Little Grill, Manhattan, KS

My mom and I visited Little Grill on Friday. I hadn't been there in roughly 10 years. They've grown since then and the building updates looked nice while keeping the beach-y feel. Click here for my full review.

The rum punch was yummy and not too strong or sugar-y. Mom ordered fish 'n chips. The homemade jerk potato chips were great. Her dish came with plantains and I loved the lightly sweet flavor. I ordered the gumbo. It wasn't like gumbo down south, but rather had a clear broth base. The meat was all so tender. It had fish, stew meat, chicken, rice, carrots, potatoes. and beans. It came with festival, a kind of cornbread stick. Each bite of gumbo was a surprise. I loved it.

If you're in Manhattan, Kansas check it out, but arrive early as the place gets packed on the weekends.

Conway, Arkansas; A Hidden Gem

On our way back from Thanksgiving in Louisiana, my dad and I stopped for the night in Conway, Arkansas. I didn't expect much for a town right off the highway, but it's now a place I hope to return to and explore more.

As we made our way to our hotel, we saw downtown and a ferris wheel all lighted up. It was a welcoming sight.

Our first stop was to check into Fairfield Inn & Suites Conway. My parents stayed there on previous trips.

Next, was to find a restaurant. We headed to downtown. I read reviews for Mike's Place and we decided to give it a try. It had really good reviews on Yelp. The restaurant featured beautiful paintings on the walls, wood floors and brick walls and arches. It looked like they'd combined three storefronts to make the restaurant. The menu looked fantastic and the staff was great.

Once I saw that they had $3 bread pudding, I decided to get a smaller meal and definitely get dessert. They had great rolls as you waited for your food. I ordered a house salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The salad was huge; so good!

I ordered a cup of sausage and chicken gumbo. It was fantastic! It had okra and a depth of flavors. I could go for a cup now!

After that, I had the bread pudding with bourbon glaze! It was large and wow! Despite how tantalizing it was, I just couldn't finish it. I should've taken the remaining and had it for breakfast. We all have regrets...

After dinner and packed to the gills, we walked around downtown Conway. They are known for their art galleries and I enjoyed the window shopping. Most of the paintings were landscapes or Christmas-themed. They did not disappoint. Downtown, Santa gave rides in a horse-drawn carriage. Such a charming downtown and town in general.

They also had weird names for things...

I definitely wish we had a restaurant like Mike's Place in Manhattan, KS. I can't wait for the next time I happen through Conway, Arkansas.