National publications have taken note of Bentonville's growing dining scene. And so too has Faith in Action, a local charity that supports itself via an annual food fundraiser called Savor the Flavor. Bill Bradley, Washington Regional Health System chief executive officer, suggested the group explore taking the concept created more than a decade ago in Fayetteville and expanding it to include Bentonville.
"His wisdom was right, and right on time," says Jaclyn Keeter, director of development and outreach services for Washington Regional Medical Foundation.
FAQ
Savor the Flavor
WHEN —5 p.m. Tuesday and 5 p.m. Sept. 17
WHERE — Downtown Fayetteville on Tuesday; downtown Bentonville on Sept. 17
COST — $40
INFO — wregional.com/savor…
Keeter, one of the planners for the event, and Ryan Worley, manager for the Foundation's Faith in Action programs and its Cancer Support Homes, went to Bentonville to look for restaurants. Thirteen food providers volunteered their services for the event, including familiar names such as Tusk & Trotter, Tavola Trattoria and The Hive.
Savor the Flavor charges diners a flat rate, then sends them out around town to enjoy sample-sized portions from the participating restaurants. The restaurants have creative license to serve the dish they please. Some offer miniature examples of their signature dish, Keeter says, or others opt to highlight lesser known elements of their business, such as foods that might be available on their catering menu but not for dine-in service.
Fayetteville diners will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Garden Room on Dickson Street to start their culinary adventure. Bentonville participants will use the Convention and Visitors Bureau as their starting point. Both locations are within walking distance of the participating restaurants, and diners will have a unique experience because of their location, Worley says.
"The events just kind of absorb some of that culture," he says.
In Bentonville, it's a little more formal, a bit more culinary. In Fayetteville, Savor the Flavor picks up some of the party vibe of Dickson Street as it weaves down that street.
Fayetteville did not get lost in the excitement of creating the event in Bentonville. Several participating restaurants did not come back for 2015, but five new ones signed on -- Marley's Chicago Style Pizzeria, Green Submarine, Wasabi, Farrell's Lounge and Burton's Comfort Creamery. There's also a new sponsor, McBride Distributing, which will partner with Savor the Flavor to offer "Brew Appetite" in Fayetteville. As a result, seven of the 16 participants will feature beer pairings with their samples.
Restaurants donate their food to the program, which means Faith In Action can use the vast majority of the ticket money -- 98 percent, in fact -- to further its mission of helping home-bound seniors.
About 700 tickets will be sold for the event in Fayetteville. Another 400 will be sold in Bentonville, with the idea of increasing the cap in future years, Keeter says.
NAN What's Up on 09/04/2015