Table Talk: March 21–27

Fresh Flaves

Get excited if you’re an açai aficionado, a salad stan or a fusion taco fanatic. A new spot called Fusion Eatz just opened at Battlefield Mall (along the east outside edge of the mall next to Five Guys, not inside the mall). They offer wraps, bowls, tacos, salads and more with a variety of Indian cuisine–inspired protein options like fresh paneer, chicken tikka, egg bhurji and more. Açai bowls feature a variety of fruit bases (coconut, dragon fruit, açai, etc.) with a ton of topping options like granola, chia seeds, fruit, yogurt, cinnamon and a bunch more. You can build your own, too.

Burritos + Cocktails = Love

A North Carolina–based burrito chain opens this week on West Republic Road in the Magers Crossing shopping center. Go Burrito! serves gigantic burritos, plus nachos, salads, quesadillas, soft tacos and more. Burritos come in a bunch of different varieties (we are excited to try the Hula burrito with pork, pineapple salsa, banana peppers and more), and you can get them with a boost of protein thanks to the option of quinoa filling. Plus Go Burrito! has a full-service bar with beers and tasty tropical cocktails. The grand opening is Friday, and early birds (i.e. the first 100 customers) can win one free burrito a month for a year.

Sad Day

We have a bit of unhappy news about two restaurant closings. First up, The Finley is closing its doors after March 31. They have been serving upscale eats and tasty brunches from a converted church in Ozark, and we are surely going to miss their always delightful menu. Additionally, after 18 years slinging dishes from a variety of Asian cuisines, Southwest Springfield’s Tasia is closing as well. Their last day is March 25. Pop into these two longtime fan faves to say goodbye and get your favorite go-to dishes before it’s too late.

Ice Cream on the Way

Oh boy! One of Springfield’s yummiest breakfast spots has a new treat on the way and we cannot wait to try it. Sleepy Opossum Cafe will soon be bringing ice cream to the C-Street City Market! They say they plan to focus on seasonal ingredients that you can find at the market, and we should start seeing these new tasty treats soon. We’ll keep you posted!

So Many Events!

• Tonight, Tonight: This evening, Aviary Cafe is hosting a food and wine pairing dinner at 6 p.m. It features a menu by Chef Lou Rice, local chapter president for the American Culinary Federation plus wine, prosecco and mezcal pairings from Veritas Selections. The six courses look delish, with dishes like asparagus and mushroom risotto, pork rillettes, ribeye steak with duck fat mashed potatoes and more. Tickets are $75 and going fast, so call to reserve your spot.

• Mix It Up: Thursday of this week, you can head to Wonders of Wildlife National Museum &  Aquarium for their Cocktail Mixology: The Bitters Truth event. Guests get to whip up two cocktails with help from 417 Cocktails, who will teach them all about how to use bitters. Register online for this event. (Side note for you future planners: 417 Cocktails is taking part in another cocktail-mixing event that’s coming up on March 29 at Hold Fast Brewing. Their Mixology Class also has guests building out two cocktails with help from the 417 Cocktails crew.)

• Dates or Sweets: At Pickwick & Cherry, there are still some spots left for the March 24 and March 25 Italian Date Night Cooking Experience events, where guests get to bring a date for a hands-on cooking class and make mushroom ravioli, shrimp scampi, Caesar salad and chocolate-hazelnut torte. If sweets are more your thing, Cherry & Pickwick is offering Easter Cookie Decorating events on March 25 and March 26. Register for any of these events (and other upcoming foodie fun) online.

• Dine in a Cave: Another interesting meal on the horizon is the Easter Sunday Dinner at Crystal Cave being put on by Eating the Ozarks. It takes place Sunday, April 9 and starts with a tour of Crystal Cave. Then guests get to view a Cranky with champagne and tapas. What’s a Cranky, you ask? (Don’t worry, I didn’t know either.) It’s an 1800s-style storytelling experience that features songs, puppets, interesting lighting and an old-timey crank. After that unique experience, dinner is served in the cave and features tasty items like freshly baked bread with wild onion butter, cream of mushroom soup, chicken and wild herbs and a lemon cake topped with wildflowers. And like all of Eating the Ozarks’ events, the menu is peppered with items foraged from the Ozarks, like spicebush, curly dock, morel mushrooms, wild onions, garlic scapes and more. The last time Eating the Ozarks offered a cave dinner (around Valentine’s Day), it sold out in a flash, so be sure to reserve your spot.