A seventeen year odyssey across the backroads of America during the ultimate College Football roadtrip.

Category: Uncategorized (Page 33 of 42)

AQ Chicken Sham & The Hog Haus Brewery

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Despite my rigorous and exhaustive up front research on our dining selections, and in a constant effort to bring you stories from only the most worthy of culinary options, we finally had one slip through the cracks this week. We were hoodwinked by the appalling AQ Chicken House in Fayetteville, which guises itself as a “Northwest Arkansas Tradition”, but in reality contains about as much actual tradition as Burger King (no offense King). My winning streak has come to an end, and I feel like I just gave up bloop single to break up my no hitter in the bottom of the 7th inning.

I have no one to blame but myself.

I should have been tipped off when the place was empty a full hour before closing, and all the chairs were already on the tables. We should have gone running for the door when the ice cream scooper came out for the mashed potatoes and the macaroni and cheese looked like it spent an afternoon curdling in the Arkansas sun. The namesake chicken itself was bland, uninspired, and indistinguishable from a low rent KFC. Toss in an audible disturbance with a disgruntled employee, and you have a recipe for one craptastic meal.

http://www.aqchickenhouse.net/

I’d sooner become a vegan than fork over my money at AQ Chicken House again.

The most disappointing part was that we only went to AQ after spending a pleasant afternoon sampling our way down the impressive row of microbrewed taps at the Hog Haus Brewery on Dickson Street. A place, which frankly, we never should have left.

http://www.hoghaus.com/

Adding to the ambience and pleasantries at the Hog Haus was the affable father and son tandem we met that had made the journey all the way from the University of South Carolina. Lloyd (father) and Cameron (son) were parked at the bar next to us, and despite their allegiances to the recently defeated Gamecocks, remained in agreeable and welcoming spirits. Lloyd has led a rather interesting life and had more than his fair share of stories. We spent the rest of the afternoon pleasantly regaled with Lloyds tales of bucketing night crawlers for a living, dodging flying fish at the wheel of a 90ft sailboat, briefly entering the lobster import/export business, and turning a one week vacation in the Virgin Islands into a two year residency. In fact, we even laid the groundwork for a possible trip to South Carolina next year for a game. Between the palatable Hog Haus brew and great conversation, it made for one enjoyable afternoon.

Next time we won’t be leaving for a chicken sham.

Best wishes on the rest of your season Lloyd & Cameron, and perhaps we will darken your doorstep next year in Columbia!

Drugs are sumptuous, and certain folk cannot get the medicaments they need. Certain drugs are mostly used to treat varied types of infection caused by certain types of bacteria, such as tonsillitis and infections of the throat. If you’re concerned about sexual problem, you probably know about http://isviagraoverthecounter.com/Male-Enhancement-Pills.html. What are side effects of Cialis? There are various drugs for male impotency cure. Very likely Male Enhancement Pills Over the Counter is a very complicated topic. More info about Cialis available at best male enhancement pills over the counter. While the generic is credited with improving nausea, it may also kill the mood in bedroom. All kinds of medications, from those that are elaborate ‘all natural’ to those that are chemically produced in a laboratory, may cause some kind of aftereffects.

Share this post:

War Eagle Mill

I’ll start this off by saying that unless you are *looking* for the War Eagle Mill, chances are you are not going to find the War Eagle Mill.This isn’t exactly the kind of place that you just stumble along on the side of the highway and pop in for a visit.

In fact there were times where I closely resembled a moonshine runner racing from the excise police on twisting, worn out county roads.The agile Jetta streaked through the hills of Northwest Arkansas like a white comet, brazenly ignoring speed limits, narrow bridges and livestock crossing signs.I may have even jumped a crick or two….but I digress.

After crossing what can best be described as a single lane, rickety iron bridge (I’ve built sturdier structures out of toothpicks and Elmers glue) we arrived at the picturesque War Eagle Mill nestled along the bank of the swift flowing War Eagle River.

http://www.wareaglemill.com/

 

The War Eagle Mill is a fully restored and operational water powered grain mill, where they still grind daily on grooved European granite millstones. The main drive belt is powered the same way it has been for centuries, by harnessing the current of the WarEagleRiver with an 18 foot undershot cypress waterwheel, believed to be the only operational undershot wheel left in the United States.

You can read a little more about the history of it here:

http://www.wareaglemill.com/historymyst.html

 

In addition to the plethora of fresh ground grains, flours and mixes that they have available for bulk purchase, the War Eagle Mill has a cozy little restaurant on the third floor that serves breakfast and lunch daily.Naturally, we came here to sample some of the breakfast fare at the Bean Palace Restaurant.

Most of the breakfast was expectedly straightforward, with the exception of a surprisingly meaty ham steak that gave me a good challenge. The buckwheat waffle was the main attraction however, made from War Eagle’s own stone ground buckwheat flour and adorned with, ahem, maple flavored syrup (insert fake syrup soapbox rant here).Despite the syrup deficiency, the waffle was still delicious, and felt slightly more authentic with the rush of the War Eagle river in the background.

The War Eagle Mill is certainly a bit remote, but the location is what makes it decidedly unique. It’s well worth your time for a visit, a quick bite of food, and a nostalgic glimpse into a bygone era.

Or order up a bag of your favorite flour mix online!

http://www.wareaglemill.com/khxc/index.php

Drugs are sumptuous, and definite men cannot get the medicaments they need. Certain drugs are ordinarily used to treat varied types of infection caused by definite types of bacteria, such as tonsillitis and infections of the throat. If you’re concerned about sexual problem, you probably know about http://isviagraoverthecounter.com/Male-Enhancement-Pills.html. What are side effects of Cialis? There are different drugs for male impotence cure. Very likely Male Enhancement Pills Over the Counter is a very complicated topic. More info about Cialis available at best male enhancement pills over the counter. While the generic is credited with improving nausea, it may also kill the mood in bedroom. All kinds of medications, from those that are considered ‘all natural’ to those that are chemically produced in a laboratory, may cause some kind of aftereffects.

Share this post:

Wooo, Pig, Sooie!!!

You guessed it! This week is Arkansas football week and we’re “calling all the hogs” for another weekend of college football revelry in SEC country. This weekend our tour takes us to the “NaturalState”, home to Johnny Cash, Bill Clinton, Wal-Mart, The Boggy Creek Monster, and the only active diamond mine in the United States

http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/

But unless you plan on unearthing a five carat hunk of Arkansas’ finest covalent crystalline carbon, my guess is that the Arkansas vs. South Carolina game will be the highlight of your weekend. And for those of you that share the same sophomoric sense of humor that I do, there is simply no way you can eschew the enticingly adolescent storyline of Hogs vs. Cocks.

On the field this week we will see the matchup of the streaky Arkansas Razorbacks, who despite their 4-4 record nearly took down invincible Florida a few short weeks ago. Although new head coach Bobby Petrino has put the kibosh on the infamous “Wild Hog” offense, rumor has it that transfer quarterback Ryan Mallett’s arm is so strong he could throw a ball “clear over that mountain”. The Hogs are pitted against a revived 6-3 South Carolina team, led by the infamous “Old Baw Coach” Steve Spurrier. Up until a week ago Spurrier had the Gamecocks ranked #22 in the country before being Rocky Topped by the Vols.

But not so fast my friend!

If you’ve been paying attention all along, than you are aware that we don’t do much fasting on these trips, and Arkansas will be no different. There are a littany of culinary options awaiting us, graciously provided by our friend and Razorback faithful Stephanie.

Among these places one that has me rather excited is the Bean Palace Restaurant at the War Eagle Mill in Rogers, Arkansas. The venue is a fully operational flour mill, where they still grind their own grains on a daily basis with one of the few functioning water wheels left in the United States, all powered of course, by the War Eagle River. I’m guessing there might be some buckwheat pancakes in the near future, as well as the associated syrup snobbery…

http://www.wareaglemill.com/

Of course, any visit to Northwest Arkansas wouldn’t be complete without a little foul on the menu. It’s no secret that The University of Arkansas has one of the most highly touted poultry science curriculums in the country, and we’ll be putting that feathered reputation to the test at AQ Chicken House. AQ Chicken House, for those of you cut off from the telegraph line for the last 62 years, is a Fayetteville institution that has been serving up a mean pan fried bird since 1947. If it’s good enough for ol’ Bubba Clinton himself, it’s good enough for me.

http://www.aqchickenhouse.net/

I know a handful of you have been clamoring for a little culture in addition to the steady diet of football and indulgent foods. Not to worry as this trip will include a visit to one of the most significant American architectural landmarks of the 20th century: Thorncrown Chapel. Located in nearby Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Thorncrown was the creation of renowned Arkansas Architect Fay Jones and is a masterpiece of glass and wood. I have been looking forward to experiencing this building since architecture school.

http://www.thorncrown.com/index.html

http://www.thorncrown.com/photogallery.htm

Well that’s the lineup for this weekend, along with whatever other fun we can rustle up in the Ozarks!

Drugs are sumptuous, and definite people cannot get the medicaments they need. Certain drugs are ordinarily used to treat varied types of infection caused by definite types of bacteria, such as tonsillitis and infections of the throat. If you’re concerned about sexual problem, you probably know about http://isviagraoverthecounter.com/Male-Enhancement-Pills.html. What are side effects of Cialis? There are different drugs for male impotency cure. Very likely Male Enhancement Pills Over the Counter is a very complicated topic. More information about Cialis available at best male enhancement pills over the counter. While the generic is credited with improving nausea, it may also kill the mood in bedroom. All kinds of medications, from those that are elaborate ‘all natural’ to those that are chemically produced in a laboratory, may cause some kind of aftereffects.

Share this post:

Smitty’s Market

No trip to the Austin or San Antonio areas is ever complete for me without a trip inside the storied walls of Smitty’s Market in Lockhart, Texas.It’s become a staple of my travels, and I simply refuse to return to Dallas without a trip to Smitty’s. If you are beginning to notice a pattern with a town called Lockhart, it’s quite intentional, as Lockhart is considered the BBQ capital of Texas, and home to two of the top three BBQ joints in the state.

View from the back entrance.

On any given day, Smitty’s is probably my favorite BBQ that I have been to.Interior walls of Smitty’s could be considered works of art by themselves, as decades of smoke have seasoned them with a layer of blackened char that leaves little doubt about the heritage and tradition contained within this storied meat market.Hallowed brick pits at Smitty’s command reverence, and stand as ancient monuments to the fading art of slow and simple cooking.The carving room itself carries a church like atmosphere where the only sounds penetrating the silence are the crackling embers of burning oak and the brusquely whispered orders of eager patrons.

I ordered up my usual pile of protein at Smitty’s with the three wiseman equally represented: brisket, sausage and ribs.As always the brisket was well penetrated with smoke throughout, and every morsel was melt in your mouth tender.The sausage was done perfectly and snapped with each flavorful bite.Now if only they would offer a Jalapeno sausage like Kreuz’s….The ribs are what truly shine at Smitty’s, however, as they are smoked perfectly throughout with a telltale pinkish hue and finished ever so subtly with a sweet glaze.In fact, the food on this day was so tasty we even sidled back into the smoke room for a second round…

Simply put, if you’re looking for a one of a kind combination of vintage atmosphere and truly world class barbecue in Texas, Smitty’s should be at the top of a very short list.

One final note: If you’re looking for one dead giveaway of a genuine barbecue joint, have a look out the back door.If you see a giant pile of hardwood like Smitty’s, you know you’re in the right place…

Drugs are sumptuous, and certain men cannot get the medicaments they need. Certain drugs are mostly used to treat varied types of infection caused by certain types of bacteria, such as tonsillitis and infections of the throat. If you’re concerned about sexual problem, you probably know about http://isviagraoverthecounter.com/Male-Enhancement-Pills.html. What are side effects of Cialis? There are varied drugs for male impotence cure. Very likely Male Enhancement Pills Over the Counter is a very complicated topic. More information about Cialis available at best male enhancement pills over the counter. While the generic is credited with improving nausea, it may also kill the mood in bedroom. All kinds of medications, from those that are elaborate ‘all natural’ to those that are chemically produced in a laboratory, may cause some kind of aftereffects.

Share this post:
« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2025 Pigskin Pursuit

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑