Have you ever been to a tasting event at a restaurant?
Have you ever wondered what goes on at a tasting?
Have you ever assumed that a tasting was just a sampling of the menu?
Yes, a tasting can be as simple as a menu sampling.
YET…
If you are lucky…
A tasting can be a memorable experience that exposes you to a deeper understanding of a particular genre of food, which is then perfectly pared for a multi-course experience. You go away from the event ready to come back for more and/or filled with the desire to continue learning as much as you can.
That, my friends, is the kind of tasting you want to go to.
28 Springs in Siloam Springs is dedicated to that type of full-bodied tasting experience.
This year is a special one for me as a brand ambassador for both 28 Springs and her sister restaurant, James at the Mill in Johnson. As a brand ambassador, that means as new items are added to the menu and tastings or other events are announced, I will get a sneak peak early so I can give you a heads-up.
Heads-up #1:
Hurry! Next Monday the 20th from 6pm-8pm is a Belgium Beer Tasting at 28 Springs. This is a four course and beer pairing for $40 per person. Spaces are limited and there are only a few seats left. Call 479-524-2828 and make a reservation.
Heads-up #2:
Last chance! Next Tuesday the 21st is the final night of the Belgium Beer Tasting event. Same time. Same number.
Heads-up #3:
Plan ahead! New tasting events occur monthly. Tastings are held on the second and fourth Monday/Tuesday each month and details about these events are posted on their website and facebook page.
To whet your appetite on what a tasting at 28 Spring is like, let me take you on a virtual tour on the current tasting, the Belgium Beer Tasting event.
Chef James was insistent on getting the bar and tasting tables in the lounge area just right. Whether your tasting spot is at the bar or at an adjoining table facing the bar, your focal point is that magnificent bar.
The second course was a steamed mussel in white wine, Belgium fries, and aioli with parsley. I personally do not eat mussels so I had to let that dish go. The fries were my happy place. Oh, that and the St. Bernardus Tripel Belgium Beer, my absolutely favorite beer of the night. Since the mussels were a miss with us, Dennis and I took the time to attack the pretzel bread with ground mustard butter. That pretzel bread, my friends, should have their own category on the food pyramid.
Seriously, I am not kidding.
Third course was served and courted me as an enticing stuffed beef scaloppini. Beef, pork and bacon sausage, flank steak, potato fondants, caramelized onioins, roasted Arkansas black apples, and mustard. All served with Oude Gueuze Tilquin A L’Ancienne Belgium beer. I personally do not eat pork, so I scraped out the pork inside and enjoyed the flank part of the beef. At this point the beer (don’t worry, it wasn’t a full glass of each) was making me really happy, so I was not too concerned with what we couldn’t eat. There were plenty of other tasty aspects the courses that kept me quite satisfied.
The Belgium Beer Tasting event was a complete full-bodied tasting experience.
I hope you take the opportunity to try this or another tasting event at 28 Springs. I plan on going back soon with the family and just hanging out for a nice lunch or evening meal. Siloam Springs is about as far from my home in Bella Vista as Fayetteville is.
Thank you Northwest Arkansas, we found another gem in our backyard.
Lyndi
I'm so happy about this post — I love 28 and Casey and Dorothy, but I have really missed out on the tastings! I'm looking at my calendar right now to find a match. Thanks again!
That is exactly how I feel, that I "have really missed out on the tastings" prior to this one. I cannot wait to hear what is next. I heard that one tasting was all about BUTTER. Butter!
Glad you enjoyed the post, thank you.
Love what you all are doing! Adds to the ascetics of our beautiful town. Wish my partner/spouse was into this kind of thing! Casey and Dorothy are the best!
Siloam Springs has so much potential! That little downtown is gorgeous and really has a lot of gems such as Main Street Cafe, Fratelli's Pizza, Pour Johns, and their is so much charm.
You know how much I love this place! I'm pretty sure we made it during the first week they were open and have been back frequently. I wish we could make the tastings — unfortunately the timing just doesn't work into our to and from schedule yet — maybe soon. Your photos are gorgeous! I love the way you captured the featured foods but also our sweet friends. I think we must get together here for lunch soon. I miss getting to see you!
Miss you, too! Maybe one of those times that you stay for a long weekend and you can make a Monday night tasting? Let me know and Dennis and I will join you!
Thank you for the photo compliments. I am really working hard to improve my photos because it is really fun to capture a moment.
Everything sounds delicious, especially the roasted cherry rye whiskey ice cream. Yum! And your pictures are wonderful.
Thank you very much!