Arkansas Times by Arkansas Times

what’scookin’

Restaurant capsules Every effort is made to keep this listing of some of the state’s more notable restaurants current, but we urge readers to call ahead to check on changes on days of operation, hours and special offerings. What follows, because of space limitations, is a partial listing of restaurants reviewed by our staff. Information herein reflects the opinions of the newspaper staff and its reviewers. The newspaper accepts no advertising or other considerations in exchange for reviews, which are conducted anonymously. We invite the opinions of readers who think we are in error. Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order by city; Little Rock-area restaurants are divided by food category. Other review symbols are: B Breakfast L Lunch D Dinner $ Inexpensive (under $8/person) $$ Moderate ($8-$20/person) $$$ Expensive (over $20/person) CC Accepts credit cards

LITTLE ROCK/ N. LITTLE ROCK AMERICAN

ACADIA A jewel of a restaurant in Hillcrest. Wonderful soups and fish dishes. Extensive wine list. On Mondays and Tuesdays get three courses for the fixed price of $22.50. It’s a bargain. 3000 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar. CC $$-$$$ 603-9630 D Mon.-Sat. ALLEY OOPS The restaurant at Creekwood Plaza (near the Kanis-Bowman intersection) is a neighborhood feedbag for major medical institutions with plate lunches, burgers and homemade desserts. 11900 Kanis Road. Full bar. CC $-$$ 221-9400 LD Mon.-Sat. ATHLETIC CLUB What could be mundane fare gets delightful twists and embellishments here. Embassy Suites Hotel. 11301 Financial Centre Parkway. Full bar. CC $$-$$$ 312-9000 LD daily. BEST IMPRESSIONS Soup, salad and sandwiches are always on the menu in the Arkansas Arts Center café, and we’ve never had a bad soup of the day here. But there are also entrees you might usually see at dinner, too. Plus, a strong dessert menu. 501 East Ninth Street (Arkansas Arts Center) Full bar CC $$ 907-5946 L Tues.-Sun. BLACK ANGUS Charcoal-grilled burgers, hamburger steaks and steaks proper are the big draws at this local institution. 10907 N. Rodney Parham. No alcohol. CC $ 228-7800 LD Mon.-Sat. BOULEVARD BREAD CO. Fresh bread, fresh pastries, wide selection of cheeses, meats, side dishes, dinners to go — all superb. Good coffee, too. 1920 N. Grant St. CC $-$$$ 663-5951 BLD Mon.-Sat.; River Market Hall, beer and wine, CC $-$$$ 374-1232, BL Mon.-Sat.; College of

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Buffalo wild wings: An order of traditional wings.

■ dining Wingding Buffalo Wild Wings opens its first franchise in Little Rock; the masses flock. rooms ($4.99) and crispy n Some restaurants have southwest dippers (which the luck, don’t they? were described on the menu The Little Rock as “tortilla dippers” but come market was primed for the out fried and in the shape of arrival of its first Buffalo chicken nuggets). There are Wild Wings, a sports bar also wraps, ribs and chicken franchise, thanks to an sandwiches. The fries, no avalanche of national small matter in our opinion, commercials. Landing in are thin cut and not spiced a nicely visible spot on like you find in many chains the Highway 10 corridor — that’s probably for the across the street from best as most of the food is Taylor Loop was fortuitous loaded with spices already. as well. Most of the wealth During our lunch trip, our concentrated in the Chenal neighborhoods has to pass prime location: The restaurant is located on Cantrell across from friend ordered the honey BBQ bacon chicken sandby Buffalo Wild Wings’ Taylor Loop. wich ($7.99 with fries) and front door on its way to wasn’t very impressed. He declared the anywhere else in town. Not surprisingly, underway game featuring a lovable basethe restaurant has been pretty much packed ball team from a windy city. In minutes chicken a bit dry and gave it a B minus. we had our game up on one of the bigger since it opened on Mother’s Day. But the lack of subtly of the chicken will screens, which is about the size of a pool hardly matter to fans in the seats of Buffalo And we’re going out on a fat limb to Wild Wings. The full bar is groaning with predict that it will stay that way. You may table. beer selections and the games are always not like wings or want to watch every Buffalo Wild Wings’ menu is domion. That is likely more than enough. possible sporting event on, approximately, nated by the food you would expect out of one gazillion screens, but there are plenty a sports bar — wings, burgers and assorted who do. We aren’t even in the heavy fried foods. The wings, which you can sports-watching time for Arkansas. When order as traditional (the minimum of six the football Razorbacks and the NFL kick for $4.99) or boneless (eight for $7.49), 14800 Cantrell Road back into gear, the Wild Wings crew might are the starring attraction and can be 868-5279 need a crowbar and some grease (which slathered with one of 14 sauces that start they ought to have on hand) to accommoat Sweet BBQ and slide up the heat scale Quick bite A sports bar on steroids with numerous humonto Blazin’. We aren’t gluttons for punishdate the masses. gous TVs and a menu full of thirst-inducing items. ment, so the hottest wings we ordered were The restaurant space is open with high The wings, which can be slathered with one of the Parmesan Garlic (the next sauce up the ceiling and a glass partition that separates 14 sauces, are the starring attraction and will undoubtedly have fans. scale is Medium) and found them plenty the dining room with tables and half a spicy and hot, not to mention satisfying. dozen booths from the bar. The flat screen Hours Good luck to those willing to take on the TVs cover practically every inch of wall 11 a.m.-1:30 a.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.12:30 a.m. Sunday Blazin’ wings. space and are tuned to ESPN or some kind There is an extensive selection of appeof sports-related programming. During Other info Credit cards accepted. A full bar loaded with a tizers including popcorn shrimp (¾ pound our stop at lunch, we asked our waitress if wide beer selection. basket for $7.99), roasted garlic mushthey could turn one of the screens to a justbrian chilson

n On Monday, June 7, Bar Louie opens in the Pleasant Ridge Town Center in the space formerly occupied by Crew. The “neighborhood” restaurant and bar claims on its website to specialize in “oversized sandwiches” and “artfully concocted signature cocktails.”

brian chilson

n Bravo! Cucina Italiana is now open in the Promenade at Chenal in West Little Rock. The white-tablecloth Italian chain offers indoor seating for up to 250, plus an outdoor terrace and a private dining room. Entrees range from $10 to $28. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Happy hour is 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. until closing Monday through Friday. The phone number is 821-2485.

Buffalo Wild Wings