Adam & Eats: Big Jake’s

Now that we’ve suffered through the turkey overload of the Thanksgiving holiday, I thought that perhaps we should eat something other than poultry this week. Sometimes, you just to take a break from the normal turkey and dressing, the pumpkin pies, the jiggling cranberry sauce, and you need to eat a big juicy hunk of beef. I know just the place for it.

Located on Fayetteville Road in Van Buren is the home of Big Jake’s Steakhouse. This is a place where meat fantasies come to life. The décor looks as if the restaurant’s namesake, the Duke, had decorated it himself. Half of a wagon with rotating wheels is suspended on a wall half way between the two stories that make up the restaurant. An entire taxidermied cow hangs out right by the register. Pretty much every surface has either wood, iron, or leather on it.

But you should expect nothing less. It is a restaurant that proudly serves beef and is named after a John Wayne character for chrissakes. The service at Big Jake’s is a little on the slow side, but the wait is worth it. While waiting for your order, you won’t have time to twiddle your thumbs, though. You get to partake in the age-old steakhouse tradition of shelling peanuts and throwing the shells on the ground.

Peanuts not your bag? Don’t worry, your sweetheart of a waitress will soon bring a wonderful bowl of slow-cooked brown beans and an amazing, warm, soft wheat roll with butter to further tide you over while Rooster is out back butchering Ol’ Bessie to make your order. Need something to wash down all of this mealtime foreplay? I highly suggest their sweet tea. It is some of the best around.

But these things are just pacifiers. They keep you occupied until your food arrives. And when it does, that’s when the real fun begins. So, let’s get to it.

We have to start with a steak of course. It is in the name of the place after all. So, why not go for the namesake Big Jake Sirloin. This handsome chunk of cow flesh is lightly seasoned and cooked damn-near perfectly. I prefer a ribeye normally, but this fella will definitely cut the mustard in a pinch.

If you’re in more of a burger mood, I suggest you go Hog Wild. What could make a bacon cheeseburger better? How about a few slices of ham. That definitely took the b.c.b. to the next level of deliciousness.

The chicken fried steak is pretty good, but unless you are really hard up for one, there are plenty of other fishes, I mean dishes, in the Big Jake sea. If you decide to chicken out on a steak dinner, the fiesta chicken is spectacular. The combination of fresh salsa and wonderfully seasoned chicken is magic in your mouth.

But, what about sides? By far the best one is the garlic mashed potatoes. Layer after layer of flavor comes bursting out of this simple dish. The fried okra is a must as well. The regular and the sweet potato fries won’t rock your world, but the onion rings are to die for. They are breaded as if they were a chicken. You know what I’m talking about. Chicken fried onion rings. They would make the Colonel blush they are so good. Just eat them quick before they get cold. They don’t survive a reheat very well.

Well, I hope all of you had an amazing Thanksgiving last weekend. When you finally get your appetite back a few days from now, why not swing over to Big Jake’s for a steak and some garlic mashed potatoes?

Until next week, good eating to you and yours.

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