Writer: Tiffany Adams Photography: Bailey Dougan
Inspired by culinary experiences around the country, chef Joshua Garland created two distinct dining destinations in Hot Springs
Eggs and pancakes were the building blocks of Joshua Garland’s culinary interest. “When I was young, these were the first things I learned to cook,” he says. “My mom is the best cook I know, and she taught me how to make those at an early age. She can throw down in the kitchen,” he adds with an admiring laugh. Today, eggs and pancakes—along with his versions of French toast, skillet hash, and eggs Benedict—have become calling cards at one of his two Spa City restaurants, Best Café and Bar.
“I wanted to create inspired staples here,” he says of the menu that features spins on traditional rise-and-shine dishes like the Fried Chicken Waffle Benny, where a fried chicken breast and poached eggs sit atop a cornmeal waffle that’s drizzled with Hollandaise and spicy Buffalo sauce. The menu is also a nod to the elevated baking techniques he picked up while working alongside French chefs. With breakfast service beginning at 8 a.m. on weekdays (except for Tuesdays when they are closed) and 7 a.m. on weekends, you’ll often see a gaggle of diners lounging on the bench beside the entrance and around the connected Best Court property (which offers charming rentals for overnight stays) in hopes of securing a table in the cozy venue.
A half mile away on Central Avenue, Joshua’s nighttime restaurant, DONS Southern Social, has a more obscure presence; in fact, you probably won’t find it or be admitted unless you have a reservation. The speakeasy-style restaurant fronts as an art gallery where diners give a passcode to the maître d’ before being led into a moody, bustling dining room and bar with an open kitchen. “I really wanted to create something unique and use the inspiration from traveling and knowledge from all of the different chefs I’ve had the opportunity to work with and restaurants I’ve visited,” Joshua says.
In particular, the secretive feel was inspired by a trip to Yvonne’s in Boston, a speakeasy-meets-supper-club-style establishment. Additional influence comes from time Joshua spent working in the industry around the United States after completing Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas. Opportunities took him to Alaska to work on Princess Cruises; Sun Valley, Idaho, where he received his first executive chef position; and other notable dining establishments in Las Vegas, on Martha’s Vineyard, in Florida, and in his hometown of Little Rock where he worked under Michelin-starred chef Jöel Antunes at the Capital Hotel.
“In general, I love the small town feel of Hot Springs.
—Joshua Garland, chef
The culinary scene here is on fire.”
While all of these experiences shaped him as a chef, and in turn the menu at DONS, it was the tightknit group of culinary friends that led him to the name. “DONS stands for doing overtime, no sleeping,” Joshua explains. “It pays homage to a Vegas group who would frequently get together to talk about food industry ideas and ways to innovate.” In further tribute, Joshua says group members’ names can be found in many of DONS cocktails and dishes. Similarly, the Southern Social portion comes from a restaurant he frequented in Florida that offered a twist on regional foods. “I thought, Southern food is what I grew up on. How can I take that and add a French twist? I wanted to please people and not scare them away, so it had to be fun and creative but also familiar,” he says.
Some of his dinner favorites at DONS include a duck bolognese lasagna, Koji-marinated fried chicken, and a recent addition to the seasonally evolving menu: a burger made from ground New York strip served on a brioche bun and topped with Muenster fondue. “We try to offer a really cool experience with foods that people don’t typically get to enjoy regularly—and everything is scratch-made daily,” the chef adds.
On the menu at DONS Southern Social
The menu at DONS is always evolving; these might not be available when you make your reservation
Ground New York strip burger with Muenster fondue.
Custom-crafted cocktail with Oki-Wan-Gnocchi.
Red port-braised bone-in short ribs with Jimmy Red grits and heirloom carrots.
Koji fried chicken breast with Tiara Purple Rice grits.
Breakfast dishes from Best Café and Bar
Multigrain bread with avocado mousse, pickled onions, and sunny-side-up eggs.
Banana toast with peanut butter mousse and a whipped yogurt parfait with seasonal berries, honeycomb, and bee pollen.
Corned beef hash with potatoes, onion soubise, and poached eggs, topped with Hollandaise sauce and chives.
Crème brûlée French toast with molasses butter and macerated fruit.
Try your hand at one of Joshua’s customer favorites, Best Cafe and Bar’s duck bacon
RECIPE: DUCK BACON
SHOP
4 1/4 cups water
2 1/8 cups brewed coffee
1 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/2 tablespoons curing salt
1 star anise
1 stick of cinnamon
3 cups ice
6 duck breasts
PREPARE
Combine first eight ingredients in a large boiler pot and boil until sugar and molasses dissolve. Add ice to cool the mixture and allow to cool completely before adding duck. Place duck on wire rack and submerge in the mixture for 24 hours. Remove, rinse lightly, and pat dry. Leave on cooling rack in refrigerator for 24 hours. Vacuum seal and freeze. Remove from freezer and slice for use while still frozen. Cook as you would regular bacon.
LEARN MORE
Make your reservation for DONS Southern Social at seeyouatdons.com, and find hours, menus, and more for Best Café and Bar at bestcafeandbar.com. You can also follow along on Facebook and Instagram (@seeyouatdons and @bestcafeandbar).
