Basil?s Cafe

5212 Village Parkway

Rogers

We recently made a trip to what is, perhaps, Northwest Arkansas’ most upscale shopping area on the west side of Rogers. And what a treat it was.

Basil’s Cafe, at Village on the Creeks, was as good of a lunch experience as we’ve ever had. The area, near the Champions exit off Interstate 540, is convenient to all of Northwest Arkansas.

The seating is limited and there is regularly a crowd at lunch. In fact, the only thing that kept Basil’s from getting a grade of “absolute perfection” from our two diners was that we were seated by the heavy traffic area near the kitchen.

But service was excellent and the staff was most pleasant.

“When I want to impress somebody, that’s where I take them,” said the Bentonville resident who joined one of our staffers for lunch. “It has a unique atmosphere overlooking a lake. It is upscale, but it’s not too fancy.”

And for such a cafe — one that attracts many executives from businesses at Village on the Creeks and nearby Pinnacle Point — Basil’s prices are hardly upscale.

We started our lunch with the complimentary breadsticks, which came in several shapes and sizes. We ordered the Artichoke, Spinach and Cheese Dip ($6.25) with caramelized onion crostini. It came in a pizza-shaped serving and was as plentiful as it was wonderful.

One diner had the Spinach Fettuccine ($9.50), the most expensive item on the “Mediterranean Flavors” lunch menu. But one bite into it, the diner thought he had stolen from Basil’s. It came with fresh salmon, tomato, capers, dill and oyster mushrooms and was sprinkled with white wine. Basil’s did not skimp on the salmon, either.

“You don’t expect salmon in a salad or a pasta to be noticeably as good as a grilled salmon you get from a restaurant, but this was very good salmon,” said the diner.

The other reviewer had the Chicken Peselli ($7), a grilled chicken breast with creamy Parmesan sauce, mushrooms and peas.

“It melts in your mouth,” said the diner. “It was great. It had a unique taste that is definitely Basil’s. And they give you plenty.”

Both diners had their pasta lunches served in large bowls, something they found interesting.

Other dishes on Basil’s lunch menu include salads, pizza and sandwiches.

One of our diners had frequented Basil’s and plans to continue. The other, a first-timer, will be joining him often.