Two Girls And A Menu

Review # 4

2010-02-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

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!!

Review # 3

2010-01-19T18:24:00.000-08:00

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 the pickest 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. :)

Review # 2

2010-01-11T17:42:00.000-08:00

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 Milano developed the Bordinos experience. Juan was the Chef at Bordinos for 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 Bechamel sauce, 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 a definitely 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 truly amazing 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!

Review # 1

2010-01-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

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.

Coming Soon!

2010-01-04T19:09:00.000-08:00

Join us Next week for the beginning of our weekly restaurant review.
We're on a mission to find great food in NorthWest Arkansas.
Let us be your guide to finding all the hot spots between Bella Vista and Fayetteville, AR!