Whether it’s for business, pleasure, or a combination of both, we all get out of time from to time. Fortunately, the entire Ozark Gateway region is home to a number of outstanding, reasonably priced, family-friendly restaurants. Following are a few of my favorites.
Hardy’s Words & Afterwords, which opened in 2006, manages to combine bookstore, art gallery, coffee house, restaurant, and live music venue into a fluid celebration of fine food, wonderful music, and great books. Located in the heart of Old Hardy Town at 201 Spring Street, the eclectic gathering place and eatery also succeeds in creating a casual, welcoming environment that can transform any visit into an event that nourishes both body and spirit.
The lunch menu is Greek-influenced, offering a Greek Salad, Gyro Salad, and hefty Greek Gyro on Pita. The Hummus with Pita is definitely worth consideration; the hummus is made fresh on site, perfectly seasoned, and served warm. Grilled Panini sandwiches dominate the luncheon menu with nine choices, including a creative Turkey, Cranberry, and Swiss and a savory Reuben. A Combo special features any half-sandwich and a half serving of soup or salad for $7.95. The Greek Pasta can also be ordered for lunch for $7.95 with chicken or sausage or $8.59 with shrimp. Dessert choices usually include an impressive Carrot Cake, a dark spice cake with raisins, loaded with flavor. Brownies are tempting and extremely popular; cheesecake, cookies, muffins, and biscotti round out the choices. The muffin and cake “shots” are a delightful addition; small paper cups about the size of large shot glasses are perfect for diners wanting “a little dessert.”
Special prix fixe dinners are offered for many of the frequent Friday and Saturday evening musical events. One recent dinner offered a selection of two entrees, Greek Pasta with Chicken or Italian Sausage or Roast Pork Loin, served with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted corn on the cob. The Greek Pasta, the restaurant’s signature dish, included sautéed red and green peppers, Feta cheese, and Kalamata olives, served with a perfectly el dente penne. Diners were also offered a choice between Roasted Red Pepper soup, textured and flavorful, and a crisp, colorful Spring Salad. Dinner was a bargain at $13.95. Servings are generous and the wait staff is both well-informed and attentive. Words Afterwords is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
Mountain View has a number of outstanding eateries, including Kin Folks Bar-B-Q, Mikey’s Smoked Meats and Deli, and Country Time Dining, located next to the White River Hoedown. My own favorite stop is Tommy’s Famous Pizza, approaching its 20th anniversary. The family-run establishment, just off the Courthouse Square, has earned national acclaim for its distinctive pizzas, christened as “fabulous” by Southern Living magazine. But pizza is only part of the story; both National Geographic and the Arkansas Times have heaped high praise on Tommy’s Hickory Smoked ribs and barbecue.
Tommy’s pizzas and calzones dwarf the chain pizza offerings. Featured pizzas include the House Special (pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions and bell peppers), the Veggie (zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, red onions, and green olives), the Fat Boy (pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, and green and black olives), and the Tommy Q (barbecue). Creative diners can create their own masterpieces, choosing from a list that includes anchovies, pineapple, pesto, Canadian bacon, jalapeno peppers, and roasted garlic. My own favorite is spinach, walnuts, and shiitake mushrooms on a wheat crust, but a pesto base, wheat crust with shiitakes and extra garlic is a close second.
Tommy pays tribute to his South Memphis roots with his Memphis style barbecue. Sandwiches and ribs are accompanied by Hickory Smoked beans, slaw, and a corn muffin. The beans are loaded with onion, green peppers, and sizable chucks of the succulent smoked pork. If you can’t decide between the pizza and the barbecue, the Tommy Q pizza will solve your problem. Tommy’s opens seven days a week at 3:00 p.m. every day except Christmas. All menu items are available for carry-out.
For more information visit www.wordsafterwords.com and www.tommysfamous.com. Additional restaurant reviews from around the region are available online at www.ozarkgateway.com. Drive carefully, eat healthy, and tell Tommy I sent you.
By Bob Pest
