Sonora Cafe 405

Sonora Cafe 405
Springdale, AR
405 E Emma
479-751-8100
Atmosphere: Family/Casual


Last month, Downtown Springdale got yet another locally owned establishment, Sonora Cafe 405.
Named after the community of Sonora just east of Springdale, owner Javier Yanez and Chef Les bring a new flavor to the small street in Springdale, AR.

Located just east of the railroad tracks on Emma, Sonora Cafe is located just across the street from Labor Finders, one of the largest job placement companies in Northwest Arkansas, and just west of the Spring Creek Deli and Market ( our last review) .

During my visit at Sonora, my husband and I had a chance to speak with Les, the head Chef about the Menu - which is quite large for such a small joint. Chef Les, growing up in Texas, but spending many years in Peru and in Miami explained his passion for excellent Mexican/South American food made with fresh flavor and with unique style. Les explained to us that before opening Sonora Cafe he really insisted on making Sonora something different for Springdale, he knew that if they offered the same menu options as so many of the other NWA Mexican restaurants did, they would be putting themselves at risk. So, after much thought, the menu was created, and Chef Les did a great job. The menu options are extent and yes, stay within the borders of what we think of when we think of "mexican cuisine" but Sonora pushes the limits and exceeds all our expectations.

The cafe has extended hours that include breakfast. With breakfast being one of my favorite meals of the day, we visited during the morning. My husband, Ryan, ordered the Texas Breakfast Burrito, which is pictured below. Texas sized, may be a bit of an understatement.....this burrito is huge and packed full of ingredients that will satisfy even the loudest belly growls. Filled with chorizo, eggs, potatoes and cheddar cheese and then covered in your choice of a red or green chile cream sauce - this burrito will leave you very satisfied. - but be sure to bring your appetite!
For my meal I chose the Huevos a la Mexicana which is 3 scrambled eggs flavored with onions, tomatoes and peppers with a touch of cilantro and then covered in your choice of a red or green chile cream sauce.  (also pictured below) When my plate arrived in front of me I was pleasantly surprised by the vast array of colors and smells in front of me. This dish not only looked appetizing....it was. The eggs were cooked to perfection and the green chile sauce that topped the eggs was the perfect addition. I chose to put my eggs/sauce into the tortilla's that accompanied, which made for one of the best breakfast burrito's I have had to date. This combination was one that I have personally never had in all my years of eating Mexican cuisine....and to me, that proved a lot. It is really hard to find a one of a kind dish, especially with a Mexican flair. We live in an area that has hundreds of options when it comes to Mexican cuisine, so finding something out of the ordinary was something to note.
To top it all off, all breakfast plates come with your choice of handmade hash-browns, which we had heard of even before we visited Sonora. After having these hash-browns, it will honestly be hard for me to visit any other breakfast joint (chain or local) and eat hash-browns with a smile. Chef Les shreds whole potatoes daily to create the best breakfast hash-browns in NWA. Its funny to think that fresh cut potatoes are a novelty but honestly we all know that most joints fry up frozen shredded potatoes - and we like them. --- Try Sonora's once and you'll never want frozen again. Promise.

With less than a month under the belt, Sonora prides itself as one of the newest local joints on Emma. We are in the midst of a rapidly growing and changing Springdale. The downtown area is holding on to its roots and hundreds are behind the possibilities of this great city. We have hope that our city will thrive and bloom with locally owned businesses, ones that will succeed, bring jobs to our community as well as bring a sense of community to our city. Finding a way to help this happen is as easy as supporting the locals that have followed their dream by opening a small business. Help support a thriving downtown and a fantastic locally owned/operated restaurant by trying Sonora Cafe 405...and tell them that the NWA Food Follower sent you.  ---> see restaurant pics below.

Stay tuned for the next review. rlb.

Spring Creek Amish Market and Deli

Spring Creek Amish Market and Deli
Hours: M-F 9:30a-6:00p (Deli closes at 5p)
Saturday - 9:30a-5:00p (Deli closes at 4p)
Closed Sunday
Address: 501 E. Emma, Springdale
Atmosphere: Casual/Family
479-756-6000

This quaint little deli located on the east end of Emma opened January 2014. Eyes are naturally drawn towards this Market/Deli due to the old fashioned black carriage that is parked just outside the doors.
Naturally, the first question from just about anyone is : Is it owned/operated by the Amish? The answer: No. However, the owners have worked side by side several Amish families for quite sometime in some of their other family businesses.

Spring Creek is family owned/operated by Ray and Lesa Dotson, their daughter Ashton and her husband Todd Mickna. Sisters Roberta Roles and Barbara Upshaw also help with the daily needs of this busy Springdale deli. Ray and Lesa also proudly own Ozark Mountain Carriages which provide the amazing carriages that are used during the Christmas season on the square in Fayetteville. The Dotson's also rent out carriages for special events (weddings, anniversaries, ect) Check out the Ozark Mountain Carriages website here: http://ozarkmountaincarriages.com/

We were delighted and quite surprised just shortly after walking through the front entrance of Spring Creek, with the size of this family owned deli. Upon entrance you walk through the market which is full of the best baking mixes, sauces, spices, seasonings, canned jams/jellies and fruits. Spring Creek even has a refrigerated section full of pre-packaged Amish cheeses and butters. This market would be a great place to pick-up a gift for that hard to buy for friend/relative. Who doesn't love fresh canned jams or jellies?
The Deli is located just behind the Market which has approximate seating for 50. The menu is jammed packed full of different meats and cheeses which you can have made into one of the best sandwiches on homemade bread you've ever had or packaged and taken home. My husband and I both had a turkey sandwich on homemade white bread. I opted for the peppered turkey and my husband chose the plain turkey. Both were delicious. Sandwiches come as ordered, you choose your toppings and your type of bread. (which are made fresh that same day) Each sandwich plate comes with your choice of potato chips or for a slight surcharge you can have their amazing potato salad (I had both :) Plates are also served with a pickle.
Picking your meat and cheese for your sandwich is NOT an easy tasks. Spring Creeks has numerous fresh meats and cheeses (choices shown below). Not for sure which to choose? Ask for a sample! - And if your still hungry after your meal, dive into one of Spring Creeks amazing desserts! We had the strawberry pie and the coconut pie which were both made fresh that day and were absolutely amazing!! Too full after your meal? Get a peice to go, or take the whole pie! Spring Creek even bakes to order! Call ahead and get your favorite pie ordered for your family or special event.

I believe that good food isn't always enough for me to want to re-visit a restaurant. I think every establishment should offer both a tasty menu and great customer service. Here at Spring Creek, I received both. The owners (all of them) greeted us as if we were part of their family and made our visit one that won't soon be forgot.

Spring Creek is a great example of why I write a food blog focusing on locally owned establishments. There are so many restaurants to choose from here in NWA, most of the time we choose one blindly hoping for a great outcome. Word of mouth has such a big influence on how establishments thrives in any city, small or large. Help me help Spring Creek thrive in NWA by sharing this review, and mostly by trying Spring Creek yourself. - you won't be sorry.....and I bet they will even let you take a picture in their carriage.

-RLB

Charly's Taqueria

We are back from a short summer vaca and ready to explore more of NWA's great local grub!
We started back by visiting Charly's Taqueria in Springdale.
Charly's is located at : 1830 South Pleasant Suite F.
In all of my years here in NWA I had never actually seen this restaurant but just recently started hearing about it from several different friends that just RAVED about it flavorful food.
The family and I loaded up with our empty stomach and eagerly headed out. Its one of those restaurants that if you are not actively looking for it.....you'll miss it!!!
Charly's is very small with approximate seating around 50. The menu is large with options for every appetite. They even offer rare dessert/treats like cantaloupe smoothies!
Here's what we ordered:
Street taco's (carne asada/onions/cilantro on a corn tortilla)
Pork Tamales
Cheese Quesadilla
Guacamole/chips/salsa

The Scoop:
*The Cheese Quesadilla was very small  - however, perfect for a child. 7/10
*Street taco's - amazing. The carne asada was perfectly cooked/seasoned and the perfect amount of toppings were applied. 8/10
*Pork Tamales - I have tried tamales all over NWA. (restaurants and homeade) - these were very tasty but had a little more "breading" than what I prefer. I like a tamale with lots of meat and less of the "breading" - however, the overall taste was great. 7/10.
*Guacamole - The Guac was freshly made with the perfect amount of ingredients added to the avacado.
The serving size was large and was enough to make a great side dish for the whole family. 10/10

Payment:
Charly's accepts cash and credit cards. - Our bill was less than $30 for our family which included 4 fountain drinks and one water. We feel the price was very fair for the food we received. 10/10


As you know I LOVE supporting local food joints. Charly's is the perfect addition to Springdale's growth. If you love authentic mexican food and are looking for a new restaurant that offers great food at a great value, try Charly's!!! - Tell them NWAFF sent ya!

Check out their FACEBOOK page : Charly's Taqueria Facebook Page

rlb - food photos courtesy of Charly's Taqueria FACEBOOK page.

Entry 2

Sabores Mexican Restaurant
Rogers, AR
Atmosphere: Dress Causal/Family
1001 S 52nd St Suite 2, Rogers, AR

479-273-0011

Welcome to the official first review since renaming the blog. Deciding on "where" to do the first blog review was tricky, but I think I picked a gem :)

Sabores Mexican Restaurant is located just north of the Village on the Creeks Shopping Center in Rogers (next door to the Pepsi, Inc building) Inside you find a small, modern mexican eatery that is suitable for all family types or work luncheons. There menu is quite large for such a small establishment - even the pickiest of eaters will be sure to find something scrumptious.

Sabores opened just 3 short months ago by a local Bentonville family. The family owned a similar restaurant in Bentonville (under another name) but closed its doors to move closer to the growing Pinnacle Hills area.

I brought a couple of my fellow co-workers along for my first review - it is always nice to have friends come along to share their thoughts, as well as the added ability to write reviews on more than one item from the menu. 

Entree #1 

(from the Lunch Menu) 

(2) Spinach Enchilada's 

Rice/beans (no substitutes available)

$6.50

Racheal ordered this lunch plate and gave it two thumbs UP. The enchiladas were full of flavor and packed with creamy spinach. The rice and beans were soft and spiced perfectly. According to Racheal, she will definitely be ordering this plate again.

Entree #2

(from the Appetizer Menu)

Chicken/Beef Nachos

$8.50

Bailey ordered this large plate of crunchy nachos from the appetizer menu. Loaded with cheese, beans, 2 meats, pico and guac this plate is perfect for your entree or to share as an appetizer. Appearances do weigh in highly when it comes to food - but so does taste - and in the taste category the NWAFF gives this appetizer 2 thumbs DOWN. The meat on this GRANDE platter of nachos were what ruined the meal. The chicken was dry and the beef was MUY greasy. While we all understand that a hint of greasiness is par for nachos, the oil in this beef sat on top like it was purposely showing itself. - One look at these nachos and we knew that heartburn would play a role at some point in our day.

Entree #3

(from the Lunch Menu)

#4 - Enchilada and Tamale

$6.50

For my lunch, I chose the lunch combo plate. I ordered a cheese enchilada and a chicken tamale, both with white queso on top. My lunch plate also came with rice and bean.

This plate DEFINITELY gets 2 thumbs UP - even from a girl with a lactose intolerance! - this plate might have been worth the pain that came after - haha.

The enchilada was filled with the creamiest cheese and the queso topping was supreme. The chicken tamale was superb - and I consider myself quite the tamale connoisseur. Ive made tamale tasting my mini mission in life - and I would say that Im doing a pretty good job at it.

As Racheal implied in her above entry, the beans and rice were very flavorful - they were the perfect compliment to the entry.

Most of us that live in NorthWest Arkansas know that this area is not hurting for more mexican restaurants. The options for us to satisfy our south of the border hunger pains are vast, however they tend to be all alike - none of them stand out in front - each with their queso and chips. So why did I write a review on yet another queso and chips restaurant? - Locally owned, No Chains, No website. Sabores is a tastefully blissful establishment that is keeping money in NorthWest Arkansas. There are alot of mexican restaurant establishments that are local, yes - but do they thrive on customer service? Do they ask if you enjoyed your experience? Do they thank you for your visit - and genuinely mean it? If not, consider stopping by Sabores. You will leave knowing you have supported a NWA family - and you will leave full. -  win, win.

-rlb



Parents/Families: - Kid Friendly? Yes. Small establishment. TV's are located for family entertainment. Chips and Salsa are provided at time of sitting. Kids menu's are available. 
Bathrooms: - I can only speak for the women's restroom - Clean. Attended. No changing Station.

Entry 1

The NWA Food Follower is a spin off of an old blog that I started in 2010, " 2 girls and a Menu."
I found it very hard to coordinate schedules with another writer each week to write reviews, so Ive decided to start again on my own...I can always find time for myself, haha, especially when it comes to food.

I am carrying over my entries from "2 girls and a Menu" because we visited several amazing restaurants and I don't want those great reviews to be forgotten. - Be sure to stay tuned weekly for my reviews. I will be choosing a NWA locally owned/operated diner/restaurant/bistro each week to dine in and review. If you have a place that you would like to recommend, comment or let us know on my facebook page,
@ https://www.facebook.com/thenwafoodfollower



Previous Entries (2 girls and a Menu):

Joe's Pizza & Pasta Italian Grill
Springdale, AR
Atmosphere: Casual/Family
4224 W Sunset Ave, Springdale, AR

Italian food is somewhat of a comparison to Southern food for me because it exemplifies the meaning of comfort food.
There is nothing like a great Italian meal shared with loved ones.
Joe's Grill brings the phrase "When your here, your family" right home.
It only took 5 steps into the restaurant for me to feel the warmth and comfort of this little Italian eatery.
(plus the great smell of garlic didn't hurt :)

Joe's offers a wide variety of Italian food from Hot Subs such as their Sausage Parmigiana all the way to their Homeade Pastas such as the Baked Ziti.
I took my family on this "review" trip to explore family friendliness, which is important to most of our readers.

Here's the low-down on our family choices:

Ryan - Sausage Roll
"Italian link sausage, bell peppers, onion and mozzarella cheese.

Renae- Stromboli
Pepperoni, canadian bacon, hamburger, sausage and mozzarella cheese

David (My Dad) - Sausage & Pepper Hot Sub
Packed with Italian sausage, and bell peppers on a homade hoagie.

Christian and Joshua (the little one's)
Each had 1 slice of cheese pizza (sold by the slice or by the pie)


Review:
Each meal was completly homeade, even the bread from scratch.
I just knew there had to be a little Italian lady in the kitchen rolling out dough and singing the perfect Italian song in well....Italian :)
The little one's pizza slice was LARGER than their heads, literally. What fun it was to watch their eyes bug out when their dinner was served.

The food gets a huge points on taste, authienticity, and in portion sizes.
The service from the staff was top notch, even the owner/manager made his rounds ensuring that everyone's visit was up to their standards.

Will we go back? Yes.
Joe's has such a wide variety on their menu to choose from that it would literally take years to try it all, and if every meal is as good as the one we had, this local joint will be around for a very long time.

Please visit Joe's - it's right across from Lowe's on Sunset in Springdale!!

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2010

Review # 3

Hugo's
Fayetteville, AR
Atmosphere: Eclectic American
http://hugosfayetteville.com/

Have you ever walked into a restaurant and just knew that you were fixing to have an amazing experience?
Hugo's is located in the basement of 25 1/2 North Block Ave. You almost have to have your spy googles on to spot this little joint, but after you find it, and experience it, you'll never forget it.
Filled with eclectic decor, this restaurant is not in shortage of funky personality. The dim lighting sets the stage for the euphoric experience you are about to behold.
Hugo's opened it's doors in 1977 and hold's award winning recipes for their amazing burgers. The menu can live up to even thepickest of eaters expectations, and slaps a smile right on their face.

Our experience:

Renae -
The Traditional Cheeseburger.
I consider myself to be an expert with extensive knowledge of how a cheeseburger should taste and THIS is how it should taste.
The first bite of this burger sends your mind right out to the grill. Amazing flavor, fresh veggies, and a toasted bun that taste like it came straight from a bakery. Every bite of this burger sent my taste buds into sensory overload....and what a great feeling that is :)
This was not my first time to have this particular burger at Hugo's and I have to say that each visit proves their consistency, which is huge +A review wise. I love knowing that everytime I visit a restaurant, I WILL enjoy the same great taste.

Whitney:
Swiss Cheese and Bacon Burger.
The perfect combination of swiss and bacon tops this perfect patty.
Cooked to exactly my perfection, this juicy burger gets added to my list of most amazing foods.

Each burger is served with potato chips, but ordering a basket of Hugo's homemade french fries is worth the extra cash.

Hugo's is open Mon-Thurs 11:00 am - 10:00 pm and Friday-Sat 11-11.

Will we go back:
Yes. Hugo's hasn't been around for 33 years for nothing, this place is amazing and we HIGHLY recommend it.
Family friendly during the week and weekend days, but more of the college scene on Friday and Saturday nights. Be prepared to stand in line on the weekends, people line up for this tasty treat!

Hugo's - a little hard to find, but totally worth the hunt. :)

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2010

Review # 2

Mezza Luna Italian Eatery
Fayetteville, AR
Italian Dining in a Casual Atmosphere
http://www.mezzalunanwa.com/


Have you ever been so full, yet so hungry for more all at the same time?
Welcome to Mezza Luna.


I had a substitute "girl" with me for our trip to Mezza Luna. My co-lover of food, Whitney, had a very busy schedule this week and was unable to sit for a review. My review this week was written with the help of my friend Bridget, who was excited to be part of the "two girls" review :) Thank you Bridget!

Mezza Luna opened it's doors in October of 2008. Chef and owner Juan Barcenas moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas in 1996 to work as Chef at Bordinos. Together, he and friend Andrea from Milanodeveloped the Bordinos experience. Juan was the Chef at Bordinosfor seven years and then decided to set out on his lifelong dream of having his own place.

Mezza Luna offers an extensive Italian menu including pizza, pastas, salad, desserts and more.

Here's a look at our experience:

Renae:
Famous Portabella Mushroom Lasagna Homemade with Bechamelsauce, Chef Juan Style, served on a bed of creamy pesto sauce.
When my plate arrived in front of me, I knew this was going to be one of the greatest food experiences of my life. This lasagna was adefinitely a mushroom lovers dream. The presentation of the meal made the experience even more of a delight. Pesto sauce coated the plate which was the perfect addition to the bechamel sauce. If you have never experienced a lasagna with Bechamel sauce, please make it your next, you won't regret it. This meal was trulyamazing and genuinely an authentic Italian meal.

Bridget:
Chicken Alfredo Pizza, YUMMY!! The price was right for this gourmet style pizza. The pizza was fresh with a burst of sweetness.
Dessert:
Tiramisu. - "I wasn't as impressed with it as some others I have tried. Honestly, it wasn't that firm and by the time I got the leftovers home it was slop. It lacked the right amount of ladyfingers".


Over all review:
Will we go back?
Yes! I left Mezza Luna already planning who I wanted to come with me on my next visit. We were extremely impressed with the food, and the service was top notch.
We feel confident in saying, "We know you will love this food".

However, we felt like Mezza Luna's website was a little misleading. We were expecting an upscale restaurant, but found this little eatery in a strip mall atmosphere with very causal family style dining. This is definitely a family atmosphere with a Tuscan feel...perfect for families of all sizes.

Please support Mezza Luna, we love it, and know you will too!
Visit the website to take a look at the menu!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010

Review # 1

Table Mesa Bistro
Bentonville, AR Downtown Square
Modern Latin with A Blend
Atmosphere: Dimly lighted, modern-eclectic
http://www.tablemesabistro.com

Today we visited Table Mesa Bistro in Bentonville, AR.
TM is a multi-cultural bistro with a Latin feel.
The menu offers a wide variety of food and drinks that will please even the pickiest of eaters.

Choosing the perfect entree was a hard decision with so many great options available. - But we were definitely up for the challenge.
The Boca Chicken Sandwich sounded delightful. Juicy roasted chicken with bacon on brioche with garlic and herb cheese, agave, mustard sauce and organic greens.
Several salad option were available on the menu including the Mediterranean Salad which was full of fresh greens, artichokes,avacado, grapes, cucumber, feta, kalamata olives. A nice champagne vinaigrette dressing accompanied.
A large "Earth and Ocean" section of the menu held great options including, Salmon, Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Chicken and Beef.

Our MENU:

Renae - "ChimiVanga"
A large crispy flour tortilla loaded with chicken ranchero, mixed cheeses and topped with pico de gallo, fresh guacamole and a drizzle of crema. Served with black bean and rice.
I was most pleased with my menu choice.
The ChimVanga was packed with cheesy flavor and the guacamole topping really added an amazing addition. I have always been a fan of the "traditional Mexican Chimichanga" but this loaded tortilla beat them all.
This fully packed chimi had the perfect blend of cheese and chicken - every bite was full of perfect flavor. The black beans and rice that accompanied were a perfect "sidekick" to this entree, each had amazing Latin flavor.


Whitney - Mahi Mahi Fish Taco's
Two corn tortillas filled with grilled Mahi Mahi, dusted with house spices, chipolte mayo, fresh avocado slices, sauteed onions, peppers and pico de gallo. Served with black beans and rice.
These fabulous fish tacos were far from your "Long John Silver" fish taco's.
Each bite was filled with incredible flavorful Mahi Mahi and fresh sliced avocado, the combination of the two flavors was amazing.
The black beans and rice were again the perfect "sidekick" to these perfect taco's.

We give Table Mesa Bistro a THUMB' UP on taste, uniqueness, atmosphere and options available.
However, we give Table Mesa Bistro a THUMB'S DOWN on drinks and overall price.
All carbonated beverages (Coke, Dr. Pepper, ect ) are bottled and there are no free refills. One 16.5oz Dr. Pepper was $2.50.
My visit to TMB which included ( ONE adult entree, 1 soda, 2 kids meals with drinks equaled $32.00, no tip included) Whitney's visit equaled $13.00 which included Fish Taco's and water to drink.
So if budget is your game...start putting a little extra away for this little bistro.

So..will we go back? Yes. The price is steep, but the unique flavor of this bistro seals the deal. Our taste buds will crave this again, and we will listen.