Flavors of Northwest Arkansas

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're at Bocca in Fayetteville talking with co-owner Mike Rohrbach and Executive Chef & GM John Harpool, but before we hear from them?!?! FOOD NEWS!! Bonchon has their grand opening tonight in Rogers! The Oak Steakhouse is opening in Rogers at the New Hotel Avail. Queen Donut's opens this week in Fayetteville. Black Apple Hard Cider is having a BIG birthday this weekend! We talk to one of the owners of the soon-to-be new restaurant/brewery in Lowell, the Fermentary! The Botanical family is growing! King Burrito is headed back to Fayetteville Waystone Pizza has closed in Fayetteville. Mike Rohrbach was working away as co-owner of Flying Burrito and had no plans to open an authentic Italian restaurant. Enter his food salesman Keith Burmylo, who had different plans for himself and Rohrbach... You'll hear how that materialized... it wasn't quick... And how about Executive Chef John Harpool? He got into food almost accidentally when he was back home one summer break from the U of A. You'll hear what prompted him. Incidentally, it made him a VERY popular roommate back in college... You'll hear about his first food job and what propelled him into being the top dog in the kitchen AND front of house at Bocca. We talk to co-owner Mike Rohrbach and Executive Chef/General Manager John Harpool NEXT here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

In this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we talk with Chef Miles James- he of Ella's at Inn at Carnal Hall, Inn at the Mill, James at the Mill, 28 Springs, and currently? MJ's Pizzeria. We'll hear from him shortly, but first?!?! FOOD NEWS! Not the night that we wanted here locally at the James Beard Awards. Chef Matthew Cooper's new restaurant Ryn will officially open tomorrow! Archie's Sandwichery opens soon. We'll hear from the owner! Bloom Cheese Collective has started their soft opening week. We'll hear when they open for good! Sicaru Coffee Roasters opened last week. We now have a Peruvian restaurant in Rogers. Queen Donuts should open soon in Fayetteville. Taqueria Guanajuato just opened in a new location. A new tea shop is opening soon in Fayetteville. Miles James grew up in Northwest Arkansas and went to the U of A. He got his first job in a legendary Fayetteville restaurant when he was 14, and from there, he was hooked. After college, he decided on culinary school and then learned from some of the top chefs in the northeast and around the world. Chef James has some great stories about that. Why did he come back to NWA? Opportunity, both professionally and personally. At the tender age of 26, he came home to open James at the Mill and Inn at the Mill in Johnson. His trajectory and life changed immensely because of 3 guests just having lunch one day. That's when things truly took off. What a great story that is, and you'll hear it from him. And finally, his current baby, MJ's Pizzeria. He'll tell the story about how it started, and how they survived Covid. Also, I couldn't believe it when he said it, but next month will be a decade for MJ's- 10 years! And something's on the horizon for the place. Chef James will tell us that and much more, and that's next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!    

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're at San Miguel Mexican Grill and Bar in Fayetteville talking with Jesus Rodriguez... but FIRST?!?! FOOD NEWS! Wu Zhao finally opens in Bentonville. We'll hear from owners Barry Furuseth and Vincent Lim. The 9th Downtown Springdale Street Dinner took place Saturday night. Fossil Cove Brewing became a teenager! It looks like a local Indian food chain has closed. If you have a tip or have heard any food or beverage news, feel free to shoot me a note. Just look for Flavors of Northwest Arkansas on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. You can also shoot me an email at FlavorsOfNWA@Gmail.com. Jose Rodriguez emigrated from a small town outside of San Miguel in Mexico and made his way to Houston to get into the restaurant business. He started at the very bottom and made his way from absolutely nothing. He met the love of his life in Houston and now some 40+ years later, their kids have kids, and though he doesn't know what the word “retire” means, his kids have taken over their 2 restaurants. La Hacienda, named after the restaurant in Houston where he learned the trade, and San Miguel, of course the resort town near his hometown (and there might be something new on the way). One of Jose's sons, Jesus Rodriguez, grew up in Fayetteville as one of 6 kids, went to Brightwater, and now for the most part runs San Miguel... We hear from Jesus about how his family ended up in Arkansas from Houston... He'll also tell us about growing up at La Hacienda, how and why he decided to go to Brightwater, and of course, we talk food. That's next, here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're in Lowell for this episode at Goat Lab Brewery talking with owner Bill Adams and Promotions and Marketing Director Alex Keltner... but before we get to them?!?! FOOD NEWS!! Parlor Donuts is having their soft open week, We'll hear from the owners about their Grand Opening! We have an update on Mermaid's in Rogers. We talk to Jordan Wright of Wright's BBQ about helping put together the first Bentonville BBQ Festival that happened Saturday! Sicaru Coffee Roasters will open soon in Fayetteville. We have the deets. What about Archie's Sandwichery in Bentonville? We talked to the owner and have new details You can now have nitrogen ice cream in NWA! Tula is moving from the Fayetteville Square! A New Orleans coffee shop is coming to Rogers. Girls Gone BBQ will be closing soon. Sakura Poke Sushi & Grill is now open in Fayetteville. We'll hear from them. Goat Lab Brewery in Lowell isn't just a brewery. it's a part of a complex that was inspired by owner Bill Adams time in the military while stationed in Germany. Of course, we all know about the Grove Comedy Club, but there's more to the complex, and Bill will tell us all about it. Also, why Lowell? If you've been around long enough, you'll remember that the Grove was initially in Rogers, so why'd it move? Finally, when getting Goat Lab together, Bill was extorted. He tells us what happened. It was a stressful time for sure. Watch on YouTube or listen to wherever you get your podcasts!

In this bonus edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Podcast, we cover the huge day yesterday for the Northwest Arkansas food community, specifically for those desiring easier access to fresh local food as well as food entrepreneurs who are looking for an inexpensive option for their food or drink production, as a very crowded Market Center of the Ozarks held their grand opening and ribbon cutting in downtown Springdale.   Emily English is the Director of Northwest Arkansas Food Systems and the Senior Program Officer with the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group and explains the difference between the 2 operators of the facility. Senator John Boozman was on hand and talked about the current plight of the farmer and how this facility could be an influence nationally. One of the most important topics when planning the Market Center of the Ozarks was the location- why downtown Springdale? We'll hear from Arkansas Food Innovation Center Executive Director Darryl Holliday. If you're a food entrepreneur, or are thinking about making your own product, we'll tell you how to reach out! We'll have a podcast with the Arkansas Food Innovation Center team later this summer, where we'll get knee deep into the ideation and what it took for the Market Center of the Ozarks to come to fruition. Don't forget, you can find us on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please subscribe, like and rate. If you're new, check out our archives as we have over 70 interviews–mostly audio, but the past 3 months are video on YouTube. And if you're going out this weekend, please tip your servers and tip them well if they deserve it. They count on your more than you count on them. Have a great weekend, we'll see you next week.

On this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we have an interesting one- in fact, it's been one that I've been curious about for some time. How do chefs get their knives sharpened? Do they send them off one-by-one? Do they do them themselves? We caught up with a local mobile knife sharpener to get the answers. We talk to Tyler Eck of Honed-In Sharpening. But before we do that?!?! FOOD NEWS!! Last week, the downtown Springdale Street Dinner picked their chef, and he's set the menu. We'll hear from Bienvenue's William Mauk. The Park House Kitchen and Bar took on serious roof damage in last week's storms. They're having a Raise the Roof party – we have the details! There's a new Italian restaurant in east Springdale. We'll tell you about Palermo's. We tell you about the cohorts that won Cureate grants this year The Market Center of the Ozarks opens this week! It's the week of the Bentonville BBQ Fest. You won't believe how many competitors are coming to this event! A new softserve/coffee trailer has opened at the 8th Street Market Happy Anniversary today to Meiji! Tyler Eck kind of fell into sharpening knives... it wasn't what he originally wanted to do, but he was hoping that this would get him in the door to doing what he had originally wanted... Little did he know that sharpening is what he'd fall in love with. He sharpens more than knives- if it's got a sharp edge, chances are he can sharpen it. He'll tell us the list of what he sharpens... so far. And yes, you don't have to be a professional chef or stylist to get you blades sharpened by Tyler, as he sharpened a few things for me... quickly. In fact, he does it during the interview. We talk with Tyler Eck of Honed In Sharpening, next, here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast we're taking a bit of a left turn as we're heading out to the Rogers Farmer's Market where we had a bit of a roundtable, and we'll get to that, BUT FIRST??? (*FOOD NEWS*) Pesto's By Lance closed yesterday. We'll hear from Lance. Both Renzo's locations also close, but it might just be temporary Taqueria Lucha opened on Dickson Street last week The Apartment 7 Bar has opened in the space formerly known as WineU on 15th Street across the street from Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville. There is now a Rudy's BBQ in Fayetteville Local Ice Cream is joining he Brick City Shops at Evelyn Hills Mermaids in Rogers is opening soon. VERY soon. France's top Sommelier will be in Springdale at the end of the month! A local bartender competes against the top 30 in the nation We'll hear about the new restaurant & bar at the New AC Hotel in Bentonville The Bentonville Brewing Company turns 10! Of course, we're in Farmer's Market Season here, and it's a serious time of year for those that run them, and those that have booths. The Rogers Farmer's Market got displaced by the tornado last year, but they've come back strong. Owner/operator Grant Wise took it over last year from his mother, carrying on the family tradition. But with that came new ideas, new marketing AND a new location – a very different one that's paying off early... We hear from Grant, and two local vendors that basically plan their whole week around people “shoppin the shade.” If you don't know what that means, you will shortly, right here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas...

Hope you're thirsty! On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, where we're talking local BEER... local Beer with owner/operator John Lee of New Province Brewing Company, but first?!?! FOOD NEWS!!! Chef Rafael Rios has a grand re-opening at Yeyo's at the 8th Street Market. We'll hear from him. Akira Sushi and Hibachi opens in east Fayetteville. Owner Andreas Tan tells us what it was like leading up to getting the doors open. BBQ King in Bentonville has closed. The Honey Bean Ice Cream Company food trailer has moved! It's all about honey, bees and beer Sunday at Orthodox Brewery. Café Lavande is officially open in Fayetteville. A new Poke Bowl and Sushi place will be opening in west Fayetteville. USip is setting up near UA, and a former NFL quarterback is one of the owners. New Province Brewery opened in Rogers in 2016 and was founded by Derek and Megan McEnroe. In 2022, the brewery was acquired by John Lee and a few partners. Before New Province, Lee owned and operated Rebel Kettle Brewing Company in Little Rock and built it from the ground up. He took a shining to brewing at a young age thanks to his first taste of a craft beer, and it's one that helped start the movement nationally- we'll tell you which one. How did he learn to brew beer? He didn't intern anywhere. He didn't work at any breweries before opening his own. He'll tell you how he learned. And the lead up to opening that brewery? He tells us what he DIDN'T know and what his first day was like opening Rebel Kettle. After 4 years, he got out of the beer business and went back to his professional roots, which benefitted him greatly. You'll hear the story. Finally, John bought New Province in 2022 and quickly looked to see what he had with an eye on expansion. He'll get specific on some of their beers and some that are coming down the pike. It's John Lee of New Province, next, right here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

Welcome to episode 66 of the Flavors of Northwest of Northwest Arkansas Podcast! In this episode, we're in Fayetteville with Lewis Chase, co-owner of Feed and Folly, City Park, and The Guisinger, which is where we did the interview. But first? FOOD NEWS!! More like COFFEE News today! The highly anticipated Onyx in downtown Springdale has opened. We'll hear from co-owner Andrea Allen Doomsday Coffee has opened on the West Side of Springdale There's a new coffee shop opening in Springdale on Memorial Day Weekend The Preacher's Son has added on... kind of. Sassafras Springs Vineyard has won another BIG award! A new Tri-Tip place will be opening in downtown Springdale You can now get your BBQ at the Fayetteville Athletic Club! Lewis Chase is a Fayetteville guy through and through. Born and raised there, U of A educated, and spends his days downtown, mostly. He's also part owner of 3 popular restaurants- Feed and Folly, City Park and the Guisinger. He's got some great stories- like how they opened Feed and Folly before covid. RIGHT before covid. He'll tell us how they survived. And how about City Park? Is it a seasonal place? And what does it have to do with Southwestern Bell? Those of you that have been in Fayetteville for a LONG time will know that answer. And how did they come about getting the Guisinger? He'll tell us about that, and the name as well. Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts!

In this week's Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're at Loma in uptown Rogers talking with Chef Daniel Hernandez, but first!?! Food News!! Lasang Pinoy is FINALLY open in Rogers! Sidecar in Fayetteville fully opens TODAY! Happy anniversary to a Bentonville staple! We hear from the co-owner of Doomsday Coffee about their soon-to-be-opened Springdale store Grove Food Truck Park opens this weekend! El Sol in Fayetteville to shut their doors Burger King on College in Fayetteville closes Onyx in Springdale opens their doors for good next week! Get your tickets for tomorrow's Dish event benefitting the expansion of Arkansas Children's Northwest! LOMA Executive Chef Daniel Hernandez is from Mexico City and made his way to the states to work construction. He very quickly found his way into a kitchen in Missouri, where he started in the dish pit... he worked his way up to the line, and eventually to running the whole thing, and that took over a decade. He eventually found his way here to Northwest Arkansas, and he'll tell you how he got here. And if you're a Gen-Xer like me, you'll love to hear what his first job was, and you may have actually done it yourself back in the day. Chef Hernandez describes his food, and we'll walk through some menu items. Also, what was it that hooked him in to cooking?? Listen wherever you listen to podcasts or watch on YouTube!

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we talk to Jerrmy Gawthrop, co-owner of Wood Stone Pizza and formerly of the Greenhouse Grill. But first? Food News! Lasang Pinoy is about to FINALLY open in Rogers Get out your records- Sidecar is about to open in Fayetteville Dining in the Dark in Fayetteville? Yes, at the Mockingbird Kitchen! Act fast! Doomsday Coffee opens in Springdale (we think)! A new pop-up opens in Springdale at the Spring Kitchen K-Pot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot opens in Rogers soon. Win dinner for four! Still a chance to get your tickets to Dish benefitting the Arkansas Children's Northwest expansion! Jerrmy Gawthrop has quite the background. The co-owner of Wood Stone Pizza grew up working in the restaurant scene in NWA and started front-of-house. Then he got pulled into the kitchen, and that's where his education truly began. Eventually he would open the Greenhouse Grill, and sleep there. And that's where he started the Roots Festival with others. Roots built into more than a music festival, as they brought award-winning chefs to Fayetteville a part of Roots. It was great until it wasn't. Jerrmy will tell that story. And where did he get the idea for Woodstone Pizza? It was while cooking on a street in a competition – crazy story. And what did they find when they acquired the uptown Woodstone? Even crazier. Yeesh And by the way, do you remember the Most Interesting Man in the World beer ads back in the day? Fayetteville's version just might be Jerrmy. Watch on YouTube, or listen wherever you listen to podcasts.

On this special edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we have the privilege of supporting a great cause, the expansion of Arkansas Children's Northwest. They're holding a big fundraiser called Dish, where you'll be able to try dishes from 25 restaurants. It's an amazing opportunity as you'll be able to try restaurants that you might not have had the opportunity to get to. Tickets are $100 and you can get your at archildrens.org/dish. We talk to event chair Kelly Comer in this episode and she'll tell us more about the event, entertainment, the silent auction. Please like and share!

In this week's episode of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're at Bauhaus Biergarten in Springdale, talking with original co-owner Chef Jennifer Hill Booker, and new co-owner, Chef Rafael Rios... Plenty to get to there, but FIRST?!?! FOOD NEWS!! More beverage news today!! There's a new 7Brew in Springdale that's the first of its kind. Doomsday Coffee will be opening soon in Springdale. A Fayetteville favorite, Dodo Coffee, is back in business. Part taproom/part boutique Terracotta opens in Bentonville, according to the Bentonville Bulletin. Happy anniversary to Columbus House Brewery, New Province Brewery, and Orthodox Farmhouse Brewery. The new Ruth's Chris in Rogers is HUGE and has everything. Bauhaus Biergarten in downtown Springdale opened in October of 2022 to co-owners Chef Jennifer Hill Booker and Daniel Hintz... Recently, Daniel left Bauhaus, and Chef Rafael Rios of Yeyo's took his spot... You'll hear the story of how that went down... And what does Chef Rafael know about German food and culture? His answer might surprise you. With new ownership comes new ideas and menu items, we'll hear about those... And the beer... no domestic beers there... it's German and European beers only... we'll hear about their beer plans as well. Finally, a few quick notes. We recorded this before Chef Rafael was named a finalist for best chef of the south by the James Beard Foundation, so there's no mention of that. We also didn't record a Mike Engleman Home Pro Tip of the Week this time. We got lost in conversation during a break and lost track of time, so I totally boffed that one... BUT, Chef Jennifer did do one last September, so we'll use that one. She did it over Zoom, so it'll sound different. It was audio only, as we didn't do video last September. And, if you watch on YouTube, you'll see people pass through the picture. We set up right by the bathroom... believe it or not, it actually was the best spot to set up.. We talk to Chef Jennifer Hill-Booker and Chef Rafael Rios, next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Podcast, we're in downtown Springdale at Menya Kitakara with owner & chef Inggit Rianto... but before you talk to him?!?! Food News! As I'm sure you know, Bentonville has 2 finalists for James Beard's Top Chef in the South. Brightwater hosted a magic seminar, kind of. The Savoy Tea Company will be closing its doors Onyx opens a walk-up window for their soon-to-be-opened coffee/chocolate shopin downtown Springdale Inggit Rianto is from Indonesia, but came to the US to goto the University of Arkansas. He had been in the corporate world for a good while before getting the itch to open a restaurant with his wife. How did he learn to cook? He'll tell us. They'd opened Ramen Nara in Rogers, and it had been open for a blink of an eye before covid hit. He'll tell the story of how they stayed open during that time. He got the itch to open a new Ramen place in Washington County, and he'll tell you how downtown Springdale won out the services of Menya Kitakara. Speaking of Kitakara, how did they land on that name? We hear it all and much more with Inggit Rianto from Menya Kitakara next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

On this special edition of The Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we welcome Celebrity Chef Tiffani Faison to Choctaw Casino- Pocola, where she'll be hosting a restaurant takeover at Seven Ponies on Friday (4/4) at 5:00 and 7:30 and Saturday at 5:00 and 7:30. Few tables remain, so get to ChoctawCasinos.com and get yours. Tiffani lived in Oklahoma during her formative years and talks about that. Tiffani loves doing these events and will tell you why. We also talk menu for the event, and if you're going, go hungry. I'll be at the Friday 7:30 seating with Mrs. Flavors of Northwest Arkansas and hope to see you there! See the menu below! First Course Popover “Salad” Blue Cheese, Watercress, Spinach & Red Romaine Lettuce, Candied Nuts, Pickled Raisins Second Course Chicken and Spring Vegetable Croque Monsieur Ranch Mornay, Crispy Ham, Herbs Third Course Smoked Pork & Shrimp Mojo Smoked Pork Belly, Mustard & Pickle Jus, Braised Greens Mojo Marinated & Grilled Shrimp, Black Bean Crema, Cilantro Cucumber Salad Forth Course Chocolate Silk Pie

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're at BV65 talking to Executive Chef Scott Redington, but before we get to Scott?!?! Food News!! Brightwater & Bentonville hosted the World Food Championships. You'll hear from the winner and others. Core Brewing is re-opening their tasting room today. Crisis Brewing is at a crisis point for room. Hear their expansion plans. You can help the Prelude Breakfast Bar Spring Kitchen Company opened over the weekend The Larder is open at The Ledger Homegrown at the 8th Street Market has announced a grand opening date Onyx has opened 2 new coffee shops at the Walmart campus, and one is open to the public! BV65 Executive Chef Scott Redington got into the food business as a suggestion from a family member. He started cooking on the line at a restaurant in his hometown of Salt Lake City. He had a boss tell him once that he wasn't going to make it in this business... Good thing he's stubborn because that's why here in Northwest Arkansas all these years later. He's been up and down the western half of the US, but has been in Bella Vista now for a while as the Executive Chef for the restaurants under the Bella Vista POA, who's newest property is the BBQ restaurant known as BV65.. He's newer to BBQ, but his pitmaster Flavio Valverde isn't, and they've come up with a delicious menu (especially those smoked pork belly tacos). Listen and watch wherever you get your podcasts!

On this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we head to Gentry and talk to the current and former owners of the Wooden Spoon, but before we get to them?!?! FOOD NEWS!! A brand new Pickleman's opens in Springdale Gaskin's on Emma Executive Chef Sam Walker gives details about their Chef Cycle Fundraiser for No Kid Hungry. It's an all-star lineup! You can get your tickets HERE. Parlor Donuts are coming to Rogers Takashi Hibachi & Sushi has officially opened a brick and mortar in Centerton Benny's Bagels will be opening where a popular pizza place used to live. You come for the dessert, and stay for the meal. That's been echoed in Gentry for over 20 years when talking about the Wooden Spoon. Cam and Jane Klassen started the restaurant 20+ years ago, in their mind, as sort of an obligation- you'll hear that story. You'll also hear about the building that the restaurant's in. Part of it came a VERY long way. Cam tells us that story. 4 years ago, Justin and Emily Allen bought the Wooden Spoon from the Klassens. The Allens had no restaurant background, but it didn't much matter at the time. You'll hear the story about the transition, and the emotion involved once the wheels started to turn. We talk to Justin and Emily Allen, as well as Cam and Jane Klassen about one of our region's favorites, the Wooden Spoon, and that's next right here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

In this week's episode of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, we're in Rogers at Heirloom at the 1907 talking with Co-owner and Chef Jason Paul, but before we get to him?!?! (*FOOD NEWS!!*) We are anniversary-heavy this week! Happy 75 years to Maxine's in Fayetteville! Happy 54 years to Patrick's Hamburgers in Springdale! Happy 29 years to Susan's Restaurant in Springdale! Happy 8th to the Odd Soul, while enjoying a beard trim with Jeffro! Update on Apt. 7 in Fayetteville. Spice & Tea Exchange Opens in Bentonville Mezzaluna Pastaria gets BIG designation Homegrown in opening in Bentonville soon! A few CSA Shares still available at Cobblestone Farms. Thai Spice opens in Springdale. Get your Waffle Hut breakfast in a new spot in Rogers! Stoic Brews opens to serve gluten-free beer in NWA! Heirloom at the 1907 is a reservation-only tasting menu restaurant in the Onyx building in downtown Rogers. We talked to co-owner and Executive Chef Jason Paul, who along with his partner Danielle, have built something unique to our area. If you've not been, you're just not quick enough. Let's just say this- if Taylor Swift were playing the AMP, you might have an easier time getting a ticket. BUT! Chef Jason has a tip for you on that front. They don't seat many, and if you get a reservation, the seat is yours for the night. Though it's a tasting menu, it has many courses- sometimes up to 10! Chef Jason is from Arizona, and got his first kitchen experience in a restaurant when he was 14, and it was all because of a book signing. It's a great story... The kitchen where he worked at that age? It just so happened to be in the nicest restaurant in the Phoenix area... He'll explain. And what's it like to work in a Vegas kitchen under the age of 21? Jason's got the deets. Finally, how did he end up in Northwest Arkansas? The way MANY people do. We talk to Chef Jason Paul from Heirloom at the 1907, next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we hear from Corey McCain and Reese Roberts of Leverett Lounge and the soon-to-be Sidecar in Fayetteville... But first?!?! FOOD NEWS!! In this week's food news, Muselet moves into the former Bentonville Provisions space, we have a new cut-to-order cheese shop coming to Fayetteville, Maxine's Taproom is having a birthday throwdown, Onyx will be opening another location, and so will Confident Coffee, there's a new coffee/beer/food joint in the works in Bell Vista, Bonchon Chicken is coming to Rogers, more news on the Fat Chef, Thai Spice will open their new location this weekend, Rein Sushi & Hibachi is officially in their not-so-terrible two's, The Cave Barber Shop in Springdale is opening a bar next-door, and a local taco shop closes. Leverett Lounge is owned and run by local restaurant veterans-slash-husband and wife team Corey McCain and Reese Roberts. You'll want to hear how Corey won over Reese after she rebuffed him... but it's not as epic as their wedding, which they'll talk about. Maxine's owners Hannah Withers and Ben Gitchel started and owned the place for a good while, but then sold to Corey and Reese... Hear the story behind that. And the recipes... the KFC, The Mel's Diner, the Hello My Name is Inigo Montoya, You Killed My Father, Prepare to die- that's a menu item, and there's more... Also, they're starting a bar underneath Café Rue Orleans called Sidecar, they'll give us the low-down. A few quick notes on this one: I was sitting by a wall, so I'm a little echo-ey (I should have known better).. Also, the kitchen gets loud towards the end of the interview, as they should, so be prepared. Finally, just a little explicit language in this one, but nothing my wife hasn't heard. Please like and subscribe to the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas on YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

In this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Podcast, we're in Fayetteville at Calle Latin Cuisine interviewing chef Fernando Castillo. But before we hear from him?!?! FOOD NEWS!! Onyx will open a shared space in the Fayetteville Square, and they'll be serving much more than drinks. Brightwater officially opens its artisanal butchery program and butcher shop. We'll hear from Butchery Instructor Travis McConnell. Mermaids has locked in a new spot in Rogers. We'll tell you where that is. Roll and Fold in Rogers has closed, but is open under a new concept. Ryn in Bentonville will do a documentary, and you can get involved. The Fat Chef MAY not be closing after all, but several things have to go right. They're popping bottles at Tusker's Tavern in Fayetteville Calle Latin Cuisine in Fayetteville will be a year old in April. Owner and Executive Chef Fernando Castillo is originally from Puebla, Mexico, and at the age of 20, decided to move with a friend to New York- he'll tell you why. Also, why did he end up coming to Fayetteville from New York? It wasn't as popular a destination in the early 2000's.     On the food side of things, he'll talk about his influences, including stealing a recipe from his Ecuadorian wife. Kind of. That's in this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we celebrate one year! 52 weeks of podcasts down, thousands to go! We're at The Hive in the 21C Hotel talking with the super-energetic Executive Chef, Micah Klasky. What a great interview... but first? Food News!! It's an unusually busy week of food news, both good news and bad... Casa Magnolia opened last Friday in downtown Springdale. We'll hear from Chef Rafael Rios Speaking of Chef Rios, Yeyo's at the 8th Street Market is closed temporarily, we'll tell you why. Former Fayetteville Food Truck, Dot's Nashville Hot Chicken is now in a brick and mortar Now for the not-so-great news. Con Pilas Coffee House in Springdale officially shut their doors this past weekend, as did Doomsday Coffee in Siloam, and The Fat Chef at Prairie Creek. Micah Klasky is from the Dallas-area, but spent his formative years growing up in Jonesboro... From a very young age, one of the tv shows he grew up watching was the greatness of Justin Wilson. If you've never heard of Justin Wilson, just look him up on YouTube. He was an exceptional Cajun cook and could absolutely spin a yarn. You'll see what I mean... he was the best. So, Micah was destined to cook, obviously. He started making his way through the business because of a mentor that he connected with. It included a seasonal work-trip to the east coast. Micah will tell you that story. He'll also talk about some of the best advice he's gotten, and it's the same advice that I've given before when talking to college kids. What got him from Little Rock to Bentonville in 2014? He'll tell us. Also, he's super-passionate about No Kid Hungry. He talks about 2 fundraisers he's doing for them, including a chef's dinner with some insanely talented chefs, and there will be some Michelin Stars represented at that dinner. Please listen or watch wherever you get your podcasts.

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we head to the legendary Venesian Inn in Tontitown. Before we get into that, wanted to make sure that you all know that we have cameras now and our podcasts are also on YouTube. Just search for the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas once there, and you'll see me and my giant head talking to lovely folks.  Please be sure to live and subscribe, we'd VERY much appreciate it! Well, we're knee-deep into the winter storm... As of now, it doesn't look like we'll get above freezing until Friday, meaning that folks who depend on us to eat and drink at their establishments will be shut down for a few days. Please remember that when you're able to go back out to eat and drink... they'll need our support. In Food News this Week: Casa Magnolia opens in downtown Springdale Slim Chickens celebrated their 22nd birthday, and there's news on what they're doing with their original location The Alamo Drafthouse won't be coming to the Highway 112 Drive-In in Fayetteville afterall The Guisinger has one of the top 30 bartenders in the US. You'll hear from him. A beloved Bentonville food truck is closing The Venesian Inn was opened in 1947 by Germano Gasparotto in Tontitown, and a few years later, he sold it to John and Mary Granata. Several generations down the line, one of their great-grandson's now runs it with his wife. You'll meet Jeff and Melissa Bowen. They took it over right before covid with very little restaurant experience. They'll tell you how they survived that. Also, how hard is it to change the menu of a 78-year-old restaurant? The Bowen's shuddered at that question... Oh, and the Venesian Inn used to be just that, an Inn, and much more. Jeff used to run around in play in it. We'll talk about what's still original to the restaurant AND we'll talk menu, as well some new menu additions. We're at the Venesian Inn in Tontitown, next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're at Butterscotch in the Bentonville Square- you know the place- part bakery, part bar. We get into that, but first! FOOD NEWS! Applications are open for the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame... The original location of Slim Chickens is closed until summer, we think. We took video yesterday and, well, the original building is gone. Cobblestone Farms in Fayetteville is now reserving 2025 Spring/Summer CSA shares.... The 2nd annual NWA's shortest St. Patrick's Day parade has been announced. We have the particulars. Fayetteville's Spoon Fusion Korea Oh-K Dog on Dickson Street will temporarily close starting today and will re-open the 24th, according to their social media post. (*) Some sad news to report. Popular Fayetteville Food Truck Swag Banh Mi announced yesterday that they'll be closing down in 3 months. We'll hear why from a co-owner. Sam Gibson is the Director of Operations and Bar Manager of Butterscotch Bakery and Bar in the Bentonville Square. He's been there since he helped concept it with longtime friends and owners Sam and Larissa KcKenzie. He'll tell us why it's a bakery and bar, of course, a unique pairing.. Also, how did they wrangle prime real estate on the Bentonville square?!?! We'll hear that story as well. We'll talk about the bakery and what Sam wants to see on store shelves nation-wide from there, and he makes us some EXCEPTIONAL Butterscotch Old Fashions, I can say that it's the best Old Fashion that I've ever had... Sidenote- a bit of explicit language in this one, so plan accordingly. Thanks for listening- listen wherever you get your podcasts, and watch now on YouTube!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we head to Crystal Bridges where we talk to Chef Tim Ordway, Associate Director of Culinary Operations at Crystal Bridges & the Momentary... But before we get to Tim, we have food news! The Akira Ramen and Bowl food truck in Fayetteville is adding a brick and mortar location. The quickly popular Stonebreaker Hotel restaurant has new hours Sadly, we have 2 restaurant closures to talk about Chef Tim Ordway started his culinary career like so many- as a teenager working in fast food (Chik-Fil-A, actually), and knew pretty early-on that he wanted to work in food. But it wasn't just for the food aspect. Tim will explain. He credits his college education at Johnson & Wales for giving him a head start in the culinary industry, where he moved up quickly. He became a sous chef quickly in his early 20's at a restaurant where he met his wife.  Chef Tim tells us why they moved from Charlotte to Northwest Arkansas. And there are many folks out there wondering why Crystal Bridges has a chef. They have several, and Chef Tim will tell you what all they're responsible for- it's a BIG list. For those that don't know, there are MANY culinary adventures are offered at Crystal Bridges, and that list is about to grow. ***Sidenote- if you haven't seen or heard, we've added video to Flavors and you can now watch on YouTube (just search for Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, or find the link on our Facebook or Instagram). 

*SPECIAL BONUS EDITION* One of my favorite celebrity chefs of all time is Rocco DiSpirito, and I had the chance to interview him! I just couldn't believe it. He's holding a restaurant takeover at Choctaw Casino in Pocola on February 7 & 8, and we got a preview of the menu (that he called his favorites) and for those going, prepare for a treat. Team Flavors of Northwest Arkansas will be at Friday night's 8pm service, because, how often are you going to get to eat a Rocco DiSpirito 5-course dinner? We also talked to Britta Erickson, who came up with the idea of celebrity chefs coming in and hosting the restaurant takeovers and she was with Choctaw Casino's Executive Chef Shawn Berry, who pulled back the curtain for us a bit about these takeovers. It's a quick episode, but it was one of my faves. Hope you enjoy!

On this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're up in Bentonville at The River Grille talking to Brenda Swango, but before we get to that... we talk Food News! Some good news: The Feral Pig is finally open in Fayetteville. We hear what items owner Julie Sill has brought over from the legendary Common Grounds Chef Rafael Rios has announced the grand opening date for his newest venture, Casa Magnolia in downtown Springdale Some not-so-good news: The Blackberry Brasserie has closed Bentonville Provisions will be closing soon. Brenda Swango practically ran a café at a gas station as a 14-year-old. She worked in restaurants through college, which included pounding ice at 6 in the morning. She'll tell that story. After college, she worked in retail and travel, but the pull of restaurant life never left her, and she wanted back in. She worked for a restaurant group in Oklahoma and wanted a project where she was a partner, and it finally came. A steakhouse in Bentonville in the year 2000? Hear what she thought at the time. Brenda also tells us about their event called Dining in the Dark. What is it, how do folks participate, and what does it have to do with Chelsea Handler? We hear about it all with River Grille's Brenda Swango, on this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas! Listen wherever you get your podcasts!

On this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're talking CHOCOLATE and all sorts of stories with KYYA Founder Rick Boosey, but first in Food News: Zelli Pasta is now... a deli? Yes, hear about Zelli deli from one of the owners. House 1830 is celebrating the Lunar New Year, and you can too. Another longtime Fayetteville bar will be shutting its doors. It's Bentonville Restaurant Week! Get your tickets now to the AACF Soup Sunday! Rick Boosey started KYYA Chocolate after a trip to Uganda where he saw how underprivileged kids in an orphanage were living. He's a serial entrepreneur and decided that was how he was going to help that orphanage. Among other things, cacao (or cocoa beans) is a natural resource in Uganda, and that's how KYYA Chocolate was born. But it wasn't that simple- Rick had to learn to make chocolate and YouTube videos weren't cutting it. Speaking of KYYA Chocolate, how did they come up with that name? After many tries, they started making good chocolate. Hear who bought Rick's first order and for how much! Rick has made several trips to source cacao straight from the farmers to cut out the middleman, and in doing so, has had some close calls and harrowing experiences in South America. He tells those stories. KYYA went from making 25 chocolate bars in a week to having over 300 items and making 5,000 items in a day. Hear about that progression. Rick talks about learning from missteps and even a funny story about buying barcodes from barcodes.com... or eBay (we think). So much storytelling, and you'll hear it on this episode of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're at the soon-to-open Stonebreaker Hotel in Fayetteville where they have already opened for restaurant dinner service and we talk to Executive Chef Tyler Rogers. I had a GREAT interview with him and can't wait for you to hear it! In food news: Café Rue Orleans celebrates 24 years. Co-owner Maudie Schmitt re-lives the final moments before they opened back then. After soft opening for a week, TOCA held their grand opening in downtown Springdale yesterday. Osaka House will soon be opening in Fayetteville, according to the Fayetteville Flyer. Los Compas Margarita Town opens in Rogers. A new pop-up is kicking off tonight at Arsaga's Mill District from Rabbit Hole NWA. Tyler Rogers is from south Arkansas, and it was a book that carved the course for his professional life... He was a fry cook in high school for gas-money and between then and now, he's worked at a couple of 3-Michelin Star restaurants, and a single star Michelin restaurant where he became sous chef, and that helped define what he does today. Tyler's fried catfish, made edible balloons, had a night where each course was based on a Wes Anderson Movie and much more... He's Big on creativity, and so is his menu. Listen to Chef Tyler Rogers right here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Podcast, we have the definitive storyteller of Ozark Culinary History on with us, and she's a very gifted storyteller at that, her name is Chef Erin Rowe. But first in Food News, we talk about the soft opening of Toca in downtown Springdale. General Manager Samantha Chavez will give us the rundown of what kind of restaurant they are. We also have an update on former Proof restaurant Lasang Pinoy as they plan to open in their new place soon. Finally, congrats to the Botanical team, as they've added to their portfolio. We'll explain. They say that a cat lives 9 lives. Chef Erin Rowe is living all 9 right now once you see what she's done and what she's doing. From teaching, to selling art, to culinary school, to singing, to giving food tours- we get to it all with a special focus on Ozark Culinary History, where she wrote what's basically textbook for it, titled: An Ozark Culinary History: Northwest Arkansas Traditions from Corn Dodgers to Squirrel Meatloaf. She tells us some of her favorite stories, interviews and recipes from the book- she's such a great storyteller that I got lost on my questions a few times as I got completely sucked in. You will too, and we'll hear from her next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas...                    

Happy New Year!!! Welcome to 2025, and thanks for listening to our first podcast of the year, we appreciate you being here! I know that there are folks out there that are kicking off the year with a dry January, and we wish you all the success... However, here at the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, we toast to the New Year with Sassafras Springs Vineyard and Winery... we'll talk with them in a minute. But first- Food News! Wanted to start with the Yankabilly Smokehouse- the former food truck at the Boardwalk in Springdale is now open inside Mothership on Emma. They've been up and going for 3 weeks and co-owner Aaron Kemper told me that they have some big plans for the spring, and it might involve their outdoor stage. 2025 will also be bringing some new restaurants and concepts to our area, and there are plenty that we're excited about: We kick it off with the Handshake coming to South College in Fayetteville. It's one of the 2 concepts coming from the Conifer team this year.. Former Conifer GM Hope Ray is a Fayetteville native and will be at the helm for this one. Just like Conifer, the menu will be gluten-free and have a heavy emphasis on being locally sourced. It will also have a market with locally sourced meat, veggies and more. The building is taking on a significant remodel, so it will take some time. The other concept from Conifer was announced a month ago, RYN. It'll be in Bentonville, and will be a farm-to-table tasting menu restaurant in a renovated farmhouse right next to their farm. They also plan to have events on their surrounding land. Yeyo's Executive Chef and Owner Rafael Rios got busier in 2024 as he became part-owner in downtown Springdale's Bauhaus Biergarten... He'll get even busier this year, as he'll be opening Casa Magnolia directly across Allen Street from Bauhaus. According to their website, outside of the café, they'll have a Two Friends Community Book kiosk, art, coffee, clubs, ice cream and more... We'll let you know when we hear about a grand opening date. Bentonville Chinese Restaurant Wu Zhao is projected to open later this month. It'll be owned by Blu Fresh Fish Marketplace's Barry Furuseth, Vincent Yao Lim, who's executive chef and known as the Wolf of WOK Street in Australia with millions of social media followers, and former champion of Netflix's Zumbo's Just Desserts, Catherine Zhang. We talked with them on November 13th, if you want to hear that episode. They'll be opening next door to Mezzaluna in downtown Bentonville. Sadly, yesterday was the final day of service for Mermaids in their current location in Fayetteville. I did receive confirmation yesterday that they're still targeting April for their opening date at their new location... still no confirmation yet on the location but will let you know once it's set. Sassafras Springs Vineyard and Winery is many things... a winery, a wedding venue, a retail space, a restaurant, a place to stay and more, but it certainly didn't start out that way. Co-owner Cheryl Long and GM Drew Gorton detail for us the journey to what it is today. They're mother and son of a family-run business, and that cast continues to grow. They have some wines that have won impressive awards in some of the biggest competitions in the US. How did they learn to make wine? You'll hear that story. Equally as important, how do they bottle it? They started off bottling by hand. It's been an evolution for sure, and they recently made a huge investment in it. Finally, we ask all of our guests what their last 24 hours was like- they had a great, albeit frazzling story! Listen wherever you listen to podcasts!

What a year 2024 was! In this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we check out my favorite segments of 2024. As you might imagine, we couldn't fit to all the stories and episodes, as we had over 40 interviews this year! That said, you'll hear from chefs, bakers, brewers and owners as they talk about building out their dreams, and the roads taken to get there. If you're into giving Christmas presents this year, you don't even have to wrap mine- just like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all. See you in 2025!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're in Uptown Fayetteville at Smokin Oak Pizza interviewing the proprietor Ben Roberts as we were surrounded by the self-pour tap-wall there... we'll get into it in a sec, but first, food news!! The folks that own and operate Tusk & Trotter and Brother's Meethouse are hosting their 14th annual Christmas Eve free community brunch. Of course, it's happening on December 24th from 10am to 2pm at Tusk and Trotter in downtown Rogers and at Brother's Meethouse in Bentonville. Some big news for Grow NWA recently. Microgreen Queen Katie Helams of Grow NWA now offers a monthly microgreen subscription for only $20. You can see all about it at their beautiful new website, grow-dash-nwa.com. They're also always stocked at Bentonville Provisions and at the Turnbuckle Farmstand in Bentonville. A few new winter/holiday cocktail menus are out. Mezzaluna Pasteria in downtown Bentonville is one of them, and I'm eyeing the Boozy Hot Chocolate- it has Callebaut whole bean roasted Belgian dark chocolate, Grand Marnier, and Averna cinnamon whipped cream (yum). It comes garnished with Markham & Fitz artisanal chocolate shavings and a vanilla toasted marshmallow. Black Apple in Springdale also has one, and I'm looking at a drink called Reindeer Games- it has gin, licor 43, orange, and cranberry juniper cider. Also eyeing that Irish coffee. And finally, Episode 3 of Bien the Know came out Sunday and comes out every month on the 15th. If you're not familiar with it, Bienvenue Owner and Executive Chef William Mauk and I interview someone on a topic and Chef Will also answers recipe questions from you. You can email him at chef@bienvenuerestaurant.com. This month, we talked with Chef Carrie Burse from Bentonville Provisions about kitchen items that actually work and make great holiday gifts. You have 2 chefs giving you their 2 cents on this! Check out Bien the Know, available wherever you get podcasts... And now to Smokin Oak Pizza. Owner Ben Roberts has had several businesses over the years and also works in the marketing and tech sectors, but as a kid, he started in the restaurant business and did it into college. When looking for a new venture, he went back to his roots and got back into the restaurant business and he'll tell us why, and why he picked pizza. They opened after covid and felt the effects of it while working to get the restaurant built out. There was some quick pivoting that had to be done. And they're Arkansas' first legal self-pour tap wall. In fact, they helped get a bill passed so that they could be Arkansas' first self-pour tap wall after a mix-up with the powers-that-be. It's quite the story, check it out!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're in Springdale where we interviewed the 3 owners of Rein Sushi & Hibachi. We'll talk to Raynor, Bari and Avery shortly, but first... Food News!! Some big food news came down yesterday. James Beard nominated Chef Matthew Cooper and the folks at Conifer announced a new endeavor on Monday night- It's called RYN! It will be a farm-to-table tasting menu restaurant, and like Conifer, it'll be gluten-free. Also like Conifer, they'll support local farmers and purveyors, providing fresh, and sustainable ingredients. If you listened to Conifer's podcast with us in March, you heard Chef Cooper break the news that they'd have their own farm soon. Well, that farm will be right outside the back door, and they'll be growing much of their own food right on the farm. They also hope to provide community events and much more. It's set to open next year. We'll have more info as it becomes available and catch up with Chef Cooper next year. The Ozark Beer Company's release of its heralded Bourbon Double Cream Stout, or BDCS, went live Monday, and as of last night, they were still selling it on their website. It's a smaller run this year, so it won't last long. You can pick up your orders in their taproom starting December 28th. There are few things I like more than fun food & Bev promotions, and one smacked me RIGHT across the face the other day on Instagram. Black Apple Hard Cider is having a Short Girl Appreciation night, where they'll short your tab 10% if you're a female under 5-foot-2... it runs from 5-10pm on Tuesday December 21st... don't forget, they have a full cocktail program now to go along with some of the country's best cider. Speaking of cocktails, if you're in the Siloam area, Park House Kitchen & Bar has come out with their holiday cocktail menu! That Peppermint Mocha White Russian and Smores Old Fashioned have my attention. Check it out on their social media... Now to Rein Sushi & Hibachi... to be so young, what a past these folks have. There are 3 owners, Reiner Wibowo, Averie Mattix and Bari Abe, and they're super-tight. Reiner and Bari are both originally from Indonesia but met in Harrison, Arkansas, where they both met Averie and started a popular business there that they'll talk about. Later, they got the itch to open in an area where they liked to go on their off days, Northwest Arkansas. This is their 2nd business here, but the first one was purposefully short-lived, while they were looking for a place to set up their dream business... By the way, there are some unique menu items that we get to the bottom of! Check out Reiner, Averie and Bari on this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving.... and welcome to the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast. I'm John Engleman, thanks for listening. Today, we're up in Bentonville at Lady Slipper talking to Chef Arturo Solis. But before we get to that? Food news! We're starting to see some winter menus pop up around NWA. Case-in-point, House 1830 in Rogers came out with theirs yesterday. Check out their social media to see a new menu item- curry lobster stir-fry! If you have a place with a new menu coming out, shoot me a note on social media or email. Would love to see it. Speaking of new menus, Con Pilas Coffeehaus in Springdale has one, that's for sure. They started their cocktail program this week. We'll hear about it from co-owner Juan Dove. Park House Kitchen & Bar in Siloam will now be closed on the first Monday of every month for maintenance. Plan accordingly! The Lady Slipper in downtown Bentonville opened in late October of 2022, and chef Arturo Solis has been involved since the beginning. He's originally from Miami and was in the family business before he decided that he would end up cooking for a living. He'll tell you what that business was, and I certainly wasn't expecting it! And what was it that made him decide for a life in the culinary world? Probably not what you'd think. We talk menu at the Lady Slipper and how his influences cover a sizeable spectrum with limited kitchen space and a small menu. Please like and subscribe if you like what you hear!

Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to another edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast. Appreciate you being here. Today, we catch up with Julie Sill. You know her from owning and operating a few legendary Dickson Street spots from back in the day, Common Grounds and the Hog Haus Brewery in Fayetteville. She's back and opening a new spot. More on that in a second. A few quick things first. If you're in need of a free Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, I've posted a list of places that are serving them on Instagram and Facebook. Just look for the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas. Secondly, some very important dates were announced yesterday (Tuesday, November 26th) for any and all beer nerds out there. The good folks at the Ozark Beer Company announced that they'll be releasing their vaunted BDCS during the last week of the year! For those that don't know, that is the Bourbon Double Cream Stout. People come in from out of state for this release. It's been rated World Class by Beer Advocate, it's and it's right here in our own back yard! We'll get a history lesson on it from Lacie Bray and Marty Shutter of Ozark Beer Company. Hear what you'll be able to get and when! By the way, if you want to hear the Ozark Beer podcast, scroll back to April 17th. It has some great stories! Also, head to Ozark Beer Company's social media to see the message from owners Lacie and Andy about the release. Now. Back to the Feral Pig... Julie Sill came to the UofA on a soccer scholarship. A knee injury ended her soccer career, and she needed to figure out what to do next. While she was doing that, she waited tables. She worked her way up. She found a correlation between the restaurant business and soccer, and that's what sucked her in. She'll tell you what that is. She worked her way into management and was soon running a restaurant for someone else. It didn't take long before she had her own restaurant at the age of 21! She'll tell that story and how she got Common Grounds off the ground. Later, she'd own and run the Hog Haus Brewery and wait until you hear the sweetheart deal that she got! Health would force her to get out of the business and head home to Maryland, but Fayetteville pulled her back, and now she's launching a new spot. Sidenote- there are a few spots in here where adult language is used, so beware! We'll hear from Julie Sill, next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.    

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we talk with Todd and Marti Martin. They own Theo's in Fayetteville and Rogers, the East Side Grill, Tuskers Tavern and the Southern Food Company, which was their first restaurant. Before that interview, we hear from Odd Soul owner Jeffro Brown about something that they have going on this week. On Thursday, they'll be starting campaigns to pre-buy pizzas for those in the area that aren't as fortunate. They'll also be hosting a fundraiser to help erase one school's lunch debt.  Again, it happens tomorrow, Thursday November 21st from 5 to 9 at the Odd Soul in downtown Springdale. And there's something going on tonight (if you're listening to this on Wednesday, November 20th)! Callisto in Bentonville is having their grand opening from 4 to 11pm. 10% of all proceeds will go to Gather to Scatter- a non-profit committed to gathering community resources and extending them to those in need. Would absolutely recommend getting reservations as it's already a very popular place! Now back to Marti and Todd Martin. They're retirees, but they're not old. In fact, they might be busier now than they were before retiring. They met at the UofA, got married and had 3 girls. They'll talk about their professional careers and how they ended up back in Fayetteville. And why the restaurant business? The answer may not be what you think. As their first restaurant, how did they get the Southern Food Company off the ground with no restaurant experience? They'll talk about that. Todd and Marti bought both Theo's locations and the East Side Grill during Covid. How and why?? There's a pretty good answer. Finally, why did they open Tuskers Tavern right behind East Side Grill? Some fun stories with Todd and Marti Martin, next, here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, things will be a little different, as we're going to be talking to a chef from Australia that has, literally, millions of social media followers and is going to be part-owner of a restaurant opening here. More on that in a second.   But first, what a road it's been for the Mellow Moose Burger food truck of Siloam Springs! They won the Miracle League's Northwest Arkansas Burger Competition in September, giving them a Golden ticket to World Food Championships in Indianapolis. That happened this past weekend. We'll hear how it ended and hear from Adrian Lem of Mellow Moose Burgers.   Now onto some somber news. Smoke and Barrel in Fayetteville is now closed. They decided to sell to someone else and announced it on social media this past weekend. We'll hear from them.   If you're online and follow the top influencers in the Chinese food world, you've no doubt heard of Vincent Yeow Lim, or @DimSimLim, as his millions of social media followers know him. If you don't follow him, you might want to check out his TikTok or Instagram feeds to see what kind of food will be coming to our area. And oh, by the way, Catherine Zhang is one of his partners in this. She's a pastry chef that won Zumbo's Just Desserts on Netflix and was the youngest to do it. They'll be partnering with our guy Barry Furuseth of Blu in Bentonville. So, what is it? Where will this restaurant be? What's the meaning behind the name? Why did they decide on Northwest Arkansas and when will it open? So many questions and we'll get the answers next, right here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

On episode 37 of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, we hop back up to Bentonville to talk with restaurant power-couple Trae and Weisi Basore. They're the owner/operators of Bar Cleeta and The Big Lieutenant- really enjoyed my conversation with them… but before we get to them??? *Food News* Here's some quick food news… As you'll recall, we interviewed Todd Golden from Mermaids at the end of September, and he told us that Mermaids would be closing at the end of the year. According to the Fayetteville Flyer, they have since found a new location but have yet to disclose where, as there's still working to secure it. That's something that we'll continue to follow. KYYA chocolate has relocated their operations to Bentonville at 5400 SW Regional Airport Blvd and had their grand opening last week. Owners Rick and Kristi Boosey tell us why they made the move when they did. It also gives them some much needed additional space, and that means some new items. Gelatissimo is opening in downtown Rogers on Saturday morning at 11. They'll be just the fourth Gelatissimo store in the U.S. and if you get there early on Saturday, you could get a scoop for free! If you have some restaurant news that you want to shoot my way, you can shoot me an email to FlavorsOfNWA@Gmail.com or DM me on Facebook or Instagram at the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas   Now onto Bar Cleeta and the Big Lieutenant as we talk to husband/wife team Trae and Weisi Basore, and they are all about family, including the names of the restaurants and menu items. Trae is a Bentonville native, and he and Weisi worked in the New York restaurant scene. They met at a Met's game by happenstance. They were supposed to meet earlier. You'll love that story. They got married and wanted to try something different than New York, so they did the extreme opposite and moved to LA. They'll explain. During this time, Bentonville was growing up, and they were taking notice on their trips back. After a year in LA, they decided to make the move to Bentonville. Once here, they got busy with pop-ups and started searching for their own spot. They'll tell you how they found their spot for Bar Cleeta, and how they survived during Covid. We'll also hear about the Big Lieutenant. It's different from Bar Cleeta in that it's not as upscale. They'll tell us the story behind opening it. We'll also hear about some popular dishes from both places, including a 6-day wagyu brisket, rabbit bologna, pastrami lamb ribs, and the Arkansas Tomato Dish. Thanks for checking us out!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we hop over to Siloam Springs and to the Park House Kitchen + Bar, where we interview owner/operator Alma Sanchez. But before we got into that interview, we wrapped up Top Chef NWA 2024 benefitting the Rogers Public Library Foundation. We'll hear from the winners and have some news about a popular new part-owner of a Springdale restaurant. Also, this coming weekend will be a popular grand opening weekend in Bentonville. Callisto will be opening on Friday (check out our Facebook/Instagram for our soft opening story) and Brothers Meethouse will be opening on Friday in the Market District. We'll hear from them. So glad that we got to the Park House Kitchen + Bar in Siloam Springs. Really enjoyed the interview, the space, and the food! For those that haven't been there, Alma Sanchez has an amazing place in the downtown historic district right by the City Park & Gazebo and Sager Creek. She was raised in the restaurant world and grabbed the opportunity of the Park House when it unexpectedly became available, just a few weeks after sitting on the porch there, wondering aloud how cool it would be to own the place. It used to be a hotel, and still kind of is. Alma will explain that. She also talks about how they came up with the menu for the place. They thought outside the box for this one and it worked out well. She talks about how they pivoted to survive covid, and how that kept her from having to lay anyone off.   Also, any place that has brunch on the weekends, chicken and waffles, and a Monte Cristo has my attention!   We talk to Alma Sanchez from Park House Kitchen & Bar, next, here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.  

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast we head up to Bentonville and talk to Chef & Owner Soerke Peters of Mezzaluna Pastaria, and let me tell you, this man has had some experiences that will absolutely blow you away. But first, a quick note if you're listening to this on October 23rd or 24th in 2024, Top Chef NWA is happening Friday night. I've talked about Top Chef here a few times and it's a great event, as we went last year for the first time. It's the big fundraiser of the year for the Rogers Public Library Foundation, and 4 chefs (actually 3 chefs and a team of students from Brightwater) will compete for the title. Last year's winner Chef Garyn Folden from Cura Culinary will be one of the judges this year. With your ticket, you will experience a minimum of four dishes prepared by the competing chefs & teams. You will also enjoy grilling stations, pass dishes, signature cocktails, mouthwatering appetizers, decadent desserts, and an open bar… for $75. Great deal, great cause, great time! You can get your tickets at the Rogers Public Library Foundation website, or you can just go to the ticket link on our Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Facebook and Instagram pages.  Hustle and get yours before they sell out! Back in July, we interviewed Mitchell Owen from Zelli Pasta, and they had a super-busy summer, with their growth and expansion of the store. Mitchell did have some breaking news for us back in July and told us that they were working on an in-house tomato sauce sourced from Arkansas grown tomatoes. It's now available and you can pick it up at the store in downtown Springdale! Mezzaluna in downtown Bentonville held their grand opening on August 19th and have been humming ever since. Chef & Owner Soerke Peters also owns and operates a Mezzlauna on the Monterey Bay in California- so, why Bentonville? He explains. Unlike most of us, he knew what he wanted to do at a very early age. He got into training to be a chef after high school, and as a new young chef, he got hazed. You'll hear his stories. Early on, he was working at Michelin star restaurants, where he really learned the trade. Chef Peters was named Executive Chef for the 1990 World's Fair in Russia & Siberia. How do you order food for thousands of people? Also, he served one of the biggest dignitaries of that time and had little-to-no notice before having to do so. Some wild stories from that job. And finally, what I ask everyone- what was your last 24 hours like before you opened your doors? It was… active. Listen and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're in Rogers at the Ashleigh Lounge talking to Chef Colin Stewart. We also introduce a new podcast. It's called Bien The Know. I host it with Bienvenue (now the title makes sense!) Owner & Chef William Mauk. We have culinary discussions, talk food and wine culture and Chef William will take your recipe questions- just hit us up on our social media. We'll also have special guests. The monthly podcast will come out on the 15th of every month and the first episode is up, so check it out here, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Now, some congratulations are in order! The readers of Celebrate Magazine have spoken! Celebrate held voting for their VERY BEST categories of 2024, and Congrats goes to Mermaids in Fayetteville as they win for the VERY BEST seafood restaurant. Hurry over to check them out, because as you've heard here, they'll be closing at the end of the year. Also, big congrats goes out to Cura Culinary. They won the VERY BEST in the fine dining category. Of course, they reside in Bentonville Provisions at the moment, but as they told us on their episode here in late July, they have big plans for moving into their own spot! Colin Stewart is the executive chef of The Ashleigh Lounge, the new wine, sake and small plate bar in Rogers. He's originally from the Buffalo area but has been in NWA for a good while. He's had just about every job you could imagine along the way but eventually got a job cooking, which he fell in love with. He's become a high-end chef without being formally trained. He'll tell you about his path, and the BIG part that being a stay-at-home Dad played into his education. Speaking of education, he's learned quite a bit from chefs around these parts that he's worked with. And if you catch him staring at you while you're eating his food, you'll know why. It's a good thing. He also talks about his food and will tell us how different preparing small plates is from entrée-sized meals, as well as getting new menu's together in basically no time. He's a fun storyteller. If you enjoy the podcast, please like and subscribe! Thank you!

On episode #33 of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Podcast, we have a fun interview with Gaskins on Emma owners Bert Jones and Lisa Provencio-Jones and Executive Chef, Sam Walker. First, though, we've got news from Black Apple Hard Cider. We talked with co-owner Leo Orpin back in August and he told us that some changes were coming. Those changes are almost done, and we hear what they're adding. It opens in a week and a half… Just down the road in downtown Springdale, Bauhaus Biergarten celebrated their 2nd anniversary last weekend. They had a ribbon cutting, happy hour, polka music and a German-styled pig roast as a part of the weekend celebration. Many luminaries showed up, including Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse. We hear from him and Co-Owner/Executive Chef Jennifer Hill-Booker about their 2 years in the community. Sidenote- Check out the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Facebook and Instagram pages to see our video of the celebration weekend. Gaskins on Emma opened their doors in late June, and have been gaining momentum ever since. Of course, the original Gaskins restaurant is called Gaskins Cabin Steakhouse in Eureka Springs, which is also owned by the Jones family. We'll get a history lesson on the Gaskins name and its colorful past. Also, you've got to hear how Lisa and Bert met. It's a great story, and let's just day that Bert had lady luck on his side. And how did they get into the restaurant business in Arkansas? And after that, what led them to want to open in Downtown Springdale? Turns out they'd been looking for a while in Northwest Arkansas. Chef Sam Walker is their Executive Chef at the Emma location and he is someone who had been on their radar for some time. You'll hear the story. And what about the food? Of course they're very well known for their prime rib and steaks, but we'll also hear about bone marrow and their famous Burgundy mushroom soup, and if you're looking for the recipe for that soup… well… I wouldn't hold your breath. Final note: there's some explicit language in this one.

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we're checking out a place that I recently learned about, and what they're doing is pretty amazing. We talked with Eliseo and Cheslea Medina of Medina's Tri Tip Company. But before our interview with them, you'll hear from Nikki Ringler from Cobblestone Farms about their big fundraiser (and it sounds amazing) and we'll also hear from Rob Nelson, Co-Founder and Culinary Director of the Good Gravy Group and Managing Partner April Seggebruch about the new Tusk and Trotter that just opened up in downtown Rogers. Back to Medina's Tri-Tip Company. I became aware of Medina's Tri-Tip Company recently and immediately had so many questions. Like why Tri Tip? Is it a restaurant? Is it a retail place? Is it both? Why is it in Lowell? Do they have other things besides Tri-Tip? So, I asked owners Eliseo and Chelsea Media all the questions. I also found out how they met, which is a FUN story. Our man Eliseo is a schemer for sure. They have a big menu and big hearts. They started Tamales for Toys benefitting area kids, and it's grown exponentially. We get our Tri-Tip on, next, right here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

Welcome to episode 31 of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Podcast. Today's interview is with Chef Todd Golden, co-owner and chef of Mermaids, TJ's Sandwich Shop and Isabella's, which will open soon in Bentonville. But we start with Mellow Moose Burgers in Siloam Springs. For those that don't know, they're a food truck that's gaining popularity, and they were VERY popular this past weekend as they won both the People's Choice and the Judge's Choice at the Miracle League Burger competition, earning them the golden ticket to the World Food Championships in Indianapolis in November. We hear from Owner/Chef Adrian Lem about the win. Chef Todd and his wife Nickki have owned and operated restaurants in Fayetteville for over 30 years. For those that haven't been here that long, you may now know that their first restaurant was called Belvedere's in Fayetteville. Chef Todd will talk about the early days. After Mermaid's, they opened up TJ's Sandwich shop and we talk to Chef Todd about how great it had to be able to start a menu from scratch for a hot sandwich shop. After TJ's, the Goldens opened Isabella's in Fayetteville as a fine Italian dining destination and they're now mere weeks away from opening in Bentonville. Chef Todd will tell us the easiest way to remember the Bentonville location and explain his favorite meal on the menu. And finally, if you've driven past Mermaid's recently, you've no doubt seen the “For Lease” sign out front. Chef Todd will explain. Flavors of Northwest Arkansas is available wherever you listen to podcasts.

On this week's episode of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we celebrate 10 years of business for local chocolatier Markham and Fitz in Bentonville. But we kick off the podcast talking about a big night. We're just over a month away from Top Chef NWA, benefitting the Rogers Public Library Foundation.  Tickets are available now. We hear from last year's winner, Garyn Folden from Cura Culinary. In this week's podcast interview, we catch up with co-founder and owner of Markham and Fitz, Lauren Blanco. They now distribute chocolate to 39 states & 6 countries and were featured in over 100 Anthropology stores around the US. Lauren talks about the 2 principals that they were founded on: celebrating people and restoring the earth, and Markham and Fitz really puts their money where their mouth is when it comes to that. She'll tell us how… Also she'll talk about one of their holiday bars, because I HAD to ask about it. It's the Festivus bar.  This is for the Seinfeld fans. How do they come up with new ideas and flavors? It starts with R&D… And finally, with it basically being fall, Lauren shares her favorite hot chocolate recipe in the Mike Engleman Home Pro tip of the week. Get pen and paper ready! We're talking chocolate this week on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, we're at House 1830 in Rogers where we talk to Owner/Chef Binh Hoang and Executive Chef Vatsana Hoang, or B. House 1830 got the number in its name from the house that Binh and his brother Quang grew up in. The brothers are Vietnamese, but were born in a refugee camp in Thailand, that the family escaped under gunfire. Binh and his family moved here from Oregon, where he fell in love with the restaurant industry as a teenager, but, as an angsty teenager, he was not cool with how it happened.  You'll hear that story. It's a family affair for the Hoangs, but Binh was the first to come to Northwest Arkansas 9 years ago. Before opening House 1830 a year ago, his brother's family and his parents moved here to NWA. Binh will tell you what moved him here back then. And then there's the restaurant. How long was it in the works? How did they find their space? And the menu! Binh and B will describe what they serve, how they serve it, and get into the cultural relevance of it. As always, we highlight a few popular dishes. It's Binh & B from House 1830 in Rogers, next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas.

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On this week's episode of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we get an update about a grand opening, and we talk to the owner and chef of the only Cuban restaurant in the state of Arkansas. Mallory Files is going from charcuterie business owner to charcuterie studio and wine bar business owner, and she'll be open VERY soon. We'll hear from her. Also, if you've been to the Havana Tropical Grill in Rogers, you've been to the only Cuban restaurant in the state. Owner and chef Francisco Galdamez was born in El Salvador and he came to the US at a young age and went to school in Boston. I talked to him about getting into the restaurant business, and he started at the VERY bottom and worked his way up. His first job was washing dishes at the Logan International Airport in Boston, where he knew that the only way to make himself indispensable was to work hard and provide himself the opportunity the move up… Francisco will tell us how he got to Northwest Arkansas… it took a while for his wife to get onboard, but he tells us why. It's not necessarily what you think… And how hard was it for him to educate the northwest Arkansas public in Cuban food, and how hard was it to source? It's an ongoing process… We talk spices, plantains, pork and so much more and we do it over Cuban coffee on this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas (available wherever you get your podcasts).

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we talk to Patrick Bohannan and John Kuenzel of the Black Howler Beer Company in Highfill. They're old pals that met in band in the 6th grade. Now, I think it's safe to say that it's not a shock that they weren't originally looking to open their brewery in Highfill, but it's turned out to be the perfect match. You'll hear why. The original plan for the brewery was to get into an established building. That didn't happen, so they built from the ground up – and it's really nice. By the way, if you like watching Hot Ones on Youtube, you're going to love their niche as they brew spicy beer, and the spice level is about to be raised. BIG. TIME. Speaking of the beer, they have a unique brewing method and it's worked very well for them. We hope you check out this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, available wherever you listen to podcasts.

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, we're at Black Apple Hard Cider in downtown Springdale, talking to Co-owner Leo Orpin. Black Apple just celebrated its 9th anniversary! It's the first and only cidery in the state of Arkansas, and they had to take on educating the masses about cider. I've always been curious as to how Black Apple got its name, and it's a fun story. It was almost names something else. Also, Leo tells us how cider is similar to soccer. Is it? Here it is. And did you know that Black Apple was rated the 4th best cidery in the country? They also earned a gold medal for one of their ciders overseas in the motherland… Leo will tell the story. Finally, breaking news of a fall release, and there are new plans for the tasting room. The remodel has started! Leo breaks it down right here on this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas!

On this week's edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Podcast, we hop up to Bentonville Provisions where we talked with Chef and Owner Carrie Burse, and this lady has a pedigree! She went to chef school in Napa Valley before getting to work at a 3 Michelin star restaurant for her externship. Wait till you hear what she did there. She found out that there was a food program out west at Google and her stage (or tryout) was intense. What till you hear what she had to go through. Chef Carrie will also tell us how she got to NWA and what she did when she got here before she opened Bentonville Provisions. And speaking of Bentonville Provisions, what is it? A restaurant? Bar? Store? The answer is Yes, and more. Hear about it from Chef and owner Carrie Burse on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast.