Dining WHAT’S COOKIN’ ’TIS THE SEASON FOR MUDBUGS. On Friday, April 19, in the River Market Pavilions, The Point 94.1 hosts the Bugs and Beer Crawfish Boil, with music by Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys. Proceeds benefit Senior Citizens Activities Today. The event runs from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. General admission tickets are $40. VIP tickets run $65.
Pizzeria Santa Lucia
Various locations 666-1885 facebook.com/pizzeriasantaluciaLR QUICK BITE The folks behind Pizzeria Santa Lucia are operating out of a mobile pizza oven, imported from Italy, and churning out some really fine pies all over Little Rock. They’re on the smaller side and not topped to excess, but they’re refreshing and quite flavorful. Everything’s fired to order, so allow some time for your pie to be completed, especially on a busy night. Stand back and watch the pizzaioli at work — it’s a beautiful thing to behold; they’re artists in their own right. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates and locations.
ON FRIDAY, APRIL 19, at the corner of Main and Capitol, Main Street Food Truck Fridays hosts Blackhound BBQ, Big Daddy’s Dogs, Kona Ice, Kbird and Mexicana Alicia. The event runs from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
HOURS Typically 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
DINING CAPSULES
MORE INFO Credit cards accepted.
4 SQUARE CAFE AND GIFTS Vegetarian salads, soups, wraps and paninis and a broad selection of smoothies. 405 President Clinton Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-244-2622. BLD daily. ARGENTA MARKET The grocery store offers a deli featuring a daily selection of big sandwiches along with fresh fish and meats and salads. 521 N. Main St. NLR. Beer, Wine, All CC. $-$$. 501-379-9980. L daily, D Mon.-Sat., B Sat., BR Sun. ASHLEY’S The premier fine dining restaurant in Little Rock marries Southern traditionalism and haute cuisine. 111 W. Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-3747474. BLD Mon.-Sat. BR Sun. BEV & GUY’S FISH & CHICKEN Specializes in fried catfish fillets and chicken and all the trimmings. 3319 John Barrow Road. No alcohol, No CC. $. 501-224-2981. L Fri.-Sat. D Thu., Sat., Sun. BRAY GOURMET DELI AND CATERING Sandwiches, wraps, soups, stuffed potatoes and salads. 323 Center St. Suite 150. No alcohol, All CC. 501-353-1045. BL Mon.-Fri. CAPITAL BAR AND GRILL Big hearty sandwiches, daily lunch specials and fine evening dining. 111 Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-374-7474. LD daily. CATFISH HOLE Downhome place for well-cooked catfish and tasty hushpuppies. 603 E. Spriggs. NLR. Beer, All CC. $-$$. 501-758-3516. D Tue.-Sat. CIAO BACI The focus is on fine dining, though excellent tapas are out of this world. 605 N. Beechwood St. Full bar, All CC. $$$. 501-603-0238. D Mon.-Sat. DIXON ROAD BLUES CAFE Sandwiches, burgers and salads. 1505 W. Dixon Road. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-888-2233. BLD Mon.-Sat. DOE’S EAT PLACE Huge steaks, great tamales and broiled shrimp, and killer burgers at lunch. 1023 W. Markham St. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-376-1195. LD Mon.-Fri., D Sat. 34
APRIL 18, 2013
ARKANSAS TIMES
DANIEL WALKER
AMERICAN
PIZZA ON THE GO: From Pizzeria Santa Lucia.
Real Neapolitan pizza — from a truck Santa Lucia offers welcome new option.
I
f the ever-expanding food truck movement over the past few years has taught us one thing, it’s that often, food from a mobile kitchen can be as good — or better — than anything offered by a brick and mortar restaurant. The small but indefatigable fleet of food trucks and carts in Central Arkansas is no exception. Indeed, some trucks offer dishes unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere in Central Arkansas. One of Little Rock’s freshest faces in the mobile dining scene is serving one of America’s most beloved dishes, pizza. However, the folks behind Pizzeria Santa Lucia would not be content with throwing together a few half-hearted, greasesoaked pedestrian pies. Instead, they’re
sharing their passion and commitment to quality by spreading the gospel of authentic Neapolitan pizza. Pizzeria Santa Lucia’s head pizzaiolo, Georges Launet, is a Little Rock native who has been floating around the restaurant business for 15 years. From his experiences in Europe, Launet had fallen in love with the art of Neapolitan pizza, something he was determined to bring back home to Arkansas. After cooking for a number of quality restaurants around town, he joined the folks at the fine foods catering company, Palette. With assistance from the two chef/owners of Palette, Jeremy and Jacquelyn Pittman, Launet’s pizza pipe dreams began to take shape.
Neapolitan pizza adheres to strict guidelines in terms of preparation, ingredients, and cooking, but the folks at Santa Lucia are committed to doing things correctly. Neapolitan pizza is cooked in a wood-fired oven — an oven Santa Lucia had imported from Italy — at no less than 900 degrees F. This sweltering temperature allows the pies to cook quickly, usually around 90 seconds — the fast cooking time causes the crust to crisp up quickly, imparting numerous charred and blackened blisters from the kiss of flame, but keeping the interior of the crust soft and chewy. The simple fragrant sauce is created from crushed San Marzano tomatoes, the flour is a Caputo “00” milled in Italy. Toppings are light, few, and not heavily applied; mozzarella is only loosely scattered about, not stacked to three inches thick. Authentic Neapolitan pizza is an art that’s buried in tradition, but Launet will tell you “in some cases tradition is something that is so, because it is truly right.” We first sampled Santa Lucia’s version of the margherita ($8), the great equalizer among Neapolitan pie. It’s a pizza that’s topped so simply, it may often be overlooked for flashier, more complex pies. However, this combination — mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil — is a proven classic for its ability to perfectly meld these three flavors, each one enhancing and improving the others. The basil, while not used in excess, provides an aromatic note to