fayettefood NOT YO MAMA’S FOOD BUT JUST AS
GOOD recipes
best hole in the wall dean pugh’s top 5 dating guide
a UA student media publication
Years ago, we stepped out of the comfort of our homes, where room and board were free, where meal plans came at the simple cost of setting the dinner table and we walked into our freshmen year. In the days leading up to college, we prepared to live off of chips, Ramen and late night Taco Bell. That is, after all, what we heard college life was all about. The days of our mother’s cooking-the sweet scent of apple pie wafting through the vents-- become a memory, something we look forward to every long weekend or Thanksgiving break. Whether we come from small cities or even from overseas, we constantly search for food places that remind us of home. A GPS can’t find these places, despite what our parents may have believed when they handed us the device. Throughout the years we have relied on trial and error and upperclassmen friends to find these hidden gems that make Fayetteville the cosmopolitan city it is today. They took us to the good places, having gone through the same ordeal themselves. As such, we are dedicating this special dining issue to the students still searching for those “holes in the wall;” the places that are not found on a GPS or even known outside the city, but are restaurants that offer consumers something new--a taste of Fayetteville or, better yet, a taste of home. After all, Fayetteville grows on all of us and, one day or another, it will become home. It has for us, and we assure you that it will for you. We hope you enjoy this issue, from the reviews to the recipes and everything in between. Bon appetit!
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Best Date Places
Where to take that special someone
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Michael Dodd’s
Top Five Restaurant Picks Doe’s Eat Place What to get: Filet Mignon Price: $30 What he has to say: “The most tender steak. Grilled to order.” Qdoba Mexican Grill What to get: Fajita Chicken Burrito with chips and queso Price: $7.11 What he has to say: “Good, good, good.” Chick-fil-A What to get: Spicy chicken sandwich. Price: $3.39 What he has to say: “Chick-fil-A College Night Special on Martin Luther King Blvd. You pay $4.01 including tax for a chicken sandwich, large fries and a large drink every Tuesday night.” Hugo’s What to get: Fries. Price: $2.95 What he has to say: “Honestly, I could eat a few sides of fries and feel satisfied. They’re delicious.” Damgoode Pies What to get: Stuffy Pepperoni Pizza with Spicy White Sauce. Price: $6.51 What he has to say: “I love the stuffed pizza.”
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Eyes bleary, joints stiff from sleeping in a warm ball during what few hours of sleep they got because of that all-nighter, most University of Arkansas students have one thing on their minds in the morning: food, good food. And from a trendy, gluten-free smoothie to be taken to that 7:30 a.m. class to the lush morning feast required of others before noon, breakfast is too many a mandatory starting element of their school day. The question of where to attain this fulfilling breakfast, therefore, becomes essential.
Well kept, and with a warm, inviting interior, the newly opened Einstein Bros. Bagels is, for lack of a better word, posh. While the coffee is relatively simple, what seems to “make” the little café-like restaurant is their namesake specialty: their bagels. From Asiago Cheese to Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, the LHNLY IYLHRMHZ[LY JLY[HPUS` ^VU»[ ÄUK [OLTZLS]LZ short on variety or choices in bagels. When the specialty types of bagels are included there are approximately 50 for the choosing! Food is simple and, of course, bagel-oriented, but always exceptionally good. Some fun tries include the Pizza bagels and deli-melts!
A classic campus favorite for its centrality and accessibility, RZ’s Café, located next to the Arkansas Union, is always bustling, and with good reason. Though mornings are expectedly crowded, the charming staff that not only work quickly, but also make conversation and are exceptionally friendly, easily counter that. Treats, varying from the casual croissant to a cute bag of donut holes to go, are nicely priced and always tasty. By far, the atmoZWOLYL VM [OL JHMt HS^H`Z ÄSSLK ^P[O JVU]LYZPUN students comfortably settled around tables, in armchairs, or in patio-like chairs in the café’s front, are what make this an endeared meeting place for students and teachers alike. As the mornings cool, [OPZ PZ H KLÄUP[LS` H WSHJL [V Z^PUN I` VU [OL ^H` [V or from class!
There’s a certain quiet about the place. Despite the ever-friendly atmosphere a typical campus café emits, there’s a notably bookish quality to Arsaga’s Espresso Café, and with good reason. Located in the University’s Law Library, this intimate little spot seems directed at those that frequent its location most: graduate students, law students, and even professors. As its name denotes, the café offers only espresso beverHNLZ I\[ [OPZ ZWLJPÄJP[` OHYKS` HMMLJ[Z P[Z WH[YVUZ and other lovers of the place. Indeed, its pointed focus on lightly roasting the majority of its coffee consistently makes the cafe one of the best places on campus to get coffee. Its central location at the Law Library’s corner is inviting and warm. Certainly, Arsaga’s Espresso Café is a always place for an exceptional cup o’ Joe.
Powering through
Adversity “I never stopped,”said marketing
professor Dub Ashton. “There’s no reason for us not to go out even though I can’t eat.” Ashton was diagnosed with stage four advanced throat cancer in July 2010, and has been unable to eat by mouth since the initial biopsy on his throat. Though Ashton cannot yet eat in a traditional manner, that has not stopped him from continuing the tradition of taking his wife to dinner. Each time he takes his wife out to eat, they order two entrees, and she will eat his order the next day. He has not allowed his cancer to affect his demeanor or perspective on life. Ashton is a joyful man. This is the first thought to cross the mind when greeted with his firm handshake and wide smile. One would never suspect that he has undergone a complete round of radiation therapy, chemotherapy and two major surgeries in the past 15 months. Ashton was originally given 12 months to live, but he has already reached his 15th month. “Things aren’t going exactly how they need to go, so last week I had surgery on my esophagus and on my mandible,” Ashton said, jumping directly into the subject. “I have some residual cancer in my carotid artery, thyroid carcinoma, and mandibular carcinoma.” “So I had some surgery, and I should not be here this week in all actuality. I missed two days. That’s the most I allow myself to miss,” he said at an interview on Oct. 13. His surgery was 16 days earlier on September 27. In January, Ashton had a radical neck dissection, an eight-hour surgery in which all of his lymph nodes were removed. Doctors instructed Ashton to take off the entire spring semester. He missed two days. “The classroom pretty much defines who I am,” he said with a smile.
“The one thing that hasn’t worked out, however, is eating by mouth,” Ashton said, redirecting himself towards the topic of the interview. “I have a tube here,” he said, pointing to his stomach, where a slight disconformity in his button-up could be seen. Ashton feeds himself by funneling a prescribed drink Glucerna 1.2, which is almost like Ensure, directly into his stomach. “This funnel hooks into my tube for my stomach, and that’s how I eat. I’ve been eating like that since August of last year.” Three times a day, he mixes in a protein supplement into two cans of the Glucerna 1.2. If a mealtime comes between classes, Ashton will travel home to feed himself and return to school afterward. Damage to Ashton’s esophagus caused this eating dilemma. “Radiation is a very devastating thing for us. An esophagus is about this big around,” he said, creating a circle with his thumb and index finger. Then he tightened the circle to the size of a finger. “The radiation actually shrinks it, so my esophagus is about that big around.” The last surgery Ashton underwent was an esophageal dilation to reconstruct his esophagus. He will likely have two more surgeries to continue the reconstruction. Doctors advised Ashton to eat bananas to prevent his esophagus from closing back up, which he began on Oct. 17. “Do you like lollipops?” Ashton said out of the blue. “I can’t eat them anymore. The sugar burns my mouth. Now, I used these for
“The classroom pretty much defines who I am,” he said with a smile. “The one thing that hasn’t worked out, however, is eating by mouth.”
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class. I have kids that come in and have bad days, and they get lollipops.” Ashton’s taste buds were damaged by the radiation treatments, but peppers or other spicy flavors, which he once loved, burn his mouth. He flooded from one subject to the next with the eagerness of someone who is genuinely thankful for his life. “The students have been just wonderful for me. I am so grateful for the relationships I have with young people. I’m an old guy, but I feel like I’m 30 years old. The guys in my class are always 21. They’ve been 21 for 40 years. How can I get old?” Ashton set his hand on his knee and smirked. “I tell this joke. ‘Can you remember who sat behind you in the third grade? Well, Jesus Christ sat behind me in the third grade. That’s how old I am!’ They just roar at that. There’s comedy in all tragedy, and you’ve got to look for that lining that is there.” “The students – that’s my best medicine. I have a reason to be. Too much to do to die, so I’m not going to die at all,” Ashton said. This dedication to the classroom did not go unnoticed by his students. “He gave this impassioned speech on the first day and
said, ‘I promise you one thing. I will be here every single class that I am physically capable, and I hope that you would do the same. This is very important material, and I want you to learn it well,’” said Riley Gann, 2011 graduate. “It was really inspirational to have a professor who obviously cared so much about his students and was really passionate about the course.” Gann took this class on Marketing Research in the spring 2011 semester after Ashton’s diagnosis. “I skipped once and felt guilty for a week, because I felt like I’d let Dub down,” Gann said. The walls in Ashton’s office are covered with photographs and gifts from students. Ashton directed his attention to a picture near the door of a couple giving thumbs up. “This is Andrew and Ashley Schneider. They got married. They’d say, ‘Go after this. Keep going; you’re doing really great,” he said. “I come in everyday and ‘thumbs up!’” Ashton greets each day with positivity. He isn’t defined by his sickness, but he doesn’t ignore his own morality either. “We’re all on the path to termination. We are born and we die. I’ve made a choice about how I’m going to get there. My choice is here. My choice is the classroom.”
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individual photos
Nov. 14th 9a.m.- 4p.m. union theatre lounge Nov. 15th 9a.m. - 4 p.m. union connections lounge
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Here are a couple simple recipes to help you make speciality drinks we all know and love, right in your own kitchen.
1. Take 1 parts 151 2. Place all of these ingredients in a proof rum, 1 part Malibu martini shaker. If you don’t have a marcoconut rum and 5 parts tini shaker, you can just use a glass. pineapple juice.
This simple drink is famously strong and will truly get the job done. Look sophisticated drinking this classic combination, just don’t spill it on yourself. 2.5 oz. gin 1/4 oz. vermouth Green olives Ice *VVS `V\Y THY[PUP NSHZZ I` ÄYZ[ ÄSSPUN P[ ^P[O PJLK ^H[LY (KK [OL PJL gin and vermouth to a shaker and shake for a few good seconds. Strain and four into a martini glass. Dress it up with an olive.
individual photos
Nov. 14th 9a.m.- 4p.m. union theatre lounge Nov. 15th 9a.m. - 4 p.m. union connections lounge
all about
Dating
With a plentiful selection of restaurants in the Fayetteville area, finding a nice date location can sometimes be overwhelming. Whether deciding on the perfect first date place, trying to find somewhere new or locating a restaurant a little more friendly on the wallet, we have outlined a few places sure to impress your date and make the evening a little easier.
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Dean Pugh’s Top Five Restaurant Picks F
ayetteville is a mecca of great local and chain restaurants, offering every cuisine from Italian to Thai to Southern cooking. With such a wide array of snack bars, great breakfast joints and local, family-owned café’s, it’s not hard to have a favorite place to grab a bite to eat. And while the many popular student spots might be Eureka Pizza and the on-campus dining halls, venturing off campus can provide some culinary delights to more than just students. You might have seen Dean Pugh, vice provost for student affairs and dean of students, riding around campus on his motorbike, joining in the dancing at Razorbash or dressed in Razorback Red at the football games. In an interview about his favorite foods, he unveiled some of the best places in town to grab breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Momma Dean’s Soul Food
Grub’s Bar and Grille
What to get: Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie. What they offer: Choose from meats like fried chicken and pork chops, smoked brisket and chitterlings. Then add tasty home-cooked sides like mashed potatoes, fried okra and corn nuggets, and end the day with a sweet dessert like peach cobbler or lemon cake. Price: $11
What to get: Buffalo chicken salad with grilled chicken. What they offer: Lots of burgers, sandwiches and salads like the banana fire burger topped with homemade hot sauce and banana peppers, the traditional Philly cheese steak and classic Caesar salads. Price: $7.99 What he has to say: “Spectacular!”
What he has to say: “Sheer brilliance!”
Arkansas Union Food Court Wok
Flying Burrito Co.
What to get: Chicken Quesadilla (loaded) What they offer: pick a tortilla, then choose from beans and rice, veggies like grilled peppers and onions, lettuce, corn and jalapenos, toppings like cheese, sour cream and guacamole, and an array of mild to hot salsas. Price: $7.22 What he has to say: “Oh so filling!”
What to get: Shrimp Szechuan with rice, broccoli, snow peas and water chestnuts. What they offer: Lots of great places to eat like Chik-fil-A and Burger King. Price: $5.99 What he has to say: “Just awesome!”
Penguin Ed’s B&B Bar-B-Q
What to get: Pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw on the bun, and half & half sauce. What they offer: BBQ sandwiches with pulled chicken, chopped beef or hot links, as well as loaded baked potatoes and lots of southern side dishes. Price: $4.35 regular / $5.75 jumbo What he has to say: “Good, sloppy and delicious!”
T
he wine cellar is tucked away behind the Walton Arts Center and main parking lot on Dickson and West Streets. The atmosphere is cool, inviting and relaxed - a great place to bring a date or go out for a chill night with friends. Though they might not be directly on the Dickson strip, the Wine Cellar offers some great wine selections and daily specials, and in my quest to find the best martini in town I headed there for just the thing. The Wine Cellar offers a wide array of martinis from raspberry to caramel apple but their most popular is the wedding cake, said Aleks Berry – Wine Cellar Sommelier. With its fruity sweet and sophisticated taste this martini gets my pick for best of the best. “It’s sweet and fruity, yet light and refreshing,” said Berry. “It truly is an easy drink – very rich, yet free.” Regularly priced at $10 this martini is a pricier drink than your $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon night, but well worth it. Head down on Thursdays, though, to get a $4 special on any of their fantastic flavors. My next stop was Hog Haus for some of their tasty brews. Though I’m not a beer drinker myself, Hog Haus definitely takes the crown for having some of the most interesting and diverse beers on Dickson. The two most popular are the India Pale Ale and the Woodstock Wheat - one offers a dark bitter taste while the other is light and refreshing. For a beer that’s on the light side, try the Woodstock for a crisp, clean taste, while the India Pale Ale is great for dark lovers. Its’ bitter and tart flavor is great for those wanting a heavier taste. Pricing varies for all of their beers so head down to the Haus and try some today. The great thing about Hog Haus is that
they welcome beer sampling so you can find your favorite flavor and try some other great tastes. Infusion, more commonly known by their old name Zooloo, is new to Dickson street but still offers their old menu as well as some great new infused treats like mint rum, ginger gin and cinnamon tequila. For the best most inexpensive party drink that will never get old, head to Infusion and grab a Zooloo, their old house drink that still has the $4 special everyday. Amber Hurlbut, who helped create the drink, describes it perfectly as “a long island iced tea with a special twist.” Bartender Dave Farmer says they sell 40 to 50 of these each weekend, and I can see why. It is tart fruity and the perfect punch-style beverage to tantalize your taste buds. It’s fruity, citrus taste is sweet, zingy and tart, and the best part is still to come – it doesn’t have a strong alcoholic taste, so it’s an easy drink. Along with their great party drinks, the Infusion atmosphere is fun, relaxed and a great weekend spot to sing some karaoke and enjoy the sights and sounds of Dickson. My final pick is the well loved and weekend party spot, Shotz. Home of every shot you can ever imagine, their two most popular ice cold, and I really do mean ice cold (all of their shots are served in icy shot glasses), shots are the Gummy Bear and the Marijuana Milkshake. Since I had tried the Gummy Bear before, I went for the Milkshake, which was creamy, rich and smooth. It truly did taste like a mini milkshake! The Gummy Bear is 100 percent sweet but not overpowering and sickly, and is a great one to have when out with friends and having fun. Shotz also serves some other great flavors like the Scooby Snack, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, and Razzmatazz, but ill let you try those flavors for yourself. The perfect bar to party with friends, this place is packed on the weekend and for a good reason too. All of their shots are $3.50 and their syringes are only $1.50, so with a wide array of drinks and prices, this barhas something for everyone. My research is over so now it’s your turn to go out and taste the best of Fayetteville, as well as find your own favorites. Grab some friends and hit the strip to taste the true best of the Fayetteville bar scene.
FRO-YO
get some
With a plentiful selection of fro-yo places in the Fayetteville area, finding awesome frozen yogurt is easy like Sunday morning. With Orange Leaf on Dickson St. and the new TCBY right on campus, you can get your fill on a variety of flavors and toppings in just a short walk.
TCBY
TCBY Yogurt is the newest addition of frozen yogurt places in the Fayetteville area. Located on the corner of the Garland Parking Garage, TCBY is fun, fresh and flashy dessert option for students to try out. With countless flavors and toppings priced at only $0.42 an ounce and daily specials and discounts for students, customers are sure to be pleased.
Orange Leaf Orange Leaf brings a tasty spin to the typical Dickson Street bar scene. Packed along the hustle and bustle of the Fayetteville nightlife, this modern and enjoyable location offers tons of delicious flavors and add-on options at a very reasonable price ($0.39 oz.). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s especially appealing for the fruity flavor fans, with options including: strawberry, banana, pineapple, mango, kiwi, coconut and honeydew.