Table Matters: All-night pizza delivery!

FAYETTEVILLE — This is one you’ll want in your iPhone “favorites” — the number for Mordours Pizza delivery and take out — (479) 443-2627.

From its digs at 955 N. Shiloh, Mordours’ fleet is ready to deliver to most of Fayetteville, the better part of Springdale and in Farmington, (pavement is the deciding factor in some cases), thus the name Mordours, said proud co-owner Mark Howard.

“We can deliver to more doors,” he said.

The hours are key: 5 p.m. until 5 a.m., Monday through Saturday. You can dine-in or pick-up anytime during those hours, as well.

Co-owner Mark Howard said the previous owners operated a Subway franchise there but without much success. Mordours Pizza will also serve chicken wings and strombolli, and the Howards are willing to listen to customers’ suggestions for building and naming some signature pies.

Food at your fingertips
BENTONVILLE — Further north, University of Arkansas students Vijay Pillai and Mikal Murders co-founded GrubKing.com to help facilitate the process of ordering food online from local restaurants. But GrubKing.com won’t pick up orders and bring them to your door — not yet anyway, said Murders.

As it stands, here’s how it works: Diners go to Grubking.com and enter their address to see what restaurants are closest to them or browse all restaurants in the network. When they select a restaurant, they can view and order directly from the menu. The restaurant menus are interactive, allowing diners to hover over items for a full description and add special instructions if they wish.

Ordering restaurant food online has become increasingly popular as more adults and families are choosing to eat restaurant meals at home (National Restaurant Association, 2011.) It is also believed that restaurants that offer online ordering have more repeat customers and fill bigger orders.

“Independent restaurants deserve the same advantages that the national chains have — technology and visibility,” said Murders. “GrubKing.com gives locally owned restaurants both but without demanding a significant investment of time or money.”


In addition, GrubKing.com will work with partner restaurants to feature daily specials and other promotions.

They currently have five restaurants using the website and will announce several more in the near future, the pair said.

Clunk to the rescue
Of course, those who want full service to their doorstep and don’t mind paying for it, there’s always Clunk Express.

Clunk — his real name is Chris Selby — owned Clunk Records from 1995-2005, then was an apprentice and electrician for the next five or so years. Poor Clunk‚ just when he’d learned a stable trade, he got laid off.

For the last year, he’s been taking orders on his cell phone, picking them up at restaurants and delivering them to hundreds of customers. You’ve probably seen him around Fayetteville with an ice chest secured to the back of his Yamaha scooter. Texting orders to him works best; he even takes debit and credit cards, swiping them on his phone.

He has contacts for more than 700 customers his phone, but considers 100-150 of those “regulars.” His delivery charge is 15 percent or minimum of $5 per trip. And of course, tips are encouraged on top of that.

“If I wasn’t making the tips, I couldn’t survive,” he said.

The restaurants give Clunk a break on the price because he’s the one dealing with the customers. When they say what they want, he knows what they mean and can relay it back to the restaurant with ease.

“In a way, I’m the restaurants’ best customer,” he said.

What sounds good?
For the last month, I’ve been asking area foodies what kind of restaurants they’d like to see emerge in the Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith markets. This casual survey is in no way scientific, but at the very least it gives you an idea of what everybody’s craving for — or what kinds of foods they look for when they go “back home” or out of town.

Some, including Cafe Rue’s Maudie Schmitt, TheatreSquared’s Martin Miller, First Care’s Dr. Joseph O’Connell, say the area is in dire need of an Indian restaurant. Miller, the Walton Arts Center’s Bethany Goodwin and others would also like someplace that serves Korean, “any place you can get a bibimbap,” Miller says.

“Yes, we have [Indian restaurants], but they aren’t authentic,” one interviewee said. “Even when you see Indians in there eating, it is more like homesick Americans who would eat KFC.”

These suggestions came from a staff meeting at the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art: Chinese, vegetarian/vegan (barbeque), Indian, authentic Italian and anyplace that had a fresh salad bar and soup — quick and easy for lunch time.

Although George’s in Fort Smith serves a few Greek side dishes, Gary Campbell said his city could use a Greek Restaurant. Ed McClure, a Rogers attorney and theater buff who has likely eaten in major cities all over the world. said “a high end German restaurant seems lacking.”

Ozarks at Large radio show host Kyle Kellams has Ethiopian or Afghani food at the top of his list and even offers one, The Helmand in Baltimore, in particular.

Mike Malone, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Council, says Lebanese food — like that from his favorite, Lebanese Taverna, is one of the things he misses most about Washington.

The oh-so-creative Brittany Phillips would like to see a diner offering tapas, small plates and “snacky”-size dinner servings. Of course, once she’s chasing a baby (due in August, she’ll grateful for anything she can snatch from a plate.

Zero Mountain’s Debbie Kraus, simply wishes for more alfresco dining.

“When I travel, one of my first priorities is to try to find a good restaurant that offers outside dining. I'll even wait to be able to sit outside, no matter what time of year it is,” Kraus said.

“I've sat outside in Sante Fe in freezing tempts to have dinner — of course they had fire pits and portable heaters — but, that only added to the great experience.”

The Northwest Arkansas Chilodren’s Shelter’s Greg Russell, makes no bones (pun intended) when it comes to talking barbecue.
 
“Nobody beats Lindsey's in North Little Rock. No one up here is even close. Whole Hog is decent. In Fort Smith, Jerry Neal's is passable, but the rest are disappointing,” he said.

We’re not finished with this topic, not by a long shot. I never expected the response I got just from the friends and acquaintances I asked. There are more to report next time.