Finest & Funkiest 2011

You’re The Best Around!

By Richard Davis
TFW Staff Writer

So earlier this year, we had a form up on the website for y’all to vote on the Finest & Funkiest in Northwest Arkansas for 2011.
The voting ended in late March. Rather than reveal the winners immediately, we though we’d let the anticipation build to a raging crescendo. Well, it’s June and here are the results. Are you raging yet? Are you feeling that crescendo? Eh? Eh?

Raging or not, you finally get to have the answers to the questions that were posed. Well, to most of the questions anyway. Some categories, such as “Finest Bartender” or “Finest Place to Get a Gift for Mom” either didn’t have a clear winner or no one voted on at all. Hey, you can’t have an opinion on everything, right? (And next year expect those few categories to disappear like a plate of hot wings sitting in front of me.)

Without much more ado, here’s the Finest & Funkiest 2011 edition. You’re encouraged to either hum or actually listen on YouTube to Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best Around” from the original “The Karate Kid” movie.

Wine & Dine

This is always a natural for “best of” type lists. Pretty much everybody enjoys eating, and we all have our favorite places to chow down. And big time favorites extend to places to grab a martini, margarita or a beer.

Finest Sweets: Rick’s Bakery (Runnerup — Little Bread Co.)
Finest Mexican: El Camino Real (Runnerup — Osegureas)
Finest Asian: tie — A Taste of Thai and Thai Diner ( Runnerup — Hunan Manor)
Finest Burger: Hugo’s (Runnerup — Art’s Place)
Finest Outdoor Dining: Theo’s
Finest Place for a First Date: Hugo’s (Runnerup — tie: Pesto Café and Bordinos)
Finest Steaks: Doe’s Eat Place (Runnerup — Herman’s)
Finest Southern: Momma Dean’s (Runnerup — Rick’s Iron Skillet)

Finest Overall: Greenhouse Grille (Runnerup — Bordinos)
Finest Lunch: Greenhouse Grille (Runnerup — Petra Café)
Finest Breakfast: Rick’s Iron Skillet (Runnerup — Razor’s Edge)
Finest Brunch: Greenhouse Grille (Runnerup — Emelia’s)
Finest Dinner: Greenhouse Grille (Runnerup — Bordinos)
Finest Place to Overeat: tie — Hunan Manor and Catfish Hole
Finest Late Night: Waffle House (Runnerup — tie: Mojo’s and Taco Bell)
Finest Special Occasion: Bordinos (Runnerup — Greenhouse Grille)
Finest Veggie Fare: Greenhouse Grille (Runnerup — tie: The Green Bean and Petra Café)

Meatiest Pizza: Eureka Pizza (Runnerup — Mojo’s)
Finest Veggie Pizza: Mellow Mushroom (Runnerup — Mojo’s)
Hottest Chicken Wings: Foghorn’s (Runnerup — Lucky Luke’s)
Finest Barbecue: Penguin Ed’s (Runnerup — Lucky Luke’s)
Finest Cheap Date Spot: Hugo’s (Runnerup — Lucky Luke’s)
Finest Place to Take Out-of-Towners: Hugo’s (Runnerup — tie: Lucky Luke’s and Greenhouse Grille)
Finest Place to Take Family: El Camino Real (Runnerup — tie: US Pizza, ROTC Grill)
Finest High Dollar: Bordinos (Runnerup — Theo’s)
Best Value: El Camino Real (Runnerup — Lucky Luke’s)

Finest on Friday Night: tie — ROTC Grill and Eureka Pizza
Finest Place to Take Grandma: tie — ROTC Grill and AQ Chicken
Finest Place for a Carnivore: Lucky Luke’s (Runnerup — Doe’s Eat Place)
Finest Ambiance: Bordino’s (Runnerup — Pesto Café)
Finest Place for “The Game:” Farrell’s Lounge
Finest Locally Made Drink: Hog Haus (Runnerup — Powerhouse)

Finest Happy Hour: George’s Majestic Lounge (Runnerup — tie: Lucky Luke’s and Hog Haus)
Finest Dive: Art’s Place (Runnerup — Maxine’s Tap Room)
Smokiest Bar: Brewski’s (Runnerup — tie: Art’s Place and Roger’s Rec)
Finest Outdoor Venue/Beer Garden: tie — George’s and Rogue (Runnerup — Kingfish)
Fines On Tap Beer Selection: Brewski’s
Finest Sweet Tea: tie — McAllisters and Lucky Luke’s
Finest Pick Up Bar: Stir (Runnerup — tie: Smoke and Barrell and Brewski’s)
Finest Martinis: Theo’s (Runnerup — Bordino’s)
Finest Wine List: Bordino’s (Runnerup — Theo’s)
Finest Coffeehouse: Arsaga’s (Runnerup — Common Grounds)
Finest Neighborhood Bar: Mojo’s (Runnerup — Tables & Ale)
Finest Sports Bar: On The Mark (Runnerup — Louie’s)
Finest Place to Take Uncle Ned Who Hates Those Fancy-Schmancy Beers: tie — Art’s Place, Tables & Ale and Kingfish

Listen Up

Finest Local Band Name: Dreamfast
Finest Local Rock Band: Dreamfast
Finest Local Country Band: Charliehorse (Runnerup — Cletus Got Shot)
Finest Local Blues Band: Oreo Blue (Runnerup — Earl & Them)
Finest Local Cover Band: Ultra Suede (Runnerup — Boom! Kinetic)
Finest Local Solo Act: Sarah Hughes (Runnerup — Foxy)
Finest Musical Act That Can’t Be Classified: Memphis Pencils
Finest Live Performance in NWA Last Year (local act): tie — Memphis Pencils and Guta
Finest Live Performance in NWA Last Year (touring act): Railroad Earth

Where Ya’ Be?

(Photo: Cody Davis) A nighttime view of Fayetteville from atop Mount Sequoyah. The view was named Finest Scenic Venue to Visit Stoned and Finest View to Show Out-of-Town Guests for Finest & Funkiest 2011.

Finest Hotel: Cosmopolitan (Runnerup — Inn at Carnall Hall)
Finest Place to Work Out: Clubhaus (Runnerup — Fayetteville Athletic Club)
Finest Scenic Venue to Visit Stoned: Mount Sequoyah (Runnerup — Buffalo River)
Finest Strip Club: Platinum Caberet (Runnerup — Bottoms Up)
Finest Restroom: Bordinos (Runnerup — Theo’s)
Funkiest Restroom: tie — Rogers Rec and Art’s Place
Finest Post-Apocalyptic Hangout: Brewski’s
Finest Outdoors: Devil’s Den (Runnerup — Lake Fayetteville)
Finest View to Show Out-of-Town Guests: Mount Sequoyah (Runnerup — Razorback Stadium)

Getting & Spending

(Photo: Cody Davis) Emily Smith, an employee at Cheap Thrills in Fayetteville, checks the fit on a mannequin. Cheap Thrills was voted Finest Vintage Clothing/Resale Shop for the Finest & Funkiest 2011.

Finest Resale/Vintage Clothing: Cheap Thrills (Runnerup — Grey Dog)
Finest Antiques/Kitsch: Flying Dog (Runnerup — Long Ago Antiques)
Finest Bike Shop: Highroller Cyclery
Finest Head Shop: Sound Warehouse (Runnerup — Glass Eye)
Finest Outdoors Outfitter: Pack Rat (Runnerup — Uncle Sam’s)
Finest Thrift Store: The Attic (Runnerup — Potters House)
Finest Women’s Clothes: Masons (Runnerup — Lane Bryant)
Finest Kids’ Clothes: Children’s Place
Finest Shop Window Displays: Dark Star Visuals (Runnerup — Masons)

(Photo: Cody Davis) Jesse Belt checks out a tire at High Roller Cyclery in Fayetteville. High Roller was named the Finest Bicycle Shop in the Finest & Funkiest 2011.

Finest Car Dealer: Landers Fayetteville Auto Park
Finest Flower Shop: Flora (Runnerup — Harp’s)
Finest Jewerly Store: David Adams (Runnerup — Dark Star Visuals)
Finest Convenience Store: tie — Valero on Lafayette and White Oak Stations
Finest Drug Store: Collier’s (Runnerup — Walgreens)
Finest Garden Shop: Westwood Gardens (Runnerup — Lowe’s)
Finest Green Business: White Lotus Salon & Spa (Runnerup: Ozark Natural Foods)

(Photo: Cody Davis) Stacey Wieties, owner of Dark Star Visuals, adjust the view of her Fayetteville shop. The venue was named Finest Shop Window Display for the Finest & Funkiest 2011.

Finest Liquor Store: Liquor World (Runnerup — Liquor Mart)
Finest Bookstore: Dickson Street Bookshop (Runnerup — tie: Nightbird Books and Barnes & Noble)
Finest Music Gear: Blue Moon (Runnerup — Guitar Center)