Craft beer, burgers on the menu at new Hughson restaurant from Slick Fork BBQ team
People told Kevin Bradley he was crazy for opening a restaurant in Hughson. Now, four years later, he has two.
The chef and owner of the town’s popular Slick Fork BBQ joint has launched a new restaurant less than two blocks away. His newest Hughson endeavor is Ranch Hand, a sit-down spot offering American favorites like hamburgers and wings, with pastas, salads and other daily specials thrown in.
Kevin and his brother, Adam Bradley, are partners on the new project and co-own the new restaurant. Located in the former Golden Bowl/El Fuego space behind the Pizza Factory, the intimate restaurant is a bit of a love letter to the town. The longtime Hughson residents were adamant about opening another place here, instead of branching out to a bigger surrounding city.
“We wanted to bring more variety to Hughson. This town deserves a place like this,” Kevin said. “We want people to have a night out with the family right here.”
The brothers said the 7,500-resident, ag-based community has existing Mexican, Chinese and their own barbecue restaurant to choose from already. But Slick Fork, which opened in 2018, has only limited outdoor seating and mostly does takeout. So they wanted to bring another option with full service, plus indoor and outdoor seating that serves craft beer and wine as well.
The brothers had the space for about a year and had initially planned to transform it into a large catering kitchen for Slick Fork. The barbecue restaurant has been so busy with special events and catering that its food truck, launched in 2020, rarely gets to park at public spots for walk-ups anymore.
But instead of making it a catering kitchen, the brothers decided it should become its own restaurant. The name pays homage to the town’s farming roots, and Kevin’s son Karter, who works as a cowboy and ranch hand in Northern California. Oversize photos of Karter at work near Yosemite National Park hang on the walls, along with several other Western and farming-themed touches.
Much like with Slick Fork, the menu is simple but delicious. The new restaurant intentionally avoids much overlap with the barbecue menu. It’s currently using its brisket for Ranch Hand’s loaded brisket fries and brisket quesadillas. The rest is an all new menu from head chef and fellow Hughson resident Roberto Alvarado.
Ranch Hand serves about half a dozen burgers and sandwiches, which run $16 to $19 and come with a side. The menu also includes a handful of shareable plates, including the aforementioned fries and quesadilla, plus chicken wings.
But the early standout is the Sausage Party platter (hey, stop snickering, this is a family newspaper). Basically a charcuterie board on steriods, the dish includes grilled sausage served with an abundance of fresh local fruits, nuts and cheeses (which runs $24 but can feed a table).
The restaurant also has two pastas dishes, the Gringo Pasta (grilled chicken with bacon in a creamy white wine sauce) and Dynamite Chicken Pasta (grilled chicken with andouille sausage in a spicy red sauce), which run $18-$19. For those looking for something lighter they sell entree-sized salads.
Since opening July 1, the Bradleys said they’ve been heartened by the community response. They’ve had wait lists some nights for their small, about 30-person indoor dining room. They’ve also constructed a larger, about 75-person outdoor patio with custom-made wood-and-steel tables.
They hope to turn the restaurant into a community gathering spot, with live music and daily specials. The brothers are also excited about bringing more craft beer options into the city. They have six taps now, and plan to double that soon. Their selection will rotate and includes local favorites like Oakdale’s Dying Breed Brewing and other regional beers.
“This town has been so great to us. During COVID, they bought us out every day. This is a blue-collar, farmers and working man’s place and we want to make food for them,” Kevin said.
Ranch Hand, at 6901 B Hughson St. in Hughson, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday and Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and closed Tuesday. For more information call 209-542-7033 or visit www.instagram.com/ranch_hand_by_slickfork.
