It's an idea envisioned a few years back, but Mockingbird Kitchen became Fayetteville's newest concept in upscale-casual dining just three months ago.
Now, owners Leigh Helm and Chrissy Sanderson are hoping that their philosophy of serving traditional American fare with some trending twists, in a comfortable environment, will continue to catch on.
"It's getting a little busier, slowly but surely," Helm said. "As people start finding out that we are here, and enjoy our food and atmosphere, I think our clientele will continue to grow."
The restaurant at 1466 N. College Blvd. is a bit hidden in the far right corner of Evelyn Hills Shopping Center, but the flow of customers already seems to be steady.
"Like with any new business, it takes time," said Sanderson, the head chef and menu developer. "As long as we continue to provide good food and good service, I think the word will continue to get out."
After earning a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Arkansas, Sanderson debated on going to law school or getting her teaching degree, but instead decided to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York in 2000.
"Cooking is just kind of in my blood," she said. "Both of my grandmothers were great cooks, my mom is a great cook, and it's just something that I always grew up around. Once I got my degree from the U of A, I had worked in restaurants to help me get that degree, so I didn't really want to leave the restaurant business."
After returning to Fayetteville, the Fort Smith native became a chef at Bordinos Restaurant & Wine Bar on Dickson Street, where she remained for eight years.
Helm, who was born in Fayetteville and is also a UA grad, handles most of Mockingbird's business end and marketing. She is still employed full-time at JB Hunt while balancing her end of the restaurant venture.
"We had been kind of looking for a place for a couple of years to open a restaurant," she said. "Chrissy's idea was to open up something that utilized a lot of the foods and products from Arkansas."
The majority of the staples at Mockingbird are locally or regionally produced, something that is important to both women. They also thrive on keeping the menu as seasonal as possible, particularly pertaining to the fruits and vegetables served.
"I think it's great to support local businesses, because I think it adds a lot of value to our state," Sanderson said. "Traditionally, if you look at a lot of European cultures, they eat very local, such as with the Italian and French cuisines.
"As Americans I think we have kind of gotten away from that, so this is kind of a swing back to being able to produce locally and prepare food more locally. It's better for the environment, because you don't have to transport. It's better for you nutritionally, because you prepare as things come in and out of season."
In addition to purchasing products from local growers like Marilyn Burdette, they get their flour from War Eagle Mill, much of their bread from Ozark Natural Bread and their chicken from Crystal Lake Farms.
With a full bar, they also carry an array of beers on tap from local breweries.
"Whenever possible, we try to stay local," Sanderson said.
The name Mockingbird comes from Helm's love of birds and the fact that it is the state bird of Arkansas.
The menu is diverse for lunch and dinner, beginning with its "snacks," or appetizers, ranging from $7-$8. One of the popular items is the Buffalo Cauliflower, which is simply cauliflower florets poached and flash-fried, then tossed in a Buffalo wing sauce and served with blue cheese dressing.
Soups and salads range from $6-$9, including the fresh Spring Vegetable Cobb Salad, consisting of local lettuce, buttermilk dressing, turkey, bacon, edamame, asparagus, peas, carrots, cucumber, soft-boiled egg and blue cheese crumbles.
The lunch menu includes a choice of three "blue plates," priced between $10-$15. The Ropa Vieja is braised beef in a rich tomato, olive and caper red wine sauce, served on grits.
"That is one of our more unique dishes and has become very popular," Helm said. "The sauce just works very well with the grits."
The main dishes on the lunch menu range in price from $10-$12, including a catfish and spicy slaw sandwich, a slow-roasted pork sandwich or the Mockingburger, which is a local ground beef patty with lettuce, tomato, and a secret house sauce, served on a sesame seed bun.
The main dishes on the dinner menu range from $14-$25 for the 12-ounce Creekside strip loin, served with sauteed onions, Yukon gold potatoes and roasted scallion butter.
The $6 dessert options include the Mockingbird Pie, which is chocolate pastry cream, whipped cream and toasted pecans in a pecan crust.
The $6 kids menu has five options, from pasta and meatballs to fried chicken and ripple chips.
House cocktails include the traditional Bloody Mary and Mojito, as well as the specialty, Tequila Mockingbird Margarita. They also serve an array of wines, by the bottle or glass.
Mockingbird kitchen also caters business lunches and can prepare box lunches for convenience.
They are open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and from 5-9 p.m., and on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. Reservations are encouraged for larger parties.
For more information, visit their website at MockingbirdKitchen.com or by calling (479) 435-6333.
NAN Dining Guide Spotlight on 08/19/2016