Dining WHAT’S COOKIN’ THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ALLIANCE OF ARKANSAS hosts its annual crawfish boil fundraiser, Preservation Crustaceans, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at the Argenta Farmer’s Market, 520 Main St., North Little Rock. They’ll have all-youcan-eat crawfish, shrimp, sausage and all the fixings, with all-you-can-drink beer (and kid-friendly beverages) included. Regular tickets are $45 with a $5 early-bird discount if purchased before April 24. Tickets for kids 9-17 are $10 and kids 8 and under eat for free. The V.I.P. party ($70 with a $10 early bird discount before April 24) is at the historic Barth-Hempfling House at 507 Main St. from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and includes live music from the Funk A Nites, handmade hurricanes and sweets from Loblolly. Members receive $10 off all regular ticket prices. Visit PreserveArkansas.org or call 501-3724757 for more information or to make reservations. KILWINS CHOCOLATES AND ICE CREAM has leased 1,200 square feet in the new Arcade Building in the River Market district, on the corner of President Clinton Avenue and the pedestrian alley next to the Ron Robinson Theater. Kilwins, a chain with more than 80 stores across the United States, will offer fresh chocolate, fudge, corns, caramel apples, brittle, shakes, sundaes, gourmet coffee, smoothies and specialty drinks. This is the first franchise location in Arkansas — they’re typically in tourist spots, so it should fit right in at the River Market. DON’T FORGET TO MAKE PLANS to attend the Arkansas Times Heritage Hog Roast on Saturday, May 3, where 19 of the finest local chefs and pitmasters will compete to see who can roast up heritage-breed hogs the best. Gates open at 5 p.m. and food, including pork and two sides from each team, will be served at 6:30 p.m. Buy tickets — $25 in advance or $30 day of the event — and get more info at arktimes.com/heritagehogroast. The ticket price also includes a great slate of music by Memphis’ Ghost Town Blues Band, Runaway Planet and The Salty Dogs. If you want to skip the pig and see the music, tickets are $10 after 8 p.m. 60
APRIL 24, 2014
ARKANSAS TIMES
Southern Salt Food Co. Locations vary 351-3838 facebook.com/southernsaltfood
QUICK BITE There aren’t many trucks in this town willing to serve rabbit or lamb, but Lauren McCants is taking risks and it’s paying off. The gaily painted truck, with a birdcage hanging off one side and a flower arrangement off another, can be found at various farmers markets and her menu includes breakfast dishes such as breakfast pies with bacon and herbed mascarpone. HOURS Check the truck’s Facebook page for information. OTHER INFO All credit cards accepted. HEFTY: Southern Salt Food Co.’s “cheesesteak,” which features pork instead of beef.
Don’t pass Salt Food truck fuses Southern fare with international flavors.
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s Little Rock’s food truck scene continues to expand, we are fortunate to see people doing more adventurous things with food. Many operators work with a regularly changing menu, stretching their imaginations to provide new, exciting dishes. The food truck has become a playground for palates, a way to find out what works with diners and what doesn’t. One of the newest trucks on the scene does just that, offering a variety of items you won’t find anywhere else in Little Rock. Lauren McCants’ Southern Salt Food Co. has quietly been creeping up on Little Rock diners over the last few months, and those who’ve found them are making plenty of noise about how much they’ve enjoyed the truck’s offerings. It’s slightly difficult to fit Southern Salt into a certain cuisine. As the name implies, McCants, whose years in the food business include working with Scott McGehee at Boulevard Bread Co., has taken steps to channel some classic Southern dishes (barbecue often comes into play), but she also incorporates globe-spanning flavors of Korea, Italy and Mexico. The fusion is seamless. On our first visit to Southern Salt,
we sampled the “Vietnamese coconut curry ramen” with short ribs ($9). Ramen shops have been popping up across the nation, with patrons sometimes waiting for hours to slurp down fancier versions of what many of us were forced (financially) to choke down during those humbling days of college. Of course, Southern Salt’s version is a far cry from the four-for-a-dollar microwave-and-eat versions to which many are accustomed. McCants adds nicely cooked, long, flat noodles to a rich, slightly spicy coconut milk broth with crunchy carrots and bean sprouts, whole leaves of basil and lime. The pork short ribs were served in the broth, and while flavorful and tender, they were a little difficult to eat with nothing but a plastic spoon and chop sticks (although we were happy to see the cooks recently changed the recipe a bit, and are now serving this dish with shredded pork — a much easier-to-eat and better option overall). The dish could have also benefitted from a bit more noodles, but overall we were pleased. We also sampled a few of McCants’ sandwich options. Her version of “cheesesteak” ($8) did not actually feature any beef, but instead was made up
of shredded pork, provolone cheese, onions and peppers, all on a long, soft hoagie roll. The sandwich was well balanced, with warm melted cheese, tender vegetables and slightly sweetened pork. It was hefty, and we’d definitely order it again when needing a quick lunch on the go. We also got a sample of her “vegetarian BBQ sandwich” ($6), and while those terms might seem completely at odds, Southern Salt managed to produce another surprisingly tasty option. This was a crispy-fried tofu patty topped with onions, marinated cabbage, bell peppers, and lettuce, all tossed in a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. It wasn’t enough to make us swear off meat forever, but it was a nice balance of texture and flavor, another winning item from the truck. Perhaps our favorite dish from McCants so far has been her “loaded bratwurst” ($7). It’s certainly not the prettiest thing to look at, but it gets the job done. She takes a toasted white roll and lays within it a perfectly cooked brat with a soft, tender inside and snappy outer casing. This comes “loaded” with sauteed onions and mushrooms, tangy and crunchy sauerkraut, red bell peppers and is sauced with mustard and barbecue sauce. It’s a wonderful and (again) generously portioned dish, and one we’ll be happy to order again on our next visit. Southern Salt is doing a fine job for being such a young truck. McCants is producing an imaginative and wellexecuted menu.