Garden Gourmet: A Secret Worth Sharing

Garden Gourmet
548 E. Henri De Tonti Blvd.
Tontitown

Garden Gourmet is not your garden-variety restaurant.

Concealed in a massive antique market, Yesteryears, the small restaurant offers surprisingly delicious food. It is a perfect spot to eat at if you’re in western Springdale around lunchtime, but we agreed that we would gladly drive from Fayetteville to eat there again.

Tucked in the back corner of the warehouse, a quiet and personable dining room offers plenty of space for a large luncheon.

To begin, we chose the special appetizer of the day and shared Oysters Rockefeller.

Cheese covered the tasty oysters that were served on the half-shell, and it was a pleasant introduction to the meal. We plan to ask for a side of horseradish during our next visit.

Our first diner tried the Braised Talapia ($9). He thought it was “scrumptious.”

“I was really impressed with the fact that the dish didn’t taste really fishy and was so light and filling,” he said, adding, “I am from the Deep South and, therefore, a tea expert. Garden Gourmet’s regular and mint teas are as good as any I’ve had before in Arkansas.”

Attentive service kept our iced-tea glasses filled, and the mint flavor was subtle and fresh.

Another member of our trio tested the Philly Cheese steak sandwich ($8).

“It was simply marvelous,” he said. “The meat was in thin strips the way it should be, and the cheese was melted to perfection. I kept looking out the window to see if the Liberty Bell was nearby. That’s how good it was.”

A side order of grilled vegetables came with the sandwich, and he said they were equally good.

Another diner tried the Wild Mushroom and Angel Hair ($6). This dish proved to be the only downfall of the meal. Garlic overpowered the delicate pasta, plentiful mushrooms and fresh Parmesan cheese.

When we finished our courses, our server talked us into ordering some sweets. First, we decided to share a slice of key lime pie. Tart and light, the piece was served on a flaky crust with heavy whipped cream on the side.

Because we wanted an extremely thorough experience of Garden Gourmet, we also split a serving of the restaurant’s pecan pie. We requested that the kitchen warm the treat and serve it a la mode in a side dish.

Both desserts were delectable, and one diner said she would make the return drive just to have more key lime pie.

Dessert choices change from day to day, but several courses on the menu remain the same. Elaborate dishes such as Grilled Pork Loin ($8), Stuffed Manicotti ($8) and homemade pizzas ($6) made us want to return soon.

However, set aside plenty of time for lunch at Garden Gourmet. It took a little while for the food to arrive, and we also meandered through the antique booths for half an hour before heading back to work.

We suspect that most people haven’t realized how good a restaurant in an antique mall can be.

Garden Gourmet is a well-kept secret worth sharing.