After nearly two decades of being one of Fayetteville's iconic dining destinations, Penguin Ed's Bar-B-Que has continued to satisfy, with a colorful history that is about as tantalizing as its mouth-watering entrees.
Ed Knight, and his wife, Diana, initially opened Crossroads Bar-B-Q in an old army tent at the corner of Arkansas 45 and 265 in Fayetteville on July 4, 1993. Two weeks later, they moved into a food trailer, where they prospered for two years, serving Ed's smoked pork and chicken.
Now, almost two decades later, they have expanded to three Fayetteville dine-in restaurants and bolstered the menu with new items, but the same taste and Southern charm still resonates.
"It's amazing that working out of that little trailer has grown into this," Diane said, sitting inside the original Penguin Ed's dine-in, opened in 1996, at 2773 Mission Blvd. on the corner of Crossover Road. "Ed has always wanted to do whatever it will take to make the customers happy, and I think that has really been our key to success -- and then, probably a little dumb luck, just being in the right place at the right time."
At 66 years old, Ed is taking it a bit easier now days, although he can usually be found tinkering around the eateries, trying to improve something. He also keeps a close watch on the quality of food and service provided.
"We still want to do things the same way that has made people come back," Ed said, "I still keep track of the quality, and making sure the procedures haven't changed. I'm not far from the quality of the food, and that is still my No. 1 function in the business."
The first expansion occurred in 1998, when the Knights purchased the landmark B&B Bar-B-Q, at 230 S. East Ave., on the S-curve (Archibald Yell Blvd.) on U.S. 71B, south of downtown. Built in 1958, that location, now known as Penguin Ed's B&B, still has many of the old remnants, such as the red phones at each booth used for ordering.
The third location was opened in 2007 at 6347 W. Wedington Dr., at the corner of Double Springs Road.
Ed said he had no early vision that his army-tent operation would eventually grow into three successful restaurants and one of Fayetteville's iconic images, penguins of all shapes and sizes.
"From the beginning, it was just one day at a time, baby," Ed said with a hearty laugh. "I really didn't have any big plans. I just concentrated on doing the next day's business. I just wanted people to like me, so I just did anything I could to make the customers happy.
"One of my favorite sayings is that, 'They will forget what you said and they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how they felt.'"
While many employees have come and gone, Elena Kinsey has been the mainstay for 24 years, starting out as a cook/server in the original trailer, and now managing the offices for all three restaurants.
"It's just been great," she said of her longevity. "And I still love getting up and coming to work every day."
Christon Manning, front house manager for the B&B location, invites people to stop in to experience the nostalgia, as well as the flavorful vittles.
"We are just able to serve a good-old homestyle meal," she said. "Good portions, fair price and some good, old-fashioned Southern hospitality."
Initially, slow-smoked, hickory-enhanced ribs and chicken were the offerings, but as the business expanded, so did the menu. Now the menu includes beef brisket, chopped beef, pork shoulder, pulled pork and pulled chicken, and some locations also offer ham, hot links and Polish sausage.
Each restaurant has a slightly different menu, but they all offer more than just barbecue. There are burgers, wings, salads and baked goods, including "Audrey's Infamous Cookies." The cookies are made from Diane's mother's classic recipes.
Hot sub sandwiches include the turkey-bacon club and the Philly steak.
Both the Wedington Drive and Mission Boulevard locations have a vegetarian menu that includes a house salad with grilled portobello mushrooms, garden burgers, black bean veggie burgers and vegetable subs.
Penguin Ed's has carry-out orders covered. Bulk meats can be ordered in quarter-pound, half-pound or pound sizes, and side items can be ordered in half-pint, pint, quart or gallon.
Family packs that serve from 4-50 people can be ordered for pickup at any location.
The rib pack includes a rack of ribs, two pints of sides, four Texas toast slices and sauce for $37.25.
Gallons of lemonade or tea are also available.
The full menu for each location is available online at penguineds.com/menus-locations.
For those looking for a place to hold a group event, the Wedington Drive location has a private room that can hold up to 50 people. The room fee is $50 or 18 percent gratuity on the check.
Reservations for the restaurants are accepted, except for on weekends and on University of Arkansas game days. Tables in the restaurant can be pushed together for parties of 12-20, but calling ahead for this is preferred.
The Mission Boulevard location also has a banquet room that accommodates up to 65 people. The B&B location has a smoke-free patio.
Those visiting Penguin Ed's should bring an appetite, and perhaps a penguin for owner Ed Knight. For each penguin donated, Knight donates $1 to the Center for Biological Diversity, which works to save threatened and endangered species, including penguins.
NAN Dining Guide Cover on 02/03/2017