Adam & Eats: Jim’s Razorback Pizza

Editor’s note: Adam Brandt is a graduate from the Cobra Kai School of Culinary Callousness, where he received their highest award, the Red Apron of Merciless Eating. Aside from eating and talking about eating, he makes pots, paintings, prints, books, photographs, and generally, a big mess. He has been the studio assistant at Mudpuppy Pottery for almost nine years and is attending a local university in a desperate attempt to earn a biology degree.

You know what’s better than a Tony Danza reference? Great pizza, that’s what.

Located on the corner of Gary and Old Greenwood, right next to Goodson’s, and right behind where Hue & Me/ Scoops was (sniffle, sniffle), is the newest location of the statewide Jim’s Razorback Pizza. There is a good reason why Jim’s maintains 20 locations in Arkansas, it’s because they serve up a great product in a friendly and fun way.

Upon entering, you will probably notice, as I did, the sign hanging over the cash register emblazoned with a razorback in a chef’s hat and that reads: “Who’s the boss? You are.”

That is just the beginning of the hog-themed mayhem that is the décor of Jim’s. To be fair to the town in which the branch of the store is located, they have filled in the gaps on the walls with local High School memorabilia. In our case, not only are Northside and Southside represented, but Union Christian as well. Of course, preference goes to the two bigger schools as evidenced by the lack of a six foot tall wooden Eagle cut-out proudly displayed between the Johnny Reb and the Grizzly.

Nonetheless, the overall environment of the place is one of lighthearted fun and local and state school pride. I didn’t adventure around too much to see if the University of Arkansas- Monticello Bollweevils and Cotton Blossoms got their fair dues, but the food makes up for it, I can assure you.

Thank goodness for sweet tea. Jim’s tea is good, but not the best in town by any means. What they lack in stellar tea, they make up for in salad bar. I have to say that their bar is probably one of the best salad bars in town. In addition to the normal green salad plus fixins, they offer a variety of other cold salads. Pasta salad, cole slaw, carrot salad, green pea salad, and tabouli all make appearances on Jim’s salad bar.

Hold the phone. Did I just say tabouli? As a matter of fact, I did.

For those of you who don’t know what tabouli is, it is a traditional Mediterranean/Middle Eastern salad that consists of cracked wheat (Bulgur), parsley, mint, tomato, onion, lemon juice, olive oil, and various other herbs and seasonings. At Jim’s they offer a more Greek approach to it by adding olives, making it slightly more tart than normal. My suggestion, even if it is taboo in the food world, scoop up some of that tabouli on those pizza crusts that you’re about to throw away. It is scrumptious.

Speaking of pizza, I guess I should probably address the food that is the namesake of Jim’s Razorback Pizza. The Spanish Pie (think taco pizza) is pretty tasty, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the Hawg Wild. The Hawg Wild is a pepperoni, pork sausage, and Canadian bacon pie that, when served on deep dish, is a sure-fire crowd pleaser. I shied away from the cheeseburger pizza based on the fact that it had ketchup and mustard on it (flashback to Pizza Parlour’s terrifyingly-similar-to-a-McDonald’s-cheeseburger burger pizza), but on my next trip I’m gunning for the Hot Chick.

The Hot Chick comes highly recommended to me by my authority on spicy food. It consists of fajita chicken, blended cheese, Ranch dressing, and Texas Peter sauce. I’ve heard it will light you up, but won’t kill you. Unlike the “Who Killed Kenny” at Fayetteville’s Hog Wild Pizza (Are they even still around?), which was only served as a small for fear that someone would try to eat an entire large and subsequently die of heat stroke. But, I’m getting off subject a little.

Overall, I dig them. They offer good salad, great pizza, and a hog-callin’ good time. Whatever your pizza hankering is, Jim’s is sure to serve you up a hot slice of pleasurable dining.

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When he’s not beating his eggs, Adam makes time to respond to e-mails that get past his hard-ass spam filter. You can try to reach him at [email protected]

Adam also has this thing called Sandwich Control.