Nash & Proper offers online orders, which is allowed as an “essential service” during Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
I’m a huge fan of chicken sandwiches, and since I stopped eating beef, they’ve become my go-to burger replacement. That’s why, despite this being my fourth chicken sandwich of the week before the quarantine, I agreed to accompany my parents to Nash & Proper’s latest location at SacYard Community Tap House (1725 33rd St.).
Founded by Cecil Rhodes and Jake Bombard, Nash & Proper is a food truck aiming to bring “PROPER Nashville style hot chicken to our hometown, Sacramento,” according to nashandproper.com.
Since they’re on wheels, they park at a different location each day and communicate that through a Google calendar on their website.
They’ve also gained a serious following on social media: Their Instagram account (@nashandproper) has 22,500 followers. On Instagram, they mostly post photos of their signature sandwich as well as times and locations — although these seem to be infrequent, so I recommend sticking to their website.
If their high-follower count doesn’t tip you off that Nash & Proper is quality, maybe the cheery people raving about it while waiting in line for 15 minutes will.
For example, the young man talking with my family mentioned that he had followed one of Nash & Proper’s two food trucks for the past four Sundays. Similarly, my mother — and consequently my reluctant father — has eaten a Nash & Proper chicken sandwich thrice in the past 10 days.
Besides sandwiches ($12), the food truck offers wings ($10), tenders ($10) and a quarter of a breast ($10) along with sides of fries ($5), coleslaw ($3) and potato salad ($3). You can also customize the spiciness of the chicken, from “Naked” to “Cluckin Hot.”
My dad and I ordered the mild sandwich, while my mom got the medium sandwich, explaining that she was working her way up to “Cluckin Hot.”
So did this taste like a true Nashville sandwich?
Well, I’ve never been to Nashville, but this was one of the best chicken sandwiches I’ve ever had. Period.
The outside was crunchy yet flaky. The chicken breast was tender and juicy, but not oily. Every bite had the perfect amount of crispness and meat. The mild flavor was perfect — not too spicy to hurt, and not too plain to be boring.
On the other hand, a few bites of my mom’s medium flavor had my mouth and stomach burning. Even my mom, who is no chicken (pun intended) when it comes to spiciness, was sweating.
Good luck with the “Cluckin Hot” one, Mom.
Although the chicken was huge — think the size of your hand — the ratio of coleslaw, pickles, sauce and bun kept it from being overpowering.
I also tried the potato salad, which was average. There was nothing wrong with it, but there was nothing that made it stand out. Same with the fries.
I would not recommend getting a side unless you’re starving because these sandwiches are big, and trust me, you’re going to want to finish it. I could only get through 85% of mine, and my parents insisted on a walk to help us digest our food.
I honestly cannot think of a single reason not to seek out Nash & Proper.
The food was amazing and worth every dollar. Although the line was long, our food came out quickly. Seating might be a problem after the quarantine depending on the location, but don’t let that stop you from tasting perfection.
Seriously, do yourself a favor and pay this food truck a visit.
Service: ★★★★☆
Atmosphere: ★★★★★
Food: ★★★★★
Prices: ★★★★☆
Overall: ★★★★★
—By Emma Boersma
