Dining WHAT’S COOKIN’
EATERS OF THE WORLD! It’s time to instruct your fellow chowhounds on where the best grub in Arkansas is by by participating in the Arkansas Times’ Readers Choice Awards 2014. To vote, go to arktimes.com/readerschoice14, log in (easier than choosing from a TexMex menu, we promise) and list your favorite restaurants on our online ballot. Want to know more? Email us at readerschoice@arktimes.com. And, hey: We’re looking for food writing talent. Show off your culinary reportorial skills in the ballot’s comments section.
DINING CAPSULES
LITTLE ROCK/ N. LITTLE ROCK
AMERICAN
ACADIA A jewel of a restaurant in Hillcrest. Unbelievable fixed-price, three-course dinners on Mondays and Tuesdays, but food is certainly worth full price. 3000 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, CC. $$-$$$. 501-603-9630. D Mon.-Sat. THE AFTERTHOUGHT CAFE A pleasant spot in Hillcrest with specialty salads, steak and seafood. The soup of the day is a good bet. At lunch, the menu includes an all-vegetable sandwich and a half-pound cheeseburger. 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-1196. LD Mon.-Fri., D Sat., BR Sun. BIG ORANGE: BURGERS SALADS SHAKES Gourmet burgers manufactured according to exacting specs (humanely raised beef!) and properly fried Kennebec potatoes are the big draws. Shakes and floats are indulgences for all ages. Adults will find a huge bar including craft beers and esoteric wine. 17809 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-821-1515. LD daily. 34
NOVEMBER 28, 2013
ARKANSAS TIMES
Juanita’s
614 President Clinton Ave. 372-1228 juanitas.com
QUICK BITE Arkansas is addicted to cheese dip. It’s everywhere. One of our own founded a world-championship cheese dip competition. If you want examples of fine cheese dip, try Juanita’s two classics — yellow and white, very different but very good. Menu includes a variety of combination entree choices — enchiladas, tacos, flautas, shrimp burritos and such — plus creative salads and other dishes. And of course the “Blue Mesa” cheese dip. BRIAN CHILSON
IN TRIBUTE TO SWEET POTATO PIE KING ROBERT “SAY” MCINTOSH and because everyone loves a good sweet potato pie, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center at Ninth and Broadway once more showcases some of the best and rewards the cooks as well with its “Say It Ain’t Say’s” sweet potato pie contest on Sunday, Dec. 1. Say himself will be there to watch as pie maven and author Kat Robinson, Power 92 radio host Broadway Joe Booker, Fox 16 anchor Donna Terrell and AY food writer Pamela Smith do the judging. The judging, in professional, amateur and people’s choice categories, runs 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in conjunction with the museum’s holiday open house. Say is also known as Little Rock’s first Black Santa, and in that spirit pie contestants contributed toys as part of their entry fee.
POPULAR: Taco Callejeros from Juanita’s.
Don’t forget about Juanita’s Tex-Mex standard bearer still serves up good grub.
W
hat area Mexican food fans long have taken for granted in terms of variety, price and quality took root when Juanita’s opened at 1300 S. Main St. in 1986. And 27 years later, what was unique to our market then now is the norm — cheese dip both white and yellow, fajitas, high-quality tamales, quesadillas, flautas, fish tacos, massive burritos and a broad selection of top-shelf tequilas. Those of us who grew up on Saltillo plates at the old Browning’s and combo dinners at Mexico Chiquito knew none of that … until Juanita’s. After a quarter-century in its original location, Juanita’s relocated in summer 2011 to the River Market District on the eastern end of the main President Clinton Avenue drag, by the Clinton Center store. There were some culinary hiccups late in the Main Street days and early at the “new” Juanita’s, but several recent meals there offer clear proof Juanita’s is back in the game. One important step in getting things right, we’re told, was hiring a new chef from On the Border a little more than a
year ago. He changed the menu, standardized some processes and kicked up the quality of Juanita’s dishes in terms of taste and presentation. Not that On the Border is the be-all, end-all of TexMex dining, but it’s solid as a rock, as is Juanita’s today. Those of us who live and work downtown roll our eyes when we hear pronouncements that there’s no parking downtown. Au contraire, West Little Rockers, and that incorrect perception has cost Juanita’s business. Know this: between on-street, deck and surface lot parking, downtown has plenty of room for motorists who don’t mind walking a block or two. With the recent installation of paid parking along President Clinton and side streets, the spots turn over more rapidly, and one of our Juanita’s dining companions on a recent weekday got a spot right outside the restaurant’s door. Everyone in our party of seven finished lunch equal parts impressed and full. We started with salsa (bright and fresh) and both cheese dips ($5.49 each). The yellow is our favorite in town, rich
HOURS Dining room: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (Will reopen on Mondays in the spring.) OTHER INFO Cards accepted, full bar.
and flavorful, studded with tomato and pepper chunks. The white is the classic from the old Blue Mesa, a beforeits-time west Little Rock eatery where Mark Abernathy — the original culinary force at Juanita’s (and now Loca Luna and Red Door) — introduced white cheese dip to Little Rock. It’s as good as ever, also full-bodied with cilantro the primary herb component. The chunky guacamole ($5.99) is basic as good guac should be — avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice and a dose of spices. All it lacked was adequate salt, easily remedied. Our entrees: • Classic cheese enchiladas with chili ($7.99), as good as any, with rice (not quite cooked enough) and choice of three styles of beans — black, brown or refried. • Mexican ribs ($10.99 for a sevenrib half rack; $17.99 for a full rack) — tender with a nice, slightly sweet rub. These, we’re told, will depart the main menu in 2014 and only appear as an occasional special. • Double stack quesadilla ($9.99), a whopper with a double portion of grilled chicken, veggies, cheese and caramelized onions in a massive flour tortilla. This hearty eater could get down only three of the four wedges. • Taco Callejeros (street tacos: three for $9.99). There are five meat choices;