Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Solve For Pi!
It’s always a good day for pie at Village Inn
Carol Gray, the general manager of the Fayetteville Village Inn, said she didn’t even know there was a Pi Day the first few times it happened. She just noticed that more people than normal were coming in to get pie on a specific day — March 14.
She said that there was even a time when most of the University of Arkansas math department came in to get pie and told her how they were celebrating the first three numbers of the mathematical constant, Pi (often approximated numerically as 3.14).
Gray, a 19-year veteran of Fayetteville’s Village Inn at 3364 N. College Ave., then leaned in a little closer. Her voice softened but grew more earnest as she said something that stuck in my mind. “You know … pie is powerful.” It seems so simple, but she’s right.
Gray truly believes in the power of pie and putting kindness out into the world, especially when it comes to the atmosphere of Fayetteville’s Village Inn.
“We all in this world have problems, so we need to be the kind of folks that make your day better,” Gray said. “And pie is one of those things. Especially peanut butter cup; it’s my favorite.”
She will get no arguments from me. Gray and the restaurant were kind enough to provide tastes of several of their famous pies, so I thought I would pass on my — ahem — food for thought.
Gray told me that the apple pie and the French silk are probably the most popular, and I can see why.
The apples are crisp yet tender and the cinnamon is portioned in a way that it doesn’t overpower the fruity flavor. Its crust is flaky and tastes just-made. (We’ve all had store-bought apple pie in which the crust just tastes bland and processed.)
The French silk is made for chocolate lovers. It is easy to imagine coming in for a slice of pie, seeing this treat topped with delicate milk chocolate curls and real whipping cream and then ordering it without even considering the other pies. You wouldn’t regret it. The pie is rich, yes, but the flavor is velvety smooth.
Tasting the peanut butter cup pie, Gray’s favorite, I was pretty blown away. I already love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate, but this pie took it to the next level.
Of course the peanut butter cups inside the pie are great, but what excited my taste buds most was the topping of real peanuts. They just add the perfect crunch and complimentary salty flavor to balance out all of that sweetness.
It was not my favorite pie though.
In a stunning upset, my favorite slice that I tasted was the strawberry rhubarb. To be clear, I love strawberries to begin with, but I don’t think I had ever had a strawberry rhubarb pie before.
And boy, have I been missing out! Not too sweet and not too tart, to me, it is a perfect postmeal treat to pair with a cup of coffee and a friendly conversation.
In fact, that is exactly the power of pie that Gray is talking about.
Even if you missed Mathematical Pi Day, every week has a Free Pie Wednesday at the Village Inn. Check out their full menu of pies on their website. The restaurant also has locations in Bentonville and Fort Smith.
And now for something completely different — more food news!
Rock N Roll Sushi
Rock N Roll Sushi is set to take the stage with its first location in Northwest Arkansas on March 25, according to a press release. The new sushi restaurant is located at 1777 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Fayetteville.
“We’re so excited to bring a great young brand like Rock N Roll Sushi to Northwest Arkansas,” said Chris Delre of BCD Investments Inc. “When we tried the sushi, it was fantastic — and the Americanized spin really hit home for us.”
The partners are meticulously researching local nonprofit organizations for Rock N Roll Sushi to support within the Fayetteville community, the release states.
Whataburger
On Wednesday, Whataburger began service at its first location in Clarksville at 1207 S. Rogers Ave., according to press release. Guests will be able to place online, delivery and curbside orders in the coming weeks, the release states.
Swig
Following an impressive Arkansas launch last November, Swig — the “Home of the Original Dirty Soda” — will be opening its second location in the state at 4914 Elm Springs Road in Springdale this April, according to a news release.
We’ll be back next Friday with more restaurant news across Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. Email your news to bcollins@nwaonline.com.