Tavern: Defined as a simple place for one to buy a drink and have a meal.
But, 1834 Tavern Lafayette has always been more than a place to grab a drink. This tavern has become a local gem for Northwest Arkansas residents with its unique ambiance representative of 1834 style, delicious plates inspired by Belgian cuisine, and the community it fosters as you step through the front door.
The owner, Stephanie Ouyoumjian, explained the concept for 1834 began with the property itself. The building was deeded in 1834, which ultimately inspired both the restaurant’s name and its atmosphere. Because Fayetteville was named for the Marquis de Lafayette, Stephanie and her family began thinking about what it would have been like to dine in Europe during the same era.
“You don’t want to dine in Arkansas in 1834. So you turn to where dining was amazing in the 1800s, which is Europe, especially Belgium.”
Belgium became the centerpiece because of its mix of culinary influences and its relaxed approach to food and beer.
“In Belgium, you have French, German, Italian, Spanish, all in one country with no rules,” she explained.
This Belgian cuisine allows for an abundance of creativity with the dishes that the chef, David Fisher, crafts in the kitchen. Chef David Fisher draws from Belgian traditions while adding his own experience with French cuisine and gastropub-style cooking.
Fisher found an opportunity to combine his experience with his love for Belgian cuisine. The result is a menu that focuses on perfectly balanced flavors, building dishes around acidity, heat and salt, and creating combinations that are completely satisfying for the customer.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel here. We’re just making it as perfect as possible,” Fisher said.
This philosophy is especially evident in the restaurant's newest addition, brunch! Served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fisher explained that the brunch menu is designed to balance sweet and savory flavors while highlighting Belgian culinary traditions.
One brunch favorite is Adrian’s Fig, made with whipped mascarpone, fig, and wildflower honey atop a Liège waffle.
The restaurant serves both Belgian and Liège waffles. While Belgian waffles are lighter and served with powdered sugar and maple syrup, Liège waffles are made with pearl sugar, which caramelizes as the waffle cooks.
Another brunch dish puts a Belgian spin on a classic pork schnitzel. A personal favorite of Stephanie’s, Fisher uses Berkshire pork from Harrison, pounds it thin, fries it and serves it over a waffle with house cider-braised cabbage.
The Strawberry Harvest combines a Liège waffle with cream cheese frosting, poached strawberries, whipped cream and candied walnut dust. Fisher finishes it with a strawberry lambic syrup made from beer.
“It’s a sweet-tart, sweet-sour sauce,” Fisher said. “With the sweetness of the waffle, it really gives it a mouthwatering profile because you’re getting acidity, sweet, savory, salty.”
The menu also features Fisher’s take on a Croque Madame, made with prosciutto and house Mornay sauce.
“The prosciutto with the Mornay melts on top of it just like butter. The saltiness of the ham and the butteriness is just a really solid dish.”
The Belgian influence doesn’t stop at the food. It is clearly seen throughout the restaurant, woven into each dish, to each table, and the colors of the walls.
The tavern’s deep oxblood red and deep green color palette was carefully chosen to reflect Belgian tavern traditions. Stephanie explained that oxblood red was historically used to signify a tavern, while the deep green was chosen for its natural, sophisticated appearance. Even the trim of the wall was designed with the history in mind.
Rather than simply recreating an old European tavern, Stephanie wanted 1834 to feel like a place that could have existed in another era while still belonging right on MLK.
Fisher explains his goal for 1834 Tavern is for guests to experience food that feels authentic without being intimidating, explaining the openness of Belgian food mixing French, German, Spanish and Italian into a melting pot.
Stephanie hopes the same philosophy, an openness to everyone, is extended to everyone who walks through the door.
“If you didn’t come with a friend, you’re going to leave with one,” she laughed. “It’s like the taverns in Europe where after work, everyone comes, they raise a pint, eat some fried fish, they chit-chat and have a great time,” she said.
That sense of community is ultimately what the Tavern is about. Stephanie and her husband did not open 1834 Tavern with the expectation of simply building another restaurant.
“We did it to pour into people and have them pour into us,” Stephanie said. “We are building a community around 1834. We just happen to sell good food.”
The heart of 1834 Tavern Lafayette is not just the amazing food, but is found in the people gathered at the tables, the staff serving them, and the community forming around it.
“We are building a community around 1834. We just happen to sell good food.” - Stephanie Ouyoumjian, owner