Author: mamygail@msn.com

Food Review: Rock N’ Java is More Than Rocks and Coffee

I have driven past this “Rock N’ Java” shop multiple times. Whether we were heading to the Buffalo River or Branson, this shop always appeared to be a regular ole’ rock shop that happened to have coffee for sale, too. No thanks.
Then, on the way home from camping at the Buffalo this weekend, I was craving some good coffee. Besides gas stations, there aren’t many options around these parts of Arkansas for any coffee, so I decided to give this place a shot. And I kicked myself all the way back to my car when I realized what I have been missing out on for so many years!

A few miles south of Marshall, Arkansas, on Hwy 65, is where you can find this gem of a coffee shop, with a great view to go with it.

While it is a rock shop, it is unlike any rock shop I have encountered. Yes, it sells tons of cool rocks, but much more than that.  There were some local artists’ fare for sale, such as clay pottery and plenty of other unique finds. AND they not only sell ligit coffee, but food as well.

The inside is super fun and eclectic. This shop reminds of a few of the family-owned shops in small mountain towns in Colorado….hippies included.

When first entering, the super friendly barista was talking to a couple other young customers about the area. She then turned her full attention to us to answer any questions we had.
She suggested a simple latte with any flavor for me and an iced pomegranate green tea with mulled fruit mixed in for Drew.
She. nailed. it.
My 12 oz white chocolate latte for $2.99 truly hit the spot. She even asked what type of milk I preferred, so I got skim. Though, I’m sure soy or almond or whatever else kind of milk you prefer is available. Anyway, it was delicious.
Drew’s iced green tea stole the show, though. Placed in a large 32 oz styrofoam cup to go, it was full of ice, mulled fruit, and a delicious, flavorful, fruity green tea. Plus, it was only $3.29…can’t beat that.

There were just a handful of food options, which I opted out of since I had just finished a freeze-dried meal for breakfast. However, omelets and hash brown casserole were available for “breakfast all day”.
There was also a lunch special of a bbq sandwich, chips, and mac’n’cheese for $5.49. Also available was a grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Finally, there was also a case full of sweets, such as cookies and other pastries. I behaved myself and abstained….but next time, I’m not sure I’ll be able to pass the food up.

Overall, I’m so glad we stopped by this place. It will definitely be a must-stop-shop from now on. Give it a try and let me know if there is anything else delicious you enjoyed there!

Food Review: The Green Goat Food Truck in Fayetteville

Some of the best food comes out of food trucks these days, and Fayetteville is full of them. I was excited to try The Green Goat because it is one of the highest rated online…and its a Cuban themed food truck. So, we’re talking fried yuca, tostones, croquettes (my favorite) and maybe even mofongo if I get lucky! Here’s the breakdown:

The Environment

There is a small food truck park across from the skating rink on N College Ave. There are about four trucks there, such as Big Sexy Food and Zuppa Zuppa Soup Kitchen. We arrived at 11 am for an early lunch and the place was empty.

The Green Goat has a cute outdoor patio and other outdoor seating.

The Food

The menu is pretty large. There are appetizers such as empanadas, tacos, tostones, and fried yuca. There is a nicely sized list of varying versions of Cuban sandwiches. (You can even order a sandwich with tostones bunes so it is gluten free.) There are also a couple Cuban themed entrees, as well as dessert empanadas.

Beneath the official menu are the available types of empanadas, tacos, croquettes, etc. that are available that day. Here’s what I went with:

Croquettas de Jamón, $5.50
Description: Creamy and smooth fritters that are lightly breaded and fried. A Miami food stand class.

Ham croquettes are bomb. I love these things! They are crispy and fried on the outside with very tender, soft and almost creamy minced ham and some other fillings to give great flavor.
However, these were not my favorite croquettes. They were exceptionally greasy and we could not even finish the four small ones we got in our basket. Oso, my dog, enjoyed those leftovers.
These also come with a cilantro cream sauce for dipping, which was light, a little citrusy, and tasty.
I had to make my own ham croquettes as soon as I got home to fill that void….that ham croquette void I was given.

Classic Cubano Sandwich, $8.50
Description: Fresh Cuban bread with ham, mojo-marinated pork, house pickles, and mustard. Served with a side of yuca fries or tostones.

I was super excited to see I could order fried yuca as my side with this sandwich. I love well-fried yuca fries, and I have not perfected them myself. But then, the yuca wasn’t near ready, so I had to go with the tostones. I make these all the time, so they were nothing special to me. But they were darn good tostones! (double-fried plantain chips)
The classic cuban sandwich was ordered without cheese. So, I’m sure that is the reason it was so dry. But it was soo dry. And I have had many cheeseless cubans that were perfectly moist and juicy. The pulled pork was just…well, dry.  Other than that, the grilled bread and mustard and pickles were tasty, and the same cilantro dipping sauce came along. Dipping the sandwich into that helped a lot.

Overall

This is a fun, creative place to grab a meal, for sure. Though, I won’t be back…too dry, too greasy, it was hit or miss. I am sure if the yuca fries were available, I might feel more positively.
The cook was very nice, though. And it only took about 10 minutes to get our food…granted no one else was there. I just know I am usually waiting at least 30 minutes outside of food trucks to get my food.
Anyone have any other suggestions on food trucks to try the next time I am in NWA?