People of Northwest Arkansas
The People of Northwest Arkansas is an award winning podcast celebrating the power of storytelling by providing a platform for individuals living in Northwest Arkansas to share their unique and inspiring life experiences. We believe that every person has a story worth telling, and through our podcast, we aim to amplify these voices through thoughtful interviews and engaging storytelling.
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People of Northwest Arkansas
NWA’s Burgeoning Food & Beverage Scene
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We catch up on our favorite spots, then sit down with John Engleman from Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast to hear how he turns local dining into real storytelling. We talk about how NWA’s food scene changes fast, why service and passion matter, and what makes this region feel like it’s entering a new era.
@flavorsofnorthwestarkansas
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Restaurant Catch-Up And Guest Intro
SPEAKER_03Danielle, have you been to any good restaurants lately?
SPEAKER_04You know, honestly, there are so many new restaurants opening up left and right here in Northwest Arkansas. I can't keep track. Although I would say probably one of the most recent good restaurants that I've been to. I mean, always a favorite of mine is Parkside Public in downtown Rogers. Like I just went there for a girls' night, but I would say newish restaurant for me would be Oak Steakhouse. Went there not that long ago. That's good one. That was really good. What about you?
SPEAKER_03So I'm always trying to try out new places, but I keep going back to the same watering holes. You know what I mean? Yes. But if I ever want to know what's going on in the restaurant scene, I always listen to John Engelman on Flavors of Northwest Arkansas. Welcome in.
SPEAKER_01Hey, thanks for having me, guys. I know it's it's been a minute since we've been talking about this, and I had to cancel the last time because of And the last time. And the last time, and the last time.
SPEAKER_04Oh wait, that was our fault. Well But the last time was your fault. Yes. It's really John's fault that we took a break, I think. It is.
SPEAKER_03No, it is totally mine.
SPEAKER_05Totally my fault.
SPEAKER_03No, so we've been wanting to have John on for a while. He's a former radio DJ, sports broadcaster, a man of many talents. And as you can tell by his voice, he he has a sports broadcaster voice.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, absolutely. And it's always fun to have someone, a fellow podcaster. Yes, a fellow podcaster. So that's like what's really exciting. We've gotten to know John really well over, I guess, the past couple of years and through this space.
SPEAKER_01So I love it when I'm running into you guys most recently. DK. Yes. Because if we go Danielle, people aren't going to know.
SPEAKER_04We work D1 and D2, but that just gets so changed up. I do like the initials. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01DK is a is at the hive events that uh that I've been to, and and that's always good running into you and your unbelievably radiant husband who is always smiling and shaking hands. Listen, I want to tackle Jeff and just hug him like man hug him constantly because he's got he's always smiling.
SPEAKER_03He is, and he brings that energy too.
SPEAKER_01Oh, the his energy is immaculate. Positive.
SPEAKER_03It is it is immaculate. That's a great way to describe him.
SPEAKER_04That is so that's Jeff. He's gonna love this. He is gonna love it. He listens to everybody. Shout out to Jeff.
SPEAKER_03Jeff, Jeffy Boy. So we've been wanting to have you on because your podcast is has a lot of similarities to ours in that it's storytelling. Ours is a general storytelling platform. We cross a lot of different, you know, genres and things going on, businesses in the area, people. Yours is focused specifically on food. So if you've never listened to his podcast, it's excellent because it doesn't just highlight what's opening in the area, what's new or what's been successful, or even covers restaurants like you were talking about in your last episode that were only open six months. But he interviews different restaurateurs in the area, different chefs, business owners, and then shares their story, which is what I love about it, is I love hearing the story behind the storefronts that you see, the food that is coming, you know, to your table when you order it. I love hearing that.
SPEAKER_01Well, first off, thank you. Yes, kind of you to say. I and listen, it's it's really and I've done such a poor job at this. It's really the whole food and beverage scene in northwest Arkansas, except I haven't expanded it as much as I should have. I'd like to get to more food trucks.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I'd like to get to more a really smaller mom and pop. And I've got a few in the hopper that are coming, but that really is something I want to focus on, especially now that the weather is starting to break. Yes. Because, you know, I'm mobile and I'm all battery powered, and I like to set up at the places. So, you know, when the wind's howling out by the food trucks, it's not necessarily the greatest setup.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but you are one person.
SPEAKER_01You are there's hundreds and hundreds of food and beverage entities around here, and then they continue. Yeah. And the stories, you you don't know what you don't know.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And you stumble into a few of them, and you're just like, good. I'm just gonna be quiet and keep going. Yeah. Yeah. And they'll go. And I've got a few. If you look back into some of the early days, especially, there's a couple that are real close to two hours. My best of the this last year was like two and a half hours. Well, even afterwards, I was like, nobody's gonna want to listen to this.
SPEAKER_03It's just so long. Oh, I like that you do little clips at the beginning of some of the crazy stories that you hear because the restaurant world is just it's a different industry. And I love watching shows about like Chef's Table or different shows just to see, or I loved Anthony Bourdain. I love, I'm a I know some people don't like the word foodie. Yeah. You don't really know what else to call it if you really use you so generally now.
SPEAKER_01I know. And you know, when someone says, Oh, I'm a foodie, I'm like, hey, great. Yeah. Do you know what that means?
SPEAKER_03Right. I don't know that I even really do because everyone says it in a different, in a different way.
SPEAKER_04I mean, it's kind of like it is very broad.
SPEAKER_03Like, does that mean you like to dine out and try new places and travel to eat, or does that mean you're just really into making good food?
SPEAKER_01I feel guilty when I use that word to to describe either what I am or or what I do because I think there's so many levels of it. Yes. And listen, I am not the greatest cook yet. I can follow a recipe, and that sometimes impresses, but within my house, which is my wife and dog.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And uh so, but I do love going out. I do, you know, love trying new things.
SPEAKER_04Yes.
SPEAKER_01So since starting this whole thing, trying new things has been my big thing because as you were talking about at the beginning, you've got your usual places that you go to. I mean both. And we do too. But whenever we go somewhere or some place that's new, I like to try something that's new that I've never tried. And literally, 99% of the time, it's always better than what I would think it to be.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Absolutely. I always like to try someone's macaroni and cheese. I don't know cheese. Wherever if I if it's on the menu and I've never been there, I'm ordering it. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. That's just like a staple for me. So anyway, um, we are gonna also talk about your dog at some point in this episode because have you seen pictures of his dog? No, yeah, that dog stares into your soul.
SPEAKER_03Is he a hurting, or he or she?
SPEAKER_01She is a schnoxie. A schnoxy? Part schnauz or part dochin.
SPEAKER_04Okay. Okay, my daughter wants to I'm gonna find a picture and I'm gonna show it to you. But first we need to back it up. Yeah, we haven't started what's going on. Let's back that thing up. We gotta back that thing up all the time. Oh gosh.
SPEAKER_03And Danielle's she can't contain her laughter now. I can't. We want to know how you can't, because you're from Dallas, fellow. Dallas is. Tell us how you came to be in Northwest Arkansas, and then we want to hear, you know, the segue into how you started the podcast.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I I I was one of those that went to the family college and flunked out a time or two and ended up back in Dallas working in restaurants, and then eventually got back into college and finished up in Arlington at UTA. And while doing that, I started in radio in Dallas, part-time, because that was my that was what my
John’s Path From Dallas To NWA
SPEAKER_01degree was and was going to be at the time. And my first my first radio job was AM 770, The Witness in Dallas.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_01And it was Yeah, that's Lulu. Sorry, we're passing around pictures here. And it was basically as a weekend nighttime board operator for local 15-minute shows for evangelists and cashier.
SPEAKER_04Wow.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was weird.
SPEAKER_04Can you tell our listeners what a board operator is? Yeah, so sorry. Yeah, no, that's okay.
SPEAKER_01It's those that are in radio.
SPEAKER_04Danielle. Come on. I'm just kidding. I'm kidding. You know what it's like.
SPEAKER_01It's those that are in radio that run the actual talk shows through the board. And the board is like all the different channels. Like this is for that microphone, that channel's for that microphone, that channel is for the commercials running through the computer. Although back then it was carts with you know discs and whatnot. It's a little different. And you know, that goes for that tape recorder. And that so you had to know what to mix when and follow a log. So that's that was basically.
SPEAKER_04Did you ever push the wrong button?
SPEAKER_03I was actually thinking about that. Yeah, I was thinking that would be really easy to do. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And thankfully, you know, the hours that I was there, I was the only one in the building. So when I messed up, nobody could hear my sailor mouth at the AM 770, the witness. Oh, but yeah. Which happened.
SPEAKER_04I want to hear John's Sailor Mouth. Oh my god. We'll do that outside the podcast. Yeah, off mic. Off mic.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So anyway, yeah, so that was the start of it, but working in restaurants growing up was a was a big part of it too. Anyway, how I got here, short story long, after I graduated, I started in TV in Sherman, Texas, after being in radio in Dallas. From Sherman, I went to El Paso, which is where I was before here, and my boss in El Paso moved here because our state center in El Paso was going bankrupt. Did you know the CBS affiliate in El Paso, Texas in 2008 was the least watched station on both sides of the border?
SPEAKER_03No. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01We were in eighth place. It was like it was so bad. But that got me here, and that was 16 years ago, and I've been here ever since. El Paso. Yeah, man. I loved El Paso.
SPEAKER_04Never been to El Paso.
SPEAKER_03Oh.
SPEAKER_04I mean, I've been to very little parts places in Texas.
SPEAKER_03I remember one time dri I've driven through El Paso so many times on road trips, and I think it takes like 12 or 13 hours from Dallas to get to El Paso. And you're like, I'm still in Texas.
SPEAKER_01Do you want to know a stat?
SPEAKER_03What?
SPEAKER_01It is closer. Birmingham, Alabama is closer to Dallas than El Paso.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it feels like that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03It does. It is great food in El Paso.
SPEAKER_01Let me tell you, girl. Outstanding. Outstanding. Outstanding. Yeah. And we we, you know, everywhere you turn is a mom and pop little Mexican food restaurant. Yes. Not Tex Mex, Mexican food. Right. The real deal. The real deal. Oh, yeah. And they're on the food network now every now and again. I saw on what was it, Tepad Meloxmi, her series. She with El Paso.
SPEAKER_03And she I love the food that she posts about that she makes. 100%.
SPEAKER_01She's great.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, she's great. And I listened to your most recent episode with is it Jordan Wright about his food inspirations being from Texas just because of I mean the Texas food scene's really it's a good one. I mean, there's just it's so big, there's so many styles. But brisket, because I'm a brisket person with barbecue because I grew up in Dallas and Franklin's has always been one of my favorites. Sure. Although it's a wait. It's a long time.
SPEAKER_01Girl, it's a camp out.
SPEAKER_03It is.
SPEAKER_01And seriously, you've got to wait in line. And they run out and the line's still there.
SPEAKER_03And they have their business has spurred other little small businesses that set up food trucks for the people waiting. That's really for like coffee or beer or whatever.
SPEAKER_01It's like the bridge coming from Ores to El Paso. Everyone, because it's such a wait, everyone has their little stands there on the bridge. Right. There's money to be made.
SPEAKER_03There's money to be made, but you have to wait on a bridge.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah. Yes. Candy, water, the whole bit. Yeah. Wow.
SPEAKER_03So from El Paso, you came here and then came here to be a sports anchor at Channel 5, Campus M.
SPEAKER_01I was that from 09 to 2012. Yeah, I got the years right. And uh yeah, and it was, you know, covering the hogs and the high schools and basically what you what you'd think, and Friday night football and you know all the things. And and then from there I got out and uh started work at Mitchell Communications. You guys remember Mitchell? I do VR company.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01And worked there for 11 years. It changed to Densu. Densu bought them.
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah, okay.
SPEAKER_01Densu creative. And uh then after that, I'd already started this and and uh yeah, here I am.
SPEAKER_04All right.
SPEAKER_01I know.
SPEAKER_04Is this your main gig?
SPEAKER_01It is now, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Oh wow.
SPEAKER_03That's that's hey, congrats to that.
SPEAKER_01Thanks. It's it is exciting and terrifying. As you know, starting a magazine. Yes, it's terrifying at the start, and yeah, it's gonna always start.
SPEAKER_04Yes. Yeah. I'll just keep saying yes. That is terrifying. Absolutely. And absolutely.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03So I I love that it's all centered around food because I think in the way that you describe your your podcast is the perfect way to phrase it, that it's a burgeoning scene here.
SPEAKER_01There is.
SPEAKER_03Because it is in every capacity, really. But I moved here about nine years ago from Dallas. You know, there's infinite amounts of food options there.
SPEAKER_01And you worked in restaurants in Dallas, right?
SPEAKER_03I did. And I I worked kind of at all levels of restaurants. I've I've done a tray right at kind of a TGI Fridays vibe place in my college town.
SPEAKER_01I've also I worked at TGI Fridays.
SPEAKER_03See, so you get it. So I've done the tray. I've also worked at a fancy French restaurant where I wore a suit and tie in Dallas.
SPEAKER_01So I've kind of worked at every I worked at Rue Jerry's in Addison.
SPEAKER_03There we go. I worked at the Mercury.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03I think it's still there.
SPEAKER_01All right.
SPEAKER_03So I've I've learned all different ranges of serving, and my husband started out in restaurants, so we're very aware of what it's like to not run one, but work at all the different levels.
SPEAKER_01And I have to tell you guys, it's so strange being interviewed as opposed to intervieweeing. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04But but a one- You're trying to turn it around on us, aren't you?
SPEAKER_01I know you are. I really am. I really am. But was did you start at 16 in restaurants? Your first job? What was your first job?
SPEAKER_03I think it was a hostess. Here we go.
SPEAKER_01That's what I was. Well, host. Yeah, host, hostess. Tolerts, Tolbert's Chili Parlor that used to be on Walnut Hill and Central, but is now in Grapevine.
SPEAKER_03Oh, nice.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so And I was 16, and like all the waiters would buy us beer and all the things. I know just absolute Gen X craziness back in the back in the day.
SPEAKER_03I also worked as an ice cream scooper for the woman who ran a Tapas place, that famous Tapas Place in Dallas. I can't remember what it's called now. It's an uptown, but she tried to Chili's.
SPEAKER_05Oh, chilies.
SPEAKER_03No, and then so I worked at ice cream, but yeah, I worked at all my all different kinds of restaurants.
SPEAKER_01Did you go to the original Chili's at Meadow and Greenville?
SPEAKER_03Oh my gosh, yes.
SPEAKER_01All the time, right?
SPEAKER_03There the chili queso. Skillet queso to this day.
SPEAKER_01It's coming back.
SPEAKER_03One of the greatest dishes.
SPEAKER_01It's great. I don't know why they got rid of it, but they're bringing it back.
SPEAKER_03It was the only reason I went there when I was like, that's really my gift.
SPEAKER_01I love eating local. That's my whole focus, really. But growing up going to the original Chili's occasionally, I'm going to Chili's. I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_04Oh, for sure. Apparently it was a local place at one point. Absolutely. All right.
SPEAKER_01Before it became way different than what you see now.
SPEAKER_03No, it really was. That's why I don't really eat there as much now, but then it was such a everyone went to Chili's. It was like the place to be.
SPEAKER_01It really was back in Dallas for sure.
SPEAKER_03Interesting met in Snuffers. Oh, okay. I was just now he's opening up a can of worms. So snuffers, I was just talking about what is snuffers. The the fries. They're probably 3,000 calories for weeks. Easily. But they had this home, so it was a loaded fries. However, they had this homemade house ranch, insane. Oh gosh. And they just load it up with cheese and bacon and chives. But let me tell you, it's different from any you've ever had, and being that it is a plate of heaven.
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh. Like that was.
SPEAKER_03I'm not kidding. Like never burnt. Never burnt. Cold, crisp Dr. Pepper.
SPEAKER_01And so good at two in the morning.
SPEAKER_03Yes. Yeah, it's the late night smile.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Sorry. If you're not from Dallas, I apologize. We just went off-road and that's my.
SPEAKER_03It's okay.
SPEAKER_04It's really great for the people of Northwest.
SPEAKER_03The Lower Greenville Snuffers was a hot spot. Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01The best.
SPEAKER_04Your Dallas people are going to be a little bit more. No, you know what we need to do?
SPEAKER_03I feel like I just thought of a collab. We need to do a Dallas edition, food and beverage. I know you're Northwest Arkansas, but maybe we can do a little bit of a both.
SPEAKER_01We're all Northwest Arkansas. Seriously, if I did that, mine would be so outdated.
SPEAKER_02I know.
SPEAKER_01It really would.
SPEAKER_02It would be a throwback. It'd be like, hey, in the 90s from Dallas.
SPEAKER_01You ever go to that new place, Cafe Brazil? Oh my god.
SPEAKER_02Snickerdo. They're Snickerdo coffee.
SPEAKER_01My gosh. So good.
SPEAKER_04Funny about this is that everyone listening is going to be like, wow, those places sound really good. That heavenly dishes. No, Cafe Brazil does. Okay.
SPEAKER_01And they're amazing at two in the morning.
SPEAKER_03That's what I was about to say. Imagine this. You're off the highway, you just went out with your friends. You go into this cafe off the side of the 75, and there's a mix there. There's truckers that are just pulling off to grab a bite. And then there's some poet or person playing guitar in the corner trying to sell their art. And you just came from, you know, a local bar, pub, and then you got the people on road trips stopping off. And that is the mix at Cafe Brazil at 2 a.m.
SPEAKER_01100%.
SPEAKER_03It's fantastic.
SPEAKER_01It's it's it's harmonious.
SPEAKER_03It is. It's a cultural hub. It is. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01It is so harmonious and it's so good.
SPEAKER_03Okay, so back to Norris, Arkansas, because this is what happens with Dallas people being together. Clearly.
SPEAKER_01Talk about food. So Mrs. Baird's bread was right by SM. No, I'm kidding. No, no, no, no. Stop. No, no, no, no. I'm totally kidding.
SPEAKER_03You know a lot about this, Beards, because my grandfather was in Nineard grocery.
SPEAKER_01Please cut that. I just didn't have to pull her off track yet again. Continue. I'm so sorry.
SPEAKER_03Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_04I know. I I could I could sidebar on that forever.
SPEAKER_03Okay, so so your podcast is a lot about the food in the area, and we just kind of talked about how the number one coffee shop in the world is here. You covered it on your show. Yeah, oh yeah. I think that it really s makes a statement about the area because I don't know that I really thought anything about the Northwest Arkansas food scene before I moved here, but now it's completely changed in a decade.
Why NWA Dining Keeps Growing
SPEAKER_01It's leading in some places. You've got them. You remember, was it last year or the year before? And we talked about it on the Wrights podcast. Wrights Barbecue was the number one barbecue place on Yelp.
SPEAKER_03Yes. And Texas Monthly has featured them as well. So it's not just that they're being acknowledged here. It's big publications all over the country.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So we're we're in a we're in a spot that not only, and I loved the Indigo Road uh uh Justin that what you guys were talking with them, they're gonna continue to grow out here. And that is a serious player because you look at where they're from, which is Charleston, and Charleston is a food heaven. Yes, people go there to eat. Yes. And they're right on the cusp there. And that's also gonna be happening here, I think. That's the idea, at least, I think.
SPEAKER_03Uh yeah, he had mentioned that they were possibly opening another concept in Springdale, downtown Springdale. And you talked about two new restaurants in Springdale, too.
SPEAKER_01And that's from the Gaskins folks. They're opening up both of them, yeah. They are all and they live down there. I mean, they are all in. So but it's all of Northwest Arkansas.
SPEAKER_03So it's keeping you pretty busy.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Because I mean, how many are opening uh every month, you think? How many new restaurants?
SPEAKER_01But it it's it's hot and cold.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_01I mean, it it goes in waves. And sadly, occasionally there are some that are closing too. I know. Some that are closing too, I should say. And that's that's tough because there are people that have put their whole dreams and everything into it. I was happy to see that Yankabilly reopened at the Creeks golf course in Cave Springs.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_01They were in downtown Springdale and they were doing fine, except they're they were not able to renew their lease because their owner wanted to open something there. Uh yes.
SPEAKER_03And I saw that you talked about a new cheese shop in the area because everyone was really sad to see uh the cheese shop over on 8th Street close.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Sweet Freedom.
SPEAKER_01Sweet Freedom. Uh Jessica Cahy. She's the best.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, the this is the one, Bloom, down in Fayetteville, and they're doing collaborations and classes with with like hopwood breads down there, bread and cheese. Or not bread, but to like donut and cheese classes. Look, follow Bloom and just because they put it all on there and donut and cheese? Yes, classes. Yeah. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Like classes for donuts.
SPEAKER_01Well, it's like a I'm sorry, I think it might be more of a dinner type thing. Is it like a mix though? Yeah, it's awesome.
SPEAKER_04Donuts and cheese together. Separately. Oh, separate. Okay, because my brain was like donut with cheese on top of a donut. I was like, that could be next. I mean, it could be next. I guess if Bloom, if they're listening, they could get an idea from us.
SPEAKER_01Yes. The owner of Bloom Cheese. I guess where she's from. Where? Dallas, Texas, America.
unknownWoo!
SPEAKER_03There's so many transplants here from Texas.
SPEAKER_01Her in-laws are here. She and her husband. He's a bona fide chef.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_01And works at Tyson. And uh but they are doing dinners there, like, you know, wine and cheese dinners with him making the actual making actual plates.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So that's something to always look into as well. Oh, for sure. But it's a great spot.
SPEAKER_03I need to check out more Fayetteville dinner spots. We try to venture out and check out Fayetteville or even Johnson and Springdale.
SPEAKER_01I mean Johnson's popping too. It really is. It really is. It really is. Speaking of rights.
SPEAKER_04It just gets hard when you live in Bentonville and you gotta pay for a babysitter and you gotta pay for the time that you're driving. I know. That's fair. That would be the only thing. That's fair I'm speaking for her.
SPEAKER_03No. So I want to know, when did you realize that there was there were enough stories here to make an entire podcast around it? Well, around food.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. You know, it's funny you ask that because when my father passed away in 2024, but when I started this, he was alive and and uh he said he's from far south Texas. And he's like, what do you got? Eight restaurants there?
SPEAKER_03Why why does this sound so much like my parents? Because Texas is huge. Yeah, the old Dallas folks, right? But anyway, you've got eight restaurants there. This is every phone call every week.
SPEAKER_01Right, right.
SPEAKER_03I'm sorry to hear about your dad, too. He sounds like a great personality.
How The Food Podcast Started
SPEAKER_01He was uh he was a character for sure, absolute character. But you know, 85 lived a good life, and and the side note for those that are smoking out there, if you smoke for 69 years, it might catch up with you. Yes, just saying.
SPEAKER_04No, it's fair.
SPEAKER_01That's the PSA of the show right there. That's good.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so he challenged you. He's like, What are there eight restaurants?
SPEAKER_01And you said I mean, I was like, well, Dad, you know, obviously it's you know, he thinks that's not Dallas up there. Well, and I said, you know, dad, it's it's a growing area, it's continuing to grow. Nobody is doing that kind of media for that topic. And I think it would be good. Um, he's like, Well, all right. And it's funny.
SPEAKER_03It's she's snorting.
SPEAKER_01It's so good. The funny thing is, in the middle, and you guys may have heard this, in the middle I've got the Mike Engelman Home Pro tip of the Week. And the what that's for is my dad saying, Well, why the hell would I want to listen? I don't know any of the people up there. I don't know the places. I'm like, Well, Dad, I'm your son. I would figure that would play in. Right, right. Why don't you have these pros give me a tip that I can do at home?
SPEAKER_03He has some good common, some good points though. I love this. Yeah. I mean, he was wrong about only eight and eight restaurants.
SPEAKER_04Well, well, you know, I know, I know, I think maybe he wasn't, who knows?
SPEAKER_01But anyway, that's a good idea. It's one of those things, to your point, where you're like, okay, he's kind of right. So maybe I should do that. And I did it, and you know, they tend to be some are really good. Some I'm kind of like, okay. I had one or two where I was just like, Do I have to air this?
SPEAKER_03Is it like a pro well okay, for our listeners that haven't listened to your podcast yet, hopefully they all have. What kind of tips are they giving? Cooking tips?
SPEAKER_01It's it varies. It depends on who you're talking to. Okay. So, like, one of my favorites is is uh a recipe tip. And it's from Darwin Bayer at Meiji in Fayetteville, who, by the way, is gonna be opening Chu, Isikawa, and Rogers over by Confident Coffee.
SPEAKER_04Nice.
SPEAKER_01It's gonna be like a Japanese whiskey, small plate sort of place. But anyway, just a little tip there for the listeners. But anyway, his tip was this: he's like, look, I sometimes I can't get my kids to eat. So here's what I do I will fry up some bacon, get some interested, I use that bacon grease to make to make fried rice. And then I will crumble up the bacon in there. And then he's like, and then if I'm gonna be doing tempura shrimp, right before I add in, I'd put the shrimp in the batter, I'll add cold soda water, mix it with the shrimp, and then put it in, it makes it crispier.
SPEAKER_03What?
SPEAKER_01That was what I said.
SPEAKER_03That's a good tip.
SPEAKER_01That's a great tip.
SPEAKER_03One of the best tips I've ever heard cooking not on a podcast was how to get your hummus fluffy. This is from owner of a Lebanese restaurant.
SPEAKER_01I'm talking about actual, that's not a euphemism. That's an actual recipe. Okay, good.
SPEAKER_03If you put ice in the food processor, oh my god. Daniel.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna go home and get my hummus fluffy.
SPEAKER_03Danielle cannot keep it together here.
SPEAKER_04Good thing y'all are talking about Dallas because I We're not. No, but I'm just saying that like how to get your hummus light and airy.
SPEAKER_03Maybe I should say it like that. No, that's better than fluffy. Fluffy. So how to get your hummus smooth is you put ice in it in the food processor. But do you want to hear the do you want to hear the dumbest tip I was ever given? I can't. I just can't focus anymore. Hold on. The dumbest food hack tip I've ever been given. I went to London and I made a friend in a pub, and I told her that, you know, I'd just been to Germany and had glue vine or mold wine, and you know, they serve that hot.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And she goes, Oh, you know, the one thing I hate about that is it gets cold so fast. And I was like, Yeah, yeah, I get that. We'll just drink it faster, you know? And she goes, No, no, no. Here's a tip if it gets cold, just pop it in the microwave and just heat it up real quick. And I was really can that that tip actually perplexed me for a really long time because I thought, has she just gotten a microwave or a microwave's not really a thing? Where I I don't know.
SPEAKER_01Like I And I don't even know. Yeah, doesn't that kind of cook it out too a little bit if you do it too long? And I mean, yeah, there's a lot of things.
SPEAKER_03I was really perplexed by that tip. So I don't know.
SPEAKER_01It's not the best.
SPEAKER_03Hey Daniel, next time your mac and cheese is cold, I have a tip for you.
SPEAKER_04Pop it in the microwave.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, just pop it in the reheat it.
SPEAKER_04It's funny there's this device that's what I ate last night. Oh my god. It'd make you mad grandma's mac and cheese reheated in the microwave. Oh my god. Just enough to where it doesn't dried out. Actually, I'm just kidding. It doesn't dry out at all. No, I do want to say though that maybe we need to add tips to our to our episodes.
SPEAKER_03Return your shopping cart.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Ooh.
SPEAKER_01For sure. 100%.
SPEAKER_03And also wave if someone lets you buy. These are just daily life packs.
SPEAKER_04Okay, tip. If you're new to Northwest Arkansas, you have to be kind. You're coming here where we are kind and we like people and we are nice and kind to people. Do you have a lot of unkind people? I've met some unkind people. You know, you just kind of can you can call. I don't know. Not a lot. But it's just sad.
SPEAKER_01No, but mostly on the highway.
SPEAKER_04My question, my I mean, my point is that, you know, people talk about how nice and wonderful and kind people are here. And then people that move here and start changing that kind of tone is really the one thing that I'm nervous the most about. I'm not nervous about growing.
SPEAKER_02I'm not nervous about seeing things pop up and buildings grow.
SPEAKER_04It's just like when people come and they're just not kind. Yeah. And I don't mean like nice. Like southern nice is kind of overrated.
SPEAKER_03Like I mean like I think I like Southern charm.
SPEAKER_04Southern charm is fine, but I'm talking about people who are nice, but they're not really actually nice. Oh. Like that.
SPEAKER_03Well, you know what?
SPEAKER_01We're off on a tip. I believe they call that fake.
SPEAKER_03Yes. I mean that is. Okay. So I want to go back to something you brought up, which is your dad mentioned, well, why would I listen if I'm not even from here? Sure. You know? Playing off of that, if you were to talk to somebody, and maybe you are now, because we actually have listeners from all over the country and somehow in different countries, I don't know how that's possible. Maybe they know the people that are on the show. Because as you know, it's a local show.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_03How would you describe to someone who doesn't know anything about Northwest Arkansas what the food scene is here?
SPEAKER_01It's always growing and changing. It's not one thing.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01It's everything. It's become everything. Yeah. It wasn't always everything, but it's become everything. You still like to go to the Susan's in Springdale. It's been around forever for get
Defining The NWA Food Scene
SPEAKER_01your breakfast. A little bit of a line, as as is with most most places.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01But then you got Sistina opening. You want to go try Sistina.
SPEAKER_03Oh, for sure. It's really good.
SPEAKER_01But that's you got the whole span.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And then you want a papoosa? I can give you a list of 10 places. Well, I can't. Off the top of my head, I got one or two. But yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01But you want, I mean, you want sushi. The whole gambit is covered. All I can say that's uniform is it's growing.
SPEAKER_03You're right.
SPEAKER_01That's the only thing I can say that's uniform about the scene here.
SPEAKER_03What I've noticed too is there's a really nice mixture of, you know, people who are from here and live here and have that local flavor, right? But then there's a lot of people from all over the world, some from big cities, and they're bringing ideas and different concepts here. And that's exciting for me because I don't always like I I am someone who does enjoy fine dining or a set menu or going to Michelin restaurants. But actually, my most favorite experience is not that. You know, I just want to go where someone is making usually seasonal foods of the season. Right. You know, that's because otherwise it's not going to be very flavorful. Sure. But I want to go where people really you can tell are passionate about what they're making.
SPEAKER_05You bet.
SPEAKER_03And that is such a huge you know influence on the food that you're eating. So if you're just making food just to make food, you can taste it. And I like going where the servers are excited about what they're serving. They've been there a long time. You know, they're, you know, being treated well. They love what they're serving. And service is such a big thing.
SPEAKER_01And you guys, when you were again going back to Justin, that was a big, big part of uh big part of of what indigo does, but it's a big part of what a lot of places around here do.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And a lot of these folks, you know, really the servers, the managers take a lot of pride in it. And you can tell, especially in the food.
SPEAKER_04Yes, oh, for sure. Well, that's the that was probably one of the key parts that impressed us the most from having dined at some of the Indigo Road restaurants and then talking to Justin and hearing kind of the the background and and just what you know what they're all about. Yeah, like why they do what they do. And I think it's wonderful.
SPEAKER_03Can we talk about the ice cream scene here? Why are there so many ice cream shops? I agree, and there's a new one that just opened at the home office.
SPEAKER_04People love ice cream, and all my friends keep talking about it, and I haven't gone there. Yes, I interviewed her. Okay, okay. So it's fantastic.
SPEAKER_01I had the oh, I wish I had it off the top of my head. I think it's whiskey, walnut, ice cream. It's actual that sounds good. Oh my gosh. Dave got the proprietary thing of how to add liquor to ice cream and it being able to freeze.
SPEAKER_04Ooh.
SPEAKER_01It's like a thing that nobody's been able to do. Oh, it's freaking good. I took I took a pint home. Are you kidding me?
SPEAKER_04Oh, nice. I took a pint home. I feel like it would be really mean to ask John questions. Favorite favorite recipe.
SPEAKER_03I actually thought about that because I I know he won't. That's too you can't.
SPEAKER_04You can't ask you that. No, maybe off air.
SPEAKER_03No, but I'll dance around it for sure. He will. So what what's the something happening in the food or beverage space here that people don't may not know about, but they should know about?
SPEAKER_01Well, I think people know about the, especially after last year, the James Beard Awards.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And last year there were two like finalists. Two of the final five top chefs of the South in the James Beard Award were from Bentonville, Arkansas. Now the guy that won it was from Miami. And by the way, that was Rafael Rios and Matthew Cooper, Conifer and Yeos.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, this year they've it's that they've announced a semifinalist, and it's Matt Cooper again, but it's also Jason Paul of Heirloom 180loom? 1804, 1807, 1806?
James Beard Buzz And Local Standouts
SPEAKER_01180 something. I don't I don't the building.
SPEAKER_04You could just say heirloom.
SPEAKER_01Heirloom. Yes. But here's but think of it this way Onyx is also a finalist for Best Bar. Semifinalist for Best Bar. So you've got two James Beard semifinalists in the same building. And it's in Northwest Arkansas.
SPEAKER_03I love it.
SPEAKER_01Isn't that amazing? Yes, Yayos last year, they're on the other side of Onyx in that building. One of the Yayos, the Mescalaria. So have it I don't know that that exists anywhere in the U.S. Two James Beard semifinalists in the same building.
SPEAKER_03I don't know either.
SPEAKER_01Especially in two different categories.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So I thought that was super interesting when that came down.
SPEAKER_04Oh that's impressive.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So I want to play a little game before we kind of wrap it up.
SPEAKER_01And can I keep my shirt on? Yes. Okay, good.
SPEAKER_03Yes. And it's kind of a this or that. It's a this or that, you know, and it's just a quick fire. We're not gonna name these, it's just gonna be types of food.
SPEAKER_01Okay, quick fire.
SPEAKER_03So yeah. Okay, you ready? Coffee or a cocktail?
SPEAKER_01Coffee.
SPEAKER_03All right. Gas station food or airport food?
SPEAKER_01Well, airport. I just interviewed Louise. Caleb Carter at Louise, yeah.
SPEAKER_03I feel like that should be excluded.
SPEAKER_02I'm talking about 100% excluded.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So when I was younger, gas station by far. Now I've had so much airport food that airports are growing up a little bit. And so yeah.
Rapid-Fire Food Picks And Last Meal
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_01On the food scene side.
SPEAKER_03Dive bar or fine dining? I knew that was gonna get you.
SPEAKER_01Fine dining now, 10 years ago, dive bar.
SPEAKER_03Alright. Oh, would you rather open a coffee shop or a brewery?
SPEAKER_01Gosh, so much dead air. Uh brewery. Because you can have food trucks there too.
SPEAKER_03Sweet or savory?
SPEAKER_01Sweet.
SPEAKER_03Wow, okay.
SPEAKER_01I know.
SPEAKER_03Brunch or happy hour?
SPEAKER_05Happy hour.
SPEAKER_03I knew so bad. Okay, and final, this is just a question.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_03Last meal. What's your what's your if you had to pick a last meal, what would it be? Man. Ooh, that's a good question.
SPEAKER_01So it's funny because as seasons change, so do my tastes.
SPEAKER_03I I get what I understand.
SPEAKER_01But if it were today, I would do brisket and egg tacos with uh a really nice, not overpowering salsa. Yeah, just about four of those.
SPEAKER_03Four of those?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, man.
SPEAKER_03But you just said sweet. And then like top it with a few minutes.
SPEAKER_01Well, is it on a talking meal or dessert?
SPEAKER_03Oh, okay. That can be included.
SPEAKER_01Okay, dessert?
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Throw dessert in there.
SPEAKER_01My favorite thing, my favorite dessert is a really, really well-done homemade tiramasu.
SPEAKER_03That's I love tiramasu. Okay. That's awesome. So you went with like Mexican and Italian. Yeah. Combo. Love it.
SPEAKER_01Basically, that is Northwest Arkansas.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's exactly what I mean.
SPEAKER_04I'm thinking, what's your appetizer? Do you get a side salad too? Like a multi-course meal. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01That waste space for the good stuff. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04That's fair. That's fair. That waste space for the good stuff. Okay, a question I have for you is what is something that somebody would be surprised about to learn about you? I am five foot eight.
SPEAKER_02Why would that be?
SPEAKER_01I don't know. I just made I just threw that in there.
SPEAKER_04But online you're 5'10, aren't you?
SPEAKER_01Online under my fake account, I am 6'11. No, I'm kidding. Surprised to know about me. Gosh. You're right over the street.
SPEAKER_03Daniel can't keep it together this morning. I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_01I'm kind of an open book, so I'm mmm.
SPEAKER_04It's because we're teetering so much.
SPEAKER_01In high school football, I was an offensive lineman.
SPEAKER_04Really?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Wow. I didn't say I started.
SPEAKER_01I just said I was an offensive lineman.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Okay, Andy has a dog.
SPEAKER_04Did you actually play? Yeah, I would.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you played. I was a when we were really far behind or really ahead, I would get in, but I also do snap. So yeah, whenever we would, we would always do good in Dallas schools, and then we'd have to play an East Texas team in the playoffs and just get absolutely destroyed. That's how it would always go. We were not at Highland Park. We were uh we were a little smaller.
SPEAKER_04Well, now we need to talk about your dog just real quick. Yes, Lulu. Last thing. Lulu. Is Lulu a booty as well? Is Lulu actually?
SPEAKER_01She loves her breakfast and dinner. Yeah. I know she's got the human eyes.
SPEAKER_03She does. That's what my dog, my dog does not get a lunch. She gets a breakfast and a dinner.
SPEAKER_04We're gonna have to post a picture of Lulu on our stories just so people can be like, Is Lulu a dog that can eat anything or like can't eat any human?
SPEAKER_01Her eyes can't eat human food except for there is one thing. Because whenever we bring it out, she knows it's is it whipped like pup cup, whipped cream? No, no, no, no. Although we do get the like a couple times, I don't know, but maybe once every couple months we'll
Lulu The Dog And Where To Listen
SPEAKER_01do that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01But smart pop, smart food, popcorn. Oh yeah. She loves smart. That's the only human food outside of maybe a popcorn. She'll eat no that we feed her.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Because she'll eat anything.
SPEAKER_03Oh, well, sure. Yeah. She'll eat anything. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01We'll we'll eat dinner like in the den, and when I get up, she will immediately sniff the ground from where I was for crumbs and whatnot.
SPEAKER_03Looking for scraps.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03So, okay, tell our listeners where they can find you, your handle, and how they can listen.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, thank you. It's at Flavors of Northwest Arkansas on Facebook and Instagram. I think it's Flavors of NWA on TikTok. I just put reels there.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_01Let's see. We're on YouTube and we're also wherever you listen to podcasts like you guys.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_01And uh yeah, yeah, especially if you're like in Singapore, give us a listen.
SPEAKER_03Well, thanks for coming on. I feel like we could interview you over and over again. There's so many other things we could dive into. Oh, so much. Food and beverage. No, it really could because we didn't even talk about food and wine, which is like, I mean, we need to do a whole separate episode. You can just have us on your podcast to talk about it.
SPEAKER_01We'll do we'll do wine for under 20 bucks, the best ones.
SPEAKER_03Oh man, I could definitely help you with that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Or is I I do I do another podcast that's monthly with William Mock over at Bistro 16 and Springdale. It's called BN the No. It used to be B and Venue, B N the No, B-I-U. And uh he calls because they cook with wine a lot. I was like, Do you guys use nice wines? He's like, let's just call it boxed dough instead of Bordeaux. Yeah. Boxed dough. Yeah. So occasionally when I'm talking to him, I'm like, You got any boxed dough back there? He's like, plenty. So boxed.
SPEAKER_04There's nothing wrong with a little bit of boxed wine.
SPEAKER_01Say, I'm telling you, I'm with you.
SPEAKER_04Danielle's like, hi.
SPEAKER_03There's nothing wrong with it. I mean, it's so popular. If you say it, then I'm probably the first wine I ever had. All right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04We always like to end our episodes too with what is your favorite thing about Northwest Arkansas? Let me guess. Food.
SPEAKER_01Food. It's up there.
SPEAKER_04It's up there. We're your favorite thing about Northwest. Yeah, we are Arkansas.
SPEAKER_01But I will add that I will add that I met my wife here.
SPEAKER_02Oh how did we not get this story? I know we didn't get this story.
SPEAKER_01So I grew up 15 minutes from her in Dallas. Okay. She went to Urshland.
SPEAKER_03Oh. Yeah. That is a lot of the same friends.
SPEAKER_01Such a small world. Very small world. Yeah. Very small world.
SPEAKER_04You're here trying to talk about your dog, and you have this super cute story of meeting your wife. About that.
SPEAKER_01She's a fourth grade teacher and all the things. Oh my gosh. We're hallmarking it right now. You feel it?
SPEAKER_03Let everyone know her name so we can.
SPEAKER_01I always call her Mrs. Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, but her name is Brooke.
SPEAKER_03Brooke. Well, Brooke, we love you, and we're glad that you came here.
SPEAKER_01Yes. She went to U of A and stayed. And then we just happened to meet up on an online service back before they were a lot of them.
SPEAKER_04Online service where he put his height as 5'10.
SPEAKER_036'11.
SPEAKER_046'11. Oh, that's right. Sorry, my bad.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god. Or as kids these days say 6'7.
SPEAKER_04Oh, geez. Oh, kill me. And it's time to end. We're done. We're done. Thank you, John, for being on the show.
SPEAKER_03Hey, thanks so much for listening today. If you liked what you heard, please consider subscribing to the podcast so you never miss an episode. You can also follow us on Instagram at PeopleOf NWA. Thanks so much.
SPEAKER_00People of Northwest Arkansas with the two Danielle's, produced by me, Brock Short of Brock Entertainment. Please rate, review, and like us on any podcast platform where you listen. For more information about today's guests and the show, please check the show notes. Thanks for listening.