I Love Arkansas: The Food

I apologize for falling a bit behind with the blog. Something about moving halfway across the country has taken up most of my time lately. I have arrived in Oregon. As I write this, I am sitting on the floor of an empty living room (my stuff is still en route from Texas) greedily taking in the view of the mountains that I can see out of my backdoor. My dog, Sydney, who went from somewhat anxious to completely neurotic during the course of our cross-country trip is now resting quietly and seems to be adjusting. With a major move behind me and a new life in front of me, it feels odd to again think about my trip to Arkansas. Nevertheless, there are still some things I would like to share. So, let’s start with the food, because food is awesome. Arkansas has some great restaurants. During my trip, I visited old favorites and tried a few new places. In no particular order they are:

1. Stoby’s: Two words: Cheese dip! If you have nothing else at Stoby’s, you must have the cheese dip. Their sandwiches are pretty good too and their breakfast is supposed to be excellent, although I can’t personally attest to that. This tiny restaurant in Conway is always packed and the Tuesday night I was there with my family was no exception. I of course shared some cheese dip with my family and then followed that with a burger for my meal. As if cheese dip and a deliciously spicy Jamaican jerk burger were not enough, I decided to split dessert with my sister-in-law and niece. Made at PattiCakes - the bakery next door - the Reese’s-Cup Cake that we ordered was HUGE.Despite three of us giving it our best effort, there were still leftovers. The only problem was my sweet niece just wanted to eat the peanut butter icing part. We had to have a small chat about how it was totally unacceptable to have more than her share of the peanut butter. And I may have told her she was crazy for not liking chocolate.
2. The Root Café: This was a new to me spot in LR. On Wednesday, I went to LR with my cousin, her husband, and two kids. Because they are various combinations of gluten and dairy free, this is one of their favorite places. Basically The Root offers lots of deliciousness straight from Arkansas farmers and caters to all sorts of diets. My cousin,  Holli, and her family especially love the gluten-free bread, which is made at a nearby bakery. I tried a bite of their toast and I have to admit, it was tasty.

   

   The vegetarian  bahnmi and sassafras cream soda I ordered were both so delicious.

   

   The Root is open for breakfast and lunch. We arrived at 10:55 to an empty restaurant and by the time we sat down after ordering there was a line out the door.There is not much indoor seating and I would definitely recommend trying to find a spot inside when it is August in Arkansas, so it may help to arrive early – they close at 2:30.

   

3. Green Corner Store: The Green Corner Store is across the street from The Root. The store is a mixture of an old-fashioned soda fountain and small store selling eco-friendly products. It only makes sense to follow a yummy lunch at the Root with ice cream. In this case, the ice cream is from Loblolly Creamery. Not only are there a variety of ever-changing handcrafted ice cream flavors, they also offer two flavors of dairy free ice cream at any given time. Their homemade ice cream cones are gluten free, making Green Corner Store another recommended stop for those with food allergies or sensitivities. My choice was salted caramel ice cream in a (gluten free) chocolate cone. It was an exceptionally delicious ice cream cone. P.S. - the items I purchased for the giveaway were from Green Corner Store.

   

4. Blue Diamond Café: I had never been to the Blue Diamond Café in Morrilton prior to this trip, but it was a convenient place for lunch with my brother after we spent the morning hiking together. We relaxed over a long and delicious lunch. The Blue Diamond represented the best of what you can find in many small towns in Arkansas - a local diner with excellent food and friendly service. 

   

   

5. Arkansas Mexican Food: Okay, this is my own description of what you find in almost any town in Arkansas. Throughout the state there are locally owned Mexican restaurants that serve remarkably similar food that is distinct from what I have found anywhere else. Until last week, i lived in Texas, where all varieties of Mexican food and Tex-Mex abound (one of my few regrets about moving to Oregon…), and yet I always look forward to a meal (or maybe two) of “Arkansas Mexican food” when I visit. One of the distinguishing characteristics for me is the white queso, which seems almost impossible to find in other places. If you are feeling especially indulgent order arroz con pollo. Although sometimes offered under a different name, the dish is essentially rice topped with fajita chicken and covered in queso. Trust me, it is delicious, especially with a little salsa on top.
6. Janssen’s Lakefront Restaurant: My parents wanted to take me out for a nice meal while I was home. One of their favorite spots is Janssen’s on Greers Ferry Lake. Not only is the food yummy, but there is also a great view of the lake. If it is not 90+ degrees outside, there is also a really nice patio outside. We settled for a seat by the window instead. I ordered a BLT with avocado and sprouts with a side of sriracha fries (ummmm, yes). My dad had never heard of sriracha, so that sad, sad oversight obviously needed to be corrected. While my sandwich was delicious, it did not quite compare to my dad’s fried chicken. Next time, I will just order the fried chicken for myself. I ended the meal with a slice of homemade pecan pie. My only excuse is that I am moving far, far away from delicious Southern food like pecan pie, so I had to eat it while I could.
7. Midnight Oil: This little coffee shop in Searcy has a special place in my heart, but also happens to have earned my undying affection by serving the best coffee drink ever, as well as the second and third best coffee drinks ever. These are the  granita, the Mr. Blond (white mocha) shake, and a Kick in the Face – an espresso float that served to  caffeinate many late night study sessions.

   

   The coffee and food are excellent and the atmosphere is everything you could want from a coffeehouse – the walls are covered in cool art, proceeds benefit communities in East Africa, and you will always run into someone you know. I spent many, many days and nights studying here, gossiping here, and both laughing and crying here with friends, sometimes at the same time. Even now, when one of my college friends is having a tough time or an especially joyful time, we will say, “I wish we could go get a  granita together to celebrate” or “Ugh!! I hate that, I just want to take you out for agranita and give you a hug.” Of course I realize that this little coffee shop and the oh-so-amazing  granita will not represent friendship and good times to most people in the world, but if you are in Searcy (although to be fair, there are not too many reasons to be in Searcy), MO is definitely worth the stop. Enjoy a  granita for me!

   

   

Of course, I could not fit every delicious option into a single week. The following are some of my other favorites, as well as a few places I have always wanted to try. Keep in mind that these restaurants are mostly located in Conway and Little Rock because that’s where I usually spend my time, but I know there are plenty of other great places elsewhere in Arkansas!:

1. Stringbeanz: This family owned restaurant in the tiny town of Eglantine near Greer’s Ferry Lake is known for their pies. I wanted to go last time I was home, but the owners were out-of-town on vacation. Next time!!
2. Cotham’s: The original location in Scott, Arkansas – Cotham’s Mercantile – is the home of the hubcap burger. There is now a second location in Little Rock. I have yet to eat here, but it has been on “my list” for years.
3. Georgetown One Stop: There is no shortage of great catfish places in Arkansas, and really it is hard to go wrong when you’re talking about frying fish and adding more fried foods to go along with it. For my vote, the Georgetown One Stop is one of the best. It is the epitome of “hole in the wall.” I don’t even know if they have a working phone. A couple years ago, this widely known secret closed down to much mourning. Thankfully, they recently opened again. Their food is just about as fresh as you can get – they literally catch the catfish in the nearby White River. You generally sit at large communal tables and the primary décor scheme is brown, but it really doesn’t get much better than this.
4. Whole Hog: When I first moved to Texas and went to my first Texas BBQ restaurant, I made the mistake of ordering pulled pork because that’s what I had always ordered at a BBQ restaurant. And for good reason – pulled pork in Arkansas is deliciousness. No one does it better than the Whole Hog. Not only is the BBQ excellent, you also gets to mix-n-match your choice of sauces, my personal favorite being a combination of sweet and spicy. As if that wasn’t enough, you can also choose a homemade brownie as one of your sides. Sold!
5. Brave New Restaurant: This is a great date night restaurant. It’s pretty much the whole package – quality seafood, a great view, and a friendly and helpful staff. Oh, and chocolate crème brulee.
6. Trio’s: I haven’t been here, but it is consistently voted one of the best in Arkansas. Maybe this should happen the next time that I’m home.
7. Mike’s Place: This is one of my parent’s favorite places. Located in Conway, it operates as a private club to bypass Arkansas’s alcohol restrictions (Conway is in a dry country, if you even know what that means). So, in order to dine there, you have to “purchase” a free membership, but then you have the opportunity to enjoy great food and wine, which is always a combination that works for me.
8. Bruno’s: Craving Italian food? Then head to Bruno’s Little Italy. That’s all I’ve got because it is another place I have yet to try (maybe next time I’m home I should eat less Arkansas Mexican food and try some other things…).
9. Victorian Garden: If you are anything like me, (and I realize most people probably aren’t) you grew up having tea parties with your cousin because you did not have a sister. And I am talking tea parties – we would spend hours dressing up and sometimes my aunt would even fix us “fancy food” to go with our tea. Now that we are (more or less) adults, we still enjoy having tea together now and then, but dress up clothes in the living room just don’t cut it. Enter Victorian Garden. Located in a nondescript building, the inside is cozy and they serve dainty girly food. They serve a full menu, but also offer afternoon tea by reservation. It might be a tad more sophisticated than our tea parties as children.
10. Iriana’s: This place serves some of my favorite pizza in LR, or favorite pizza ever. I also love their ranch dressing. Like I-could-eat-it-with-a-spoon love their ranch dressing. However, my preferred method of ranch delivery is pizza crust, not spoon.
11. ZaZa’s: My friend Jessi introduced me to this relatively new (and by new I mean since I moved away 7 years ago) Conway restaurant. (there’s also a location in LR). They serve pizza and salad and do both really, really well. The salads are almost as good as the pizzas. Many of their ingredients come from Arkansas farmers.
12. Community Bakery: This place. As you know, I love chocolate. I truly have a weakness when it comes to chocolate of any kind. Thus, I have had plenty of opportunities to try all kinds of things made of chocolate. Community Bakery serves one of my favorite chocolate things ever – a turtle cheesecake that is beyond words. I’m thinking about driving to Arkansas as I write this just to have the cheesecake... Okay, maybe not since I just spent most of the last week in my car and it is a really far drive. But throw in the opportunity to see my nephew and it does seem tempting. Anyway, back to the chocolate amazingness - it is cheesecake topped with caramel and pecans and then coated in decadence, I mean chocolate. Seriously, ah-maz-ing. I am sure they have other things that they sell, too, but I have never noticed.
13. Coursey’s: This is a little place in the Ozark Mountains. Not only is the setting beautiful, but the place smells wonderful. That is because they smoke meats here. All kinds of meats. And not only can you buy this meat, you can order a sandwich right then and there so that you don’t even have to wait until you get home to eat the meat. There are outside picnic tables where you can sit down and enjoy the simple perfection of a Coursey’s sandwich. Or you can pick up a ingredients for a picnic lunch on the Buffalo River. Composed of only the basics – bread, meat, and cheese – the quality ingredients speak for themselves. And I pretty much love any meal I can eat with a view. When my Tennessee grandparents would come to visit, my grandfather would always want to go here, despite the drive to get there.
14. Doe’s: A branch of the Mississippi Delta restaurant of the same name, the menu is simple – steak, steak, and steak. You choose your cut of steak , which is served family style with salad, new potatoes, French fries, and Texas toast. There are several locations in Arkansas, although I have only been to the one in (the sketchy part of) Little Rock.

Okay, I have really got to stop. This post is getting a little ridiculous. But hopefully, you get the point – Arkansas has some wonderful restaurants that benefit from the amazing produce and other farm fresh foods that are available throughout the state. After eating at any one of these places, you will say “That was a great restaurant!” without even the thought of adding “…for Arkansas” to that statement. What would you add to the list? I’m sure I missed something! Plus, I need to have a list of places to try next time I am in Arkansas.