Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Eleven at Crystal Bridges

I've blogged about Crystal Bridges museum a couple of times before, but on yet another business trip to Arkansas I found myself there.  Not complaining at all... this may be one of my favorite places!

Crystal Bridges

Eleven, cafeteria by day and full service by night

The museum and its restaurant are open late on Wednesday and Friday, so at the recommendation of a coworker I decided to grab dinner there.  During most of the day, Eleven is cafeteria style.  But during the evenings they are open, it is reserved/hostess seating and a different experience.  (It's still loud in the dining area for sure, but it's more upscale and cocktail hour-ish!)  They actually have a "Culture Hour" Wednesday and Friday evenings with $5 appetizers and drinks.


I wasn't feeling particularly adventurous for dining that night... I had to catch a red-eye in the morning, so I sadly didn't partake of their amazing cocktail menu.  Boo.  Next time.  So I settled on a burger and just soaked up the surroundings.  The Eleven Burger consists of Angus beef, American cheese, pink peppercorn aioli, lettuce, and tomato on brioche, served with roasted fingerling potatoes.  It was good... I have high standards for burgers, and this one hit the spot alright.  I appreciate that Eleven prides itself on using local ingredients; I love farm to table and locavore eating!  I'd really like to come back and try something else off the menu.  It's a fantastic experience in general, so I don't mind giving it another go to find my favorite menu item.

Duke hates anything with aioli on it... but it's totally not the same as mayo in terms of flavor!

Afterwards, I decided to take advantage of the summer sunlight hours and walk around outside.  Totally skipped the galleries, but I have no regrets!  There are so many trails and sculptures, and when you're outside you can really take in Moshe Safdie's amazing architecture.  (Note: The building remind me a little bit of the giant Madagascar cockroaches I used to hold as a volunteer at Wonderlab museum... but in a good way!  It's nature's beautiful design.)




Selfie!

I will always come back to Crystal Bridges whenever I can.  This was my 3rd visit, and each one has been so different and enjoyable.  It's an American treasure for sure.


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2 comments:

  1. Aubrey,
    Love the style of your blog!! I live in Bella Vista and teach in Bentonville, AR :) If you are here again and want ideas of fun places to eat or things to do, let me know! We love Crystal Bridges too! I'm a new sponsor to Oh So Lovely blog and found you there.
    www.decoratemylife.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Katie, I am in Rogers every month for work! So please share your ideas, because I love when people share. I do a lot of solo dinners on business trips, so I need the help choosing.

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