Bubba's

If you are driving through Eureka Springs on highway 62 and smell the unmistakable fragrance of hickory smoke in the air that can only mean one thing, Bubba's is open and serving up their mouthwatering barbecue.

The first thing you notice upon entering besides the delicious aroma is the eclectic, nostalgic decor. Any true barbecue connoisseur knows that if the inside is all shiny and polished then it's not a true barbecue joint and Bubba's doesn't disappoint here. The tables and booths invoke thoughts of a family picnic rather than a sit down restaurant.

Bubba serves his meats dry, meaning you add your choice of sauce at the table. Sauces come in two varieties, regular and hot.

The regular is a nice thick, slight sweet tangy sauce while the hot is more of the thinner, vinegar based sauce loaded with spices.

My personal choice? both! I always mix the two together for the best of both worlds.

The meat stands alone with plenty of great smoke flavor with a nice charred "crust" on the outside while tender, juicy and succulent on the inside.

If you are with a big group you might want to start with Bubba's Industrial Strength Nachos consisting of fresh tortilla chips buried under layers of Bubba's own homemade chili, cheddar cheese and jalapenõs. If you're alone these make a great meal in themselves.

Barbecue sandwiches come in two sizes in beef and pork. The meat is piled high and topped the traditional Southern way with a scoop of slaw and served with chips and a pickle.

A great substitution or an even better addition to your meal is Bubba's fries. These are of the homemade variety and are brought to your table piled high in a basket. Absolutely the best you'll find anywhere.

Other sandwiches are also available such as chicken, ham or turkey and some seriously tasty, one-third pound burgers. If you like things a bit on the spicy side be sure to try the hot link sandwich as well.

The lunch menu contains a personal favorite, the Cuban sandwich. Pork or chicken on a hoagie bun with avocado, homemade salsa and fresh cilantro. This one bites back!

The dinners don't disappoint, pork plate, beef plate, hot link and sampler platter are all there for you to enjoy. All come with sides of slaw, barbecue baked beans and French bread.

A real standout here is Nick's Cluck & Squeal. A great combination of a quarter chicken and quarter rack of ribs piled on your plate and ready for dippin' in your favorite sauce. This is such a favorite of mine the waitress asks me if something is wrong whenever I order something else from the menu.

So the next time you are driving through Eureka Springs and your nose tells you something good is smoking be sure to follow it to the source, your nose always knows.