Monday Munchies: New Orleans cuisine in Bentonville
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The Bananas Foster is required for dessert. Photo: Alex Golden/Axios
I nearly jerked my car into the parking lot when I saw the new "Table Orleans" sign on Walton Boulevard because, in case you haven't noticed, Benton County is sorely lacking in New Orleans fare.
🤤 Why it matters: Having to hunt for New Orleans cuisine is tragic because it's some of the most flavorful and unique menus specific to a region and a culture in the United States. And it hails from the state directly south of us — so close but so far away.
🍽️ How it happened: The space was home to longtime restaurant Fred's Hickory Inn until the folks who own the Table restaurants (Table Mesa, Bella's Table, Tavola, etc.) bought it in 2022 and reopened it as Table at the Hickory Inn with menu staples like steak and pasta.
- More recently, they've rebranded to Table Orleans at the Hickory Inn. The updated menu isn't fully specific to Louisiana and still has options like a cheeseburger or a prime rib sandwich. But now you'll find some Cajun and Creole menu items with an affinity for seafood.
🦐 What to try: The seafood jambalaya ($25.75), a rice dish with andouille sausage, chicken, shrimp, scallops, peppers, onions and celery, had that spice kick I was looking for. The medley of meats and seafood worked, as it does in a good jambalaya.
- 🍨 The Bananas Foster ($10) is a must for dessert. It consists of bananas and vanilla ice cream with a flambéed buttery sauce that usually has brown sugar, cinnamon and rum.
- 🍌 I actually had Bananas Foster last summer at Brennan's in New Orleans, where the dish was invented, and can attest that Table Orleans' rendition isn't too far off.
😕 What to skip: The gumbo. Sorry. Good gumbo is a stew with an insane depth of flavor. This was a fine gumbo-inspired rice dish that missed the mark.
📍 Stop by: 11am-9pm Monday through Saturday and 10am-8pm Sunday at 1502 N. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville.