Written by Madison Meeks and Caroline Birdwell.
Slader’s Alaskan Dumpling Company, a local Searcy restaurant, is now serving signature drinks inspired by the Last Frontier.
The Alaskan-infused espresso drinks are new to the menu, featuring flavors like fireweed honey, birch sap and forget-me-not flowers. New menu items have been added with more to come, including new snacks that will be announced on Slader’s social media platforms.
Senior Brielle Hetherington works at Slader’s and said the new drinks bring Alaska-native flavors to Arkansas.
“We [wanted] to bring more of Alaska to Arkansas by creating drinks with ingredients sourced from the 49th state,” Hetherington said.
Some students from Harding frequent Slader’s, not just for the food, but now for the new selection of drinks.
“Each drink is unique, and the ingredients are from Alaska,” senior Kylie Allen said. “I encourage students to try the new coffee bar and enjoy Slader’s cozy environment for hanging out, playing board games or just to study.”
Senior Mac Conn is also an employee at Slader’s and said he enjoys the atmosphere of the restaurant and the community that it brings for Searcy and Harding.
“Slader’s has accomplished [community] with live concerts, board games, trivia nights and the food truck,” Conn said. “Although COVID has limited Slader’s events, we continue to strive to be a place to meet the needs of students and the community. For students, it is a place for us to come and study or a place to cut up.”
Hetherington said the restaurant is staying planted in their Alaskan roots and that Slader’s is first and foremost a specialty restaurant selling Alaskan dumplings, but the new editions will continue building community between Slader’s and Searcy.
“We did think for a long time about what we could add to our menu for those customers who like to sit with friends or study for hours, and some signature lattes seemed like the best bet,” Hetherington said. “We don’t want to be a coffee shop or take away from the great coffee spots already here in Searcy … We were very intentional about the flavors we wanted to create with our new lattes. Every item on the menu has a connection to Alaska in some way, and that’s what really makes these drinks so cool.”
The food truck (located outside of the Ganus Activities Complex) is open Monday through Friday, serving lunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and dinner from 5-9 p.m. Slader’s accepts dining dollars at both locations and the first trivia night of the semester will be Sunday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m.
