New restaurant Lady Slipper is now open in Bentonville
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Quite the spread. Photo: Alex Golden/Axios
Allow me to introduce you to one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in a while.
The scene: Lady Slipper, the latest restaurant from Walton-backed Ropeswing Hospitality Group, feels like a secret as you enter through the back of the historic Massey building at the corner of West Central Avenue and Southwest A Street in downtown Bentonville.
- The place has outdoor seating (for when it's not so damn cold) and a full bar with regular seating. But if you're led downstairs to the basement, you'll find a separate full bar with another batch of tables and lounge seating — like a speakeasy within a speakeasy.
- The vibe: Upscale but not pretentious, dim lighting, shared plates — it screams date night.
The food: The menu is made up of small plates, so you can have a meal à la carte or share multiple dishes. My fellow diner and I shared the smash burger with cheese, bacon and a creamy house sauce; roasted butternut squash, carrot and squash romesco with hazelnut; crispy potatoes with tomato paprika sauce and garlic aioli; and cod fritters.
- The verdict: All delicious, particularly the burger and veggies.
The must-order cocktail: A coffee-drinker and non-coffee drinker walk into a bar. They flip over the menu's Soigné Lake, an adult beverage made with rum, coconut, cold brew coffee and cream. It's on the sweet side, but not a straight up dessert drink.
- If you're in the mood for something more tart, try the restaurant's namesake cocktail, The Lady Slipper (made with gin and vermouth blanc topped with a raspberry-rose shrub).
By the numbers: One night at Lady Slipper can get expensive quick, with items such as caviar ranging $55-$170 or a small plate of octopus. But breaking the bank is not required. Our four plates totaled $41.
When and where: 4-11pm Tuesday through Thursday and 4pm to midnight Friday and Saturday at 138 SW 2nd St. in Bentonville.