Restaurant Development in NW Arkansas

[itk]

I wonder how many different companies there are with restaurans named 'Kobe' and 'Shogun.' Because I can find websites for some, but never for any that would make me believe there's a large national chain. We have a Kobe and two Shogun locations, in addition to a few other 'Japanese' steakhouses. I know the Shogun locations are owned by the same company... but who is it? I have no idea who owns our Kobe, but I've been told that years ago some Japanese chefs from our original Shogun restaurant left to do their own thing. I don't know if that's true or not, but seeing Shogun and Kobe restaurants all over the country has often left me wondering how many different companies there are and how they're all able to use the same names.

The Shogun owners are Korean and live in Fayetteville. Several years ago, one of the main chefs (or the main one?), who is also Korean, left and opened a place in Bentonville near Wal-Mart HQ-- I forget the name, only been there once, but I liked it a lot. Maybe that's that Samauri place.

[mzweig]

The Shogun owners are Korean and live in Fayetteville. Several years ago, one of the main chefs (or the main one?), who is also Korean, left and opened a place in Bentonville near Wal-Mart HQ-- I forget the name, only been there once, but I liked it a lot. Maybe that's that Samauri place.

The sushi place on Dickson was also a former Shogun employee. What do you all think of the new Shogun going in where Benson's was? It is supposed to be their flagship. Will be nice to have down there.

[masons_dad1]

The Shogun owners are Korean and live in Fayetteville. Several years ago, one of the main chefs (or the main one?), who is also Korean, left and opened a place in Bentonville near Wal-Mart HQ-- I forget the name, only been there once, but I liked it a lot. Maybe that's that Samauri place.

I think there's a Kobe attached to the gas station at the corner of 14th St (102) and Walton (71B) in Bentonville. It's an odd place for a sushi bar and it used to be a pizza joint or sub shop or something... memory fades with age.

[mcheiss]

I think there's a Kobe attached to the gas station at the corner of 14th St (102) and Walton (71B) in Bentonville. It's an odd place for a sushi bar and it used to be a pizza joint or sub shop or something... memory fades with age.

Yeah that's Kobe. It's a great restaurant, I encourage all of you to try it.

[Julles]

I think there's a Kobe attached to the gas station at the corner of 14th St (102) and Walton (71B) in Bentonville. It's an odd place for a sushi bar and it used to be a pizza joint or sub shop or something... memory fades with age.

Several years ago it was Sweet Dreams Bakery. They made the best cakes in town. They moved to downtown Rogers, but I don't think they survived there very long. Too bad. I really don't know where to get a good cake in Rogers/Bentonville. As far as I know, our options are limited to Wal-mart, Harps, and a few individuals operating from their homes. Anyone know of another good bakery? I guess I never thought about trying the Hispanic bakeries; they might do cakes.

[mcheiss]

There's a great hispanic bakery over by Price Cutter in Rogers.

It's in the shopping center with Eureka Pizza. There's also a great Asian Grocery Store & Gift Shop.

[Mith242]

Saw an interesting writeup on Bella Napoli in Bentonville in today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Just curious if anyone had tried them out yet.

[KJW]

Saw an interesting writeup on Bella Napoli in Bentonville in today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Just curious if anyone had tried them out yet.

Not yet...thanks for the "Heads up", Mith.

Here in Bentonville, our family goes to "Poppi's", a hole in the wall looking italian restaurant in the area on Tiger Blvd. just west of Walton approaching where they're building that huge new water tower in west B'ville. The owner and his wife have been to Italy multiple times to collect recipes and sample cooking styles. Good food and we're get stuff from there for our "1 meal out per week" night tonight. (Rubbing my stomach just thinking about it.)

[Mith242]

Not yet...thanks for the "Heads up", Mith.

Here in Bentonville, our family goes to "Poppi's", a hole in the wall looking italian restaurant in the area on Tiger Blvd. just west of Walton approaching where they're building that huge new water tower in west B'ville. The owner and his wife have been to Italy multiple times to collect recipes and sample cooking styles. Good food and we're get stuff from there for our "1 meal out per week" night tonight. (Rubbing my stomach just thinking about it.)

Interesting, I was also curious if anyone knew of any Italian places that also focused more on the northern part of Italian cuisine. Most places usually focus on the southern cuisine.

[mcheiss]

Interesting, I was also curious if anyone knew of any Italian places that also focused more on the northern part of Italian cuisine. Most places usually focus on the southern cuisine.

The only one's I've heard are in Tontitown, and they focus on Sicilian Cuisine.

[Mith242]

The only one's I've heard are in Tontitown, and they focus on Sicilian Cuisine.

Yeah Sicilian or other southern areas. Of course most of that is because that's the poorest part of Italy and where most of out Italian immigrants came from. I've heard stories of people going to northern Italy and being rather surprised what food was like because it was nothing like what they had experianced here in the US.

[mcheiss]

Zaxby's has been confirmed for Springdale. The restaurant will be along Thompson north of Maple Avenue and should be open by Spring 2007.

As well, Bentonville's Zaxby's is open, along with one in Fayetteville under development at 6th Street & Lewis Avenue.

That still leaves 8 more Zaxby's to be built in Benton and Washington Counties. Siloam Springs, Fayetteville near Crossover, and a place along I-540 in Lowell are also on the board for Zaxby's.

[Aporkalypse]

The only one's I've heard are in Tontitown, and they focus on Sicilian Cuisine.

...and fried chicken.

I tell people in Dallas about getting spaghetti and fried chicken at the Venetian Inn and they look at me like I'm on crack. They just don't know...

There's a terrific (albeit expensive) restaurant in downtown NLR (or Main) called Ristorante Capeo that serves excellent Northern Italian. It's really the only Italian restaurant in central Arkansas that I would brag on. It's the descendant of Cassinelli's (same family and essentially same menu) which was on Main and claimed to be Swiss-Italian (15% of Switzerland is Italian). Cassinelli's was actually voted in the top 100 Italian restaurants in the nation almost every year.

I saw Macaroni Grill dogged on here by a couple of people but it actually has very good Northern Italian dishes for a chain. They have a few token southern Italian dishes like lasagna and most people that don't like the place ordered these. The good dishes are olive oil or cream-based.

[mcheiss]

Say goodbye to Bourbon Boys. The restaurant is officially closed and doesn't look like it will be opening again. But, as someone mentioned, a Seafood restaurant is coming. Seafood Market Bar & Grill will open in the Bourbon Boys location. The restaurant will have catfish, but more salt water fish such as yellow fin tuna, smoked samon, and lobster from Boston shipped daily. A seafood bar will be at the restaurant too, serving crab legs, oysters, shrimps, mussels, and scallops.

[mcheiss]

As well, Popeye's has been confirmed in Fayetteville along 6th Street.

The store will be at 2100 W. 6th Street, which is right by the Hardees and the Mexican Viejo Restaurants.

[Julles]

There's a great hispanic bakery over by Price Cutter in Rogers.

It's in the shopping center with Eureka Pizza. There's also a great Asian Grocery Store & Gift Shop.

A very late thank you, Matt. I must have missed this the first time around. '

On a different note, you know what I miss? Schlegel's Bagels. Does anyone know what happened to them, why they folded? I loved that place, loved their bagels. I guess I can get pretty much the same thing at Atlanta Bread or Panera, but it's not the same. Schlegel's had that local feel that made them special.

[mcheiss]

^

Never heard of it, was is a Fayetteville restaurant?

[Julles]

^

Never heard of it, was is a Fayetteville restaurant?

Yeah, it was a local chain. They had at least three locations in Fayetteville, and one in Rogers. There could have been more I didn't know about. They had local artists paint murals on their walls, and they had really great bagels, spreads and coffees. Maybe it's been longer than I thought since they disappeared. I think it was the mid 90's. I can remember the time when a very popular gift item was a basket of Schlegel's bagels and spreads.

[Mith242]

Say goodbye to Bourbon Boys. The restaurant is officially closed and doesn't look like it will be opening again. But, as someone mentioned, a Seafood restaurant is coming. Seafood Market Bar & Grill will open in the Bourbon Boys location. The restaurant will have catfish, but more salt water fish such as yellow fin tuna, smoked samon, and lobster from Boston shipped daily. A seafood bar will be at the restaurant too, serving crab legs, oysters, shrimps, mussels, and scallops.

Yeah I had a feeling that they wouldn't come back despite their assurances. You can't just have your restaurant closed for that long. The seafood sounds interesting. I wonder if this is going to hurt Powerhouse which isn't too far away. Powerhouse slowly seems to be making it back after their financial troubles a year or two ago. But I'm not sure how stable they are if a competitor opened that near by.

On a different note, you know what I miss? Schlegel's Bagels. Does anyone know what happened to them, why they folded? I loved that place, loved their bagels. I guess I can get pretty much the same thing at Atlanta Bread or Panera, but it's not the same. Schlegel's had that local feel that made them special.

I'd heard of them but I admit I've never been there and I haven't really heard any news about them unfortunately.

[mzweig]

A very late thank you, Matt. I must have missed this the first time around. '

On a different note, you know what I miss? Schlegel's Bagels. Does anyone know what happened to them, why they folded? I loved that place, loved their bagels. I guess I can get pretty much the same thing at Atlanta Bread or Panera, but it's not the same. Schlegel's had that local feel that made them special.

I know what happened to them as I had one of the Schlegels in a class I teach. The family got the rights to distribute Boar's Head meats in this area. That proved to be about 10-times the business that their bagel business was so they shut it (the bagel business) down. I wish we had a good bagel shop. FYI, for coffee, scones (and bagels--but not a lot of 'em) I go to Bababoudan's on College. It's a great little spot.

[Mith242]

I know what happened to them as I had one of the Schlegels in a class I teach. The family got the rights to distribute Boar's Head meats in this area. That proved to be about 10-times the business that their bagel business was so they shut it (the bagel business) down. I wish we had a good bagel shop. FYI, for coffee, scones (and bagels--but not a lot of 'em) I go to Bababoudan's on College. It's a great little spot.

Thanks for the update.

[strmchsr77]

The first of three restaurants was announced at the new University Village shopping center on 15th street near Baum Stadium. It is a Memphis based BBQ place called the Pig-N-Whistle. Anyone heard of this? The article in Arkansas Business said there are going to be 3 restaurants but this is the only one known so far.

Also a 5 story Staybridge Suites Hotel will be built next door. Seems like an interesting place for a hotel. I guess they are going to try an pick up people traveling to University events at Tyson track center and Baum stadium. This is also the closest hotel to the rapidly growing high-tech park and not too far off the interstate.

[dimebag1980]

There's also the Samurai Japanese Steakhouse at the corner of Hwy 102 (14th St) and J street in Bentonville. I don't know if it's any good or not, but it's supposed to be similar to the Shogun experience.

Oops, you're talking about Lousiana, aren't you? Never mind.

Yeah, but seeing as how you guys have a few Japanese places as well, you can relate. Carry on...

[Thia]

Interesting, I was also curious if anyone knew of any Italian places that also focused more on the northern part of Italian cuisine. Most places usually focus on the southern cuisine.

The best northern Italian food I've had south of Chicago is a 45 minute drive away and it's soooo worth the drive. Ermilio's in Eureka Springs is affordable, unpretentious atmosphere, simple food, and VERY good. Their menu is posted on the web at ermilios. com. Every one of the appetizers is great and every entree including the daily specials has been excellent. Saturday is lasagna night. Their Italian cream cake is my favorite dessert.

Ermilio's has some quirky availability so make sure you call ahead before making the drive. They don't open until 5pm, they close for a week in early September, and they close for a month before Valentines Day. Expect to wait 30-90 minutes for a table if you go on Friday or Saturday and no- they don't take reservations. I went last Sunday and they sat 6 of us immediately.

Trust me if you like northern Italians you will begin making the drive to Eureka every few months.

(DeVito's in Eureka does lots of marketing but they are a poor substitution for Ermilio's... don't be fooled. I

[mcheiss]

^

I'm going to try that the next time I'm in Eureka.

BTW, welcome to the forum Thia!! Thanks for the info.