Chicago Dogs in the Ozarks

On our search for stories in the area, we stopped at another bait shop for clues.  We turned around and saw, right across Highway 14, an anomaly.  A Chicago restaurant, advertising Chicago dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, Pirogues, just about everything.  There was a big wooden hot dog out front, too.  We had to go back.

We walk through the door on a Friday night and are greeted by a man who can only be described as everything you ever expected an Italian-American Chicagoan to be.  Learned his name was Dino Giannini.  He saw us peering at the five different wipe boards with all sorts of specialties listed on them, handed over a couple of menus and told us to take a load off and take our time.

After we ordered we sat and talked with other people who came through the restaurant.  Something seemed a little odd about the place… it was full of people who all seemed to know each other, a real neighborhood joint, sure -- but not your usual sort of neighborhood joint.  They all spoke with that characteristic Midwestern accent.

One of the guys sat down next to us at the big table up front and started talking our ears off -- not that we minded.  He picked up on my photographer’s Chicago experience and compared his own -- having arrived in the area back in 1986 after his parents had moved down.  They, like so many others, had come down for the fishing and ended up moving for good.  The story was starting to sound familiar.

I was curious, especially after encountering other Chicagoans here and there in Bull Shoals, Flippin and Mountain Home.  “So, it’s popular for people from Chicago to come here?”

Dino overheard us and broke in.  “About half the people here are from Chicago!”

Our newfound friend at our table argued with that.  “Closer to 80 percent, Dino.”  He looked at me and grimaced.  “Down on Boat Dock Road, there’s all these people.  Back in Chicago they all lived on the same street.  They all picked up and moved down here, right next to one another.”



Our food was delivered, and while my photographer celebrated a Chicago style gyro and dog, I dug into pirogues -- half kraut, half potato and cheese.  I’d never had kraut pirogues before, but Dino talked me into it, and I’m glad he did.  They were delicious with the provided applesauce -- as were the potato and cheese filled dumplings with a little sour cream.  My photographer claimed the tzatziki sauce on his gyro was the best he’d ever had.

“Thank you, I made it myself,” Dino beamed with that undeniable Chicago style patter.  He had a pride about him, pointing out all his dishes are homemade, not revealing the secrets but making you wonder where he’d come up with everything.


How much did we like the place? I wrote it up for review for the Arkansas Times. Yeah, I'm a stinker. I could have kept the place to myself, but what fun would that have been? Can't wait to see how the business booms.

Best part of Anthonee’s is not the atmosphere or people, though.  It’s the prices.  Absolutely everything on the menu is under $10.  Everything.  The place has been open about a year and a half and is seeing great business.  It’s about a mile from Bull Shoals Dam and I can see it thriving, once word gets out.

Anthonee’s Kitchen
6180 Route 178
Lakeview, AR 72642
(870) 431-4314
Check out the website, too.

 

Things you didn't know about Gaston's White River Resort.

We all know Gaston’s White River Resort in Lakeview is a premiere fishing destination for anglers and fishing enthusiasts all over the United States.  But you may have wondered a few things about the destination itself.  I found out some neat facts about the place from Jim Gaston himself.



So, why are the cabins at Gaston’s pink?

Well, there’s a long story to that.  When my dad bought the resort -- six boats and six cottages -- it was painted pink.  A few years later I moved down here.  My dad had passed away and to be very honest the financial situation wasn’t good at all.  So we grew slow, and every time I would build a cottage, quite frankly I didn’t have the money to back up and paint all the others so each one got painted pink.  When you’re in your twenties you really don’t think about the color.

Sunrise over the White River from Gaston's back yard.

I take it that you had a hard start with the resort.  How’d you get out ahead?

I made a list of everyone I owed money and took it to everybody -- and they knew what I owed them, but they could see what I owed other people.  I broke that down on how much I could pay them per month and ask them to be patient with me -- and they did, which surprised me but not near as much looking back. that people would have that much faith in somebody in their 20s.  I learned a lesson from that, that if you go to people and you tell them the truth and you do what you say you’re going to do, they’ll work with you and support you.

Gaston’s uses a motto, “It costs no more to go first class.”  Where did that come from?

When I started out in business, a cottage anywhere would rent for about five dollars.  Then if you wanted sheets it was a dollar extra, air conditioning a dollar extra and so on.  I packaged everything together and charged $10 so there’d be nothing to add on.  That’s how I came up with the motto.


Why are there peacocks at Gaston’s?

I’m a real history buff.  A while back my wife and I were at Monticello, and down the road from there was Madison’s house, and they have peacocks and I just fell in love with them.  There are several varieties of peacock… the white ones are to me unique.

Inside the restaurant.

What’s your favorite dish at the resort’s restaurant?

My favorite dish is the broiled trout.  Just the plain broiled trout.


Where’s your favorite place to fish?

My favorite place to fish is down below on our nature trail close by.  I carry my camera equipment with me.  Whether I catch a fish or not doesn’t matter.  It’s nice to get away from day to day duties.

What’s your favorite bait?

I like using spinner bait for trout.  I find it enjoyable.


What do you do for fun? 

My hobbies are passionate photography.  I had some surgery a few years ago, and I was telling my wife if I got out of that okay we were going to start traveling.  We went to Ireland, Germany, China.  We’re leaving for Russia July 7th.  I love Nature photography but I also love history and I’ve really been going overboard for the past couple of months trying to learn everything I can about Russia, so once I get over there I have an understanding of the culture.  When I went to China I took a little over 2000 pictures, those and two little bottles of soy sauce were my souvenirs.

Hundreds arrive each year at Gaston's by airplane.

Final thoughts?

Life’s been good to me.  Arkansas has been good to me.  As long as I get up every day, it’s a good day.



For more information, check out the website for Gaston's White River Resort.