Decatur restaurant dish featured

Gallery Cafe's Indian taco recipe published in book featuring recipes from Main Street restaurants across America

Gallery Cafe owner Stacy Brooks shows the newly-released cook book, “Taste of Main Street America.”
Gallery Cafe owner Stacy Brooks shows the newly-released cook book, “Taste of Main Street America.”

— Word of the good food at the Gallery Cafe in Decatur will spread around the country in the newly released book, “Taste of Main Street America.”

The book, by Recipe Publishers and published by JEC Publishing Company in Springfield, Mo., features recipes from more than 200 independent and family-owned restaurants on Main Streets across all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.

The Gallery Cafe was one of five Arkansas restaurants which had a recipe selected for the book. Other restaurants in Arkansas were the Parkview Restaurant in Corning, Country Vittles in Crossett, Homey Hearth in Harrison, and Brown’s Catfish in Russellville.

The Gallery Cafe’s recipe for Indian Tacos is on page 170 of the colorfully illustrated, spiral boundbook. The cafe traded six secret recipes for salad dressing to a Native American grandmother for her Indian Taco recipe, according to the book, and restaurant owner Stacy Brooks.

Brooks explained that he chose the recipe for submission because it is an unusual item and it has a good story to go along with it. It was submitted to the publishing company in October of 2010, he said.

Indian Tacos are pieces of deep-fried bread dough, similar to funnel cake bread but not sweet, topped with the Gallery’s chili, shredded cheese, tomatoes, chopped onions, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa.

“They are just delicious, you’ve got to try them,” Brooks said.

The idea for the book came about several years ago during election interviews with people across America, according to the introduction by editor Pam Eddings.

Regional maps inside the book and a larger map on the back pinpoint the locations of all the restaurants so readers can take a tour of Main Street American food.

Having a recipe chosen for the book is “a testament to our commitment to serve quality food with a good atmosphere,” Brooks said.

The Gallery’s good food is no secret in Decatur, but word has begun to spread and people are driving from Siloam Springs, Bella Vista and even as far as Fort Smith, and out of state, for the food, Brooks said. The cafe was featured on the television show Arkansas Flavors last fall.

Indian Tacos are served at the Gallery Cafe on Wednesday and Friday.

“Taste of Main Street America” is available nationally at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. A limited supply of books will be sold at the Gallery Cafe at a special discounted price for customers.

News, Pages 8 on 07/13/2011