking myself after learning that one of the best pies can be found just across the street from this joint. I didn't have a chance to sample Mary Thomas' pies this time, but I'll be sure to stop if I''m that way again.

Rating ***

Stubby's Hik'ry Pit Bar-B-Q

ARKANSAS: Stubby's Hik'ry Pit Bar-B-Q
3024 Central Ave
Hot Springs, AR 71913
501-624-1552
Open Daily 11-8
www.stubbysbbq.com

On the way to Memphis, we made a stop in Hot Springs. This stop was planned for the sole purpose of eating at McClard's. While McClar'ds was decent, any return trips to Hot Springs will be made to eat at Stubby's. If not for Roadfood, I would have never heard of this joint. Luckily it was just blocks away from our hotel.



The menu includes all of the Texas BBQ standards including brisket. Going into this trip I had vowed a pork only diet, and watching them trim the brown crusted brisket of all fat validated my vow. Instead I was focused on the pot 'o beans. Thick, smoky, sweet beans were topped by ham trimmings and a ladle of the sauce. Oh that sauce - but more on that later. The ham is displayed on a board, cut side up with the bone pointing down. The cutter slices off a portion for each order as the ham's height dwindles. With each slice some of the crusty bits of the ham fall to the board where they are scooped up and placed atop the beans. This results in a concentrated flavor of salty smoky meat that is crispy and delicious. It may be too salty without the counterpoint of the generous portion of sauce. The tomato based sauce has a concentrated robust flavor from hours of slow simmering which reduces the sauce's volume by more than half. It's certainly sweet, but not overpoweringly so, and it's one of the best sauces I've ever tasted. I can't think of much that this sauce wouldn't help.



Roadfood raved about the chicken with crispy skin. The portion I got had some chewy and limp stuff attached, but the meat beneath was good and moist. While a bit more smoke would have been nice, a quick dunk in the sauce was all I needed to keep eating. Ribs had much more smoke and good dark crust. Moist and tender meat came easily from the bone, and was made even better slathered with that great sauce. I even bought a bottle to take home. After my meal I wanted to talk more with owner Chris Dunkel about this joint, but he had made a hardware store run to replace the women's bathroom door. Truly a man of many talents.

Rating ****

McClard's Bar-B-Q

ARKANSAS: McClard's Bar-B-Q
505 Albert Pike Rd
Hot Springs, AR 71913
501-624-9586
Open Tues-Sat 11-8
mcclards.com

Since I began planning a road trip from Dallas to Memphis, I had been looking forward to a stop in Hot Springs, Arkansas to get the "Ribs & Fry" platter at McClard's. A pound of saucy spare ribs are covered by another pound or so of fries. It's a simple plate that was described as near perfection from BBQ lovers everywhere.



Leaving the hotel on a gray and foggy morning, we made our way through town to the historic whitewashed building on the corner. The smell of wood smoke was thick in the air as we arrived just as they were opening. A few tables were taken, and we found a booth with a window view. Within minutes our order had arrived, and the smell of vinegar began clearing our nostrils. The sauce at McClard's is thin and tomatoey with a heavy dose of vinegar and black pepper.



The fries were hot, fresh and delicious. A dip into the sauce made them even better. After I'd devoured enough fries to expose a few ribs, I grabbed one to dig in. The ribs had a good smoky flavor from the brick pits and the hickory wood, but the meat was a bit tough and stringy. The fat needed more time to render, but the addition of the sauce created a great overall flavor.



A chopped pork sandwich was less successful. The finely chopped meat had almost no flavor on its own, and had a dry sawdust quality. Rather than slaw, the sandwich is topped with a thick layer of mayo and fresh chopped cabbage. Altogether, the sandwich was enjoyable, but it was really in spite of the meat. Beans were meaty enough to pass as chili north of Texas, and they had a great smoky flavor. As our check arrived (cash only), there was already a line forming for tables. Get there early and bring some cash.



While it may not have lived up to the high expectations I'd set in my mind, I really enjoyed McClard's. I won't pretend to have a great understanding of what constitutes great Arkansas barbecue, but I would expect moist pork and tender ribs to be high on the list of requirements. A huge pile of those incredible fries might cure many ills, but here's hoping that the rest of Arkansas and Memphis has more to offer.

Rating ***