April 2011

By Diane Hudson

Northern Comfort

Buck’s ‘Naked’ lunch and dinner is down & delicious–roadhouse style.

Upon entering the rough but warm roadhouse atmosphere, immediately it hits you–the aroma of good, old-fashioned barbecue. The sweet, smoky scent is just a teaser for Buck’s Naked BBQ’s smorgasbord of Southern delights.

Meat waits for no man. Even the cocktails have a touch of down-home ‘cooking.’ The “Bloody Buck,” is a twist on the Bloody Mary, dressed with peperoncini, olives, lemon, lime, and–the crowning glory–a single, juicy baby back rib. This is a drink to chew on.

For starters, we have the chicken wings (starting at $ 7.99)–a treat Buck’s imaginatively sneaks into the barbecue category. Hickory-smoked to perfection, these wings are meaty, tender, moist, and finger-lickin’ messy. We choose the rich blueberry sauce, but other options include jerk, chili lime, buffalo, and “Ring Your Bell HOT!”

Catfish fingers ($8.99) arrive next. Having enjoyed this delectable critter always in the South, I am wary of the dish’s ability to hold up to my fond memories. It does–and my expectations are surpassed. It’s prepared splendidly, lightly breaded and served piping hot. I have my eye on the pan-fried catfish ($15.99) in lime butter with cherry tomatoes for a subsequent visit.

This time, however, we go whole hog with the meat, sharing the Big Buck Combo ($15.99), giving us plenty to sample and savor: brisket, pulled pork, chicken, and sausage. The BBQ here is cooked “naked,” without sauce. Instead, meats are rubbed with a dry spice mixture. The flavors are deep and smoky, and the varied table sauces are a lot of fun and quite delicious. We dip ours in everything from classic BBQ to “Magic Strawberry” to the sweet-and-spicy “WNC Skinny Dip.” The front runner, however, is the “South Carolina Mustard BBQ,” resulting in an audible “Mmm-mmm” of appreciation. In true Southern tradition, our combo is served with fluffy corn bread, braised collard greens, and corn nibblets.

Stuffed and satisfied, we pack up our substantial leftovers to go and head out, leaving in our wake the signs of a darned delicious meal: sticky napkins, empty plates, and a table spotted with chin-dribbled sauce.