Buck Snort Steakhouse = An Evaro Hill Reward
Lori and I had never been to the Buck Snort before but our once-a-month
dinning buddies, Doug and Shellie, are Buck Snort veterans so they showed us
the way. When it’s a Doug-and-Shellie day, it’s important to plan accordingly
so I ate my lunch at work at 11 a.m. That left me seven hours to fully digest
and build an appetite for what was ahead.
He said: This is my kind of place – a made-in-Montana
log cabin, big game mounts with a decorative flair, a casual atmosphere and red
meat on the menu. Despite a full selection of burgers, I went with Surf n Turf
– an 8-ounce top sirloin with shrimp scampi, blackened or coconut. I went with
shrimp scampi, fries (because we heard they’re the best here) and a dinner
salad. Like my coleslaw preferences, I like a salad that is loaded with flavor,
and I’m not talking solely about good, fresh vegetables. So, when our server
brought a small cup of honey mustard dressing, I asked for and received
another. My salad doesn’t have to float in dressing to be satisfying but a lot
of dressing, like a lot of syrup on my pancakes, is definitely the way to go.
The shrimp were seasoned well, cooked well and tasted great. I ordered my sirloin as “medium,” and again, a solid flavorful choice. I only ate half of it because of well, solid pre-planning. My fries were hot, and not too potato-ey. There were crispy as fries should be. The reason half my steak went home in a box instead of my stomach was dessert. Each couple ordered a chocolate chip cookie in a skillet topped with ice cream. The cookie may have been a skosh overcooked on the edges but its middle was soft and gooey and oh so yummy – just a great way to cap off a flavorful made-in-Montana meal.
She said: Ever just felt like ordering a steak was
the right choice to make? This restaurant screamed, “ORDER A STEAK!” But I know
myself. I love a good steak, but it’s never my first choice. Plus, I feel like
if you're going to order a steak, then a baked potato is the right side to go
with it. I love a good loaded baked potato too. But I wanted to try their
fries. I love French fries—fat ones, skinny ones, crispy ones, chewy ones.
Doesn’t matter. I went with a chicken sandwich and French fries instead. I’m so
glad I did. It made my taste buds happy. The Grilled Chicken, Bacon, Ranch
sandwich hit the spot. The chicken and the bacon were cooked to perfection. The
ratio of lettuce, onion, and tomato was all good. But what deserves the most
commentary is the ranch. It was oozing out onto my plate, and I thought it was
going to be a problem. A problem eating it. A problem with sogginess or
overpowering. But, nope. It was delicious. I’d say it actually made the
sandwich so delicious, but I know it was the combination of everything that hit
the spot. The French fries were perfection too. Two thumbs up for the Buck
Snort!!
By the way… There are two words that don’t
necessarily invoke fear among Montanans, but they do conjure up great concern,
especially during the snowy winter months. Those two words are “Evaro Hill.”
The small community of Evaro is at the southernmost end of
the Flathead Indian Reservation. But to get to Evaro from Missoula, you have to
make your way up a steep 10-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 93. And when there is
snow and ice on the roadways, Evaro Hill is among the diciest of roadways in
all of western Montana. It is ground zero for slide offs, spinouts, fender
benders, crashes or worse. Plus, there are deer, elk, bears and other critters
that can make driving a major challenge.
Whether winter, spring, summer or fall, there is a reward once you ascend Evaro Hill and that’s the Buck Snort. Self-described as “rustic yet elegant charm,” the Buck Snort fits that bill.
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