New spin on an old Moscow fave

A nostalgic dive bar on the southern edge of Moscow is forging a new identity as Forty Two Bar Kitchen, a family-friendly gathering place with authentic southern barbecue.

The transformation is the work of Steven and Traci Hacker, who just marked their one-year anniversary as owners of the decades-old Moscow watering hole.

The business is open 3-10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Starting in April, the business will be open for lunch at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The Hackers renovated the dining area, adding windows, replacing the furniture and installing new floors. The changes introduced more fresh air and natural light into the building.

They purchased new chairs and tables for an outdoor patio that seats 50 and made the entire establishment nonsmoking. Forty Two still has a full bar, but allows customers younger than the age of 21 years old until 9 p.m.

Smoked chopped beef brisket, pulled pork and sliced chicken cooked by John “Bull” Malone, the pitmaster, are the foundation of a new menu. A college friend of Steven Hacker, Malone owned a restaurant in Elizabethton, Tenn., before relocating to Moscow to lead the barbecue division at Forty Two Bar Kitchen.

The beef brisket and pork are smoked for eight hours over mesquite and post oak wood shipped in from Texas. Malone puts a a family recipe dry rub on the meat before smoking it over low heat for another eight hours in a process overseen by Malone.

“It’s super tender,” Traci Hacker said. “It just has a great smoky flavor.”

All of the barbecue dishes come with traditional southern sides such as macaroni and cheese, barbecue beans, fries and coleslaw, as well as a choice of sauces like its Hacker Bros. original and Houston sweet mustard that are made in-house.

As the Hackers revitalize the bar, they are conscious of its history. One wall is decorated with photos they found with the help of staff from the University of Idaho library archives and the Latah County Historical Society.

Some go as far back as the 1930s when a portion of the building was part of a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, Hacker said. The CCC was a government program that employed young men to do manual labor during the Great Depression.

Over the years, the bar has operated under several names, including The Plantation and The Plant and Grill.

The name the Hackers chose is a reference to “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” a book by Douglas Adams where 42 is the answer to the question of the meaning of life, the universe and everything, Hacker said.

The book is a favorite of her husband, who also works as the chief operations officer for the College of Natural Resources at the UI.

The atmosphere and food are attracting a wide mix of customers, Hacker said.

Some are new. Some are regulars who have frequented the bar for decades.

The Hackers see more potential. They recently purchased the adjacent building and lot where the Iron Wok is located to make it easier for the two businesses to share the parking lot, she said.

The Iron Wok remains open and is leasing the property from the Hackers.

Even more people will discover Forty Two Bar Kitchen, located at 2012 S. Main St., when the new U.S. Highway 95 route opens between Moscow and Thorn Creek Road just south of the business, said Hacker, owner and broker of At Home Real Estate in Moscow and Pullman.

“We’ll be the first bar and restaurant drivers see when they come into town,” she said.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.