Reviews
Table Talk: January 7–13
This week: Raising Cane's comes to Springfield, Nixa's Night Bites opens with CBD cocktails, sober-curious mocktails spring up and more foodie news.
By Claire Porter
Jan 07 2020 at 10 a.m.
Photo Courtesy Raising Cane'sFeinding for some fingies? Chicken finger chain Raising Cane's is coming to Springfield's Campbell Avenue and Sunshine Street intersection.
Here, Chicky-Chicky
Any news involving fast food fried chicken is automatically the best news ever. So you can imagine our excitement when we learned that a Raising Cane’s is springing up at the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Sunshine Street. (Yep, diagonal from Bass Pro Shops and right across from Chick-fil-A. 😬) Cane’s is known for crispy chicken fingers and accoutrement like fries, Texas toast, coleslaw and “Cane’s sauce.” The development is set to be complete in the next few weeks.
Keeping it Dry
One of my favorite articles from our new January issue is this piece about Dryanuary—Dry January, Sober January or whatever you want to call it. Whether you are committing to lead a totally sober lifestyle, dipping your toes into sober curiosity, hoping to shed a few lbs from the beer gut or even just resolving to drink a little less, you’re not alone. Low-ABV and non-alcoholic drinks are having a major moment, and our local bars are taking notice. You can still have a bubbly fun concoction without any of the liquor at places like Progress, Reverie, Golden Girl, Best of Luck, The Order and more. (Even our local Spring Branch Kombucha is a great technically-alcoholic-but-barely-so beverage option, too, and it’s available at local bars.) Check out the list online, and let’s get curious this month!
Helping the Hungry
We're all resolving to kick off our new decade with positive habits and goodwill, so Ozarks Food Harvest’s new Dine Out for Hunger campaign couldn’t have come at a better time. January 19–25, simply order a menu special at a participating restaurant, and $0.50 cents goes toward Ozarks Food Harvest. For every dollar donated, SGF Foodservice is matching $0.50 as well. More than 25 local restaurants are participating, including Springfield Brewing Co., Neighbor’s Mill, W.F. Cody’s, Metropolitan Grill, Mexican Villa, Nicola's Ristorante and more.
Mix it Up
After the holidays, winter seems to slog onward without any fun celebratory things to look forward to. Fortunately at Big Cedar, their Season of Celebration specials can put a little spring in your step, especially the Cocktails in the Kitchen event happening each Thursday in January and February. For $25, you learn about (and sip on) craft drinks from Big Cedar’s mixologist paired with small bites, all within the chef’s kitchen at Osage Restaurant. Reservations required.
New in Nixa
Nixa’s Night Bites launched this weekend. The eclectic space opened adjoining Main Street’s Morning Day Café. The weekend dinner destination opens at 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The space features a large wooden bar, a small shop up front and ample seating. The small menu (not yet posted) focuses on fine-dining offerings, like steaks, seafood and pasta dishes, plus salads and appetizers. The main draw, however, is the menu of smoked cocktails created by mixologist Michael Bradley from Kansas City’s The Rockhill Grille, Port Fonda and The Monarch Bar. One of his concoctions is the Rosemary-Jane, which is infused with CBD smoke.
