Monday Munchies: Conifer in Bentonville

Alex here. As you may have seen, Worth and I had some visitors from the East Coast last week — our editor Fadel and bureau chief Michael.

What happened: We took them to dinner at Conifer in Bentonville to show off one of NWA's special dining spots. It was a hit.

• The menu is almost entirely different than when I went in the spring, so if it's been a bit for you, too, another visit may be in order.

The intrigue: We all flipped over the sweet potato small plate, and there was a strong consensus that sweet potatoes have no business being this good. They come on a bed of hummus, crispy garbanzo beans and tahini.

• We also sampled the pumpkin arancini — breaded and fried balls with risotto and cheese. They also shouldn't have worked, but they did.

What I ate: I ordered the gnocchi with lamb bolognese, whipped ricotta and pecorino. The meat sauce was well seasoned and, ultimately, the dish made for an excellent dinner — not surprising after being floored by sweet potatoes.

By the numbers: Entrees are $30-$70 and small plates $13-$18.

When and where: 5-9pm Monday-Saturday and 5-8pm Sunday at 321 SE 2nd St., Suite 100, in Bentonville.