n Much-anticipated fast-casual chain Chipotle Mexican Grill is now open in the Pleasant Ridge Town Center, 11525 Cantrell Road. Its hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday. The phone number is 221-0018. n Big Orange: Burgers, Salads and Milkshakes plans to open sometime next week in the Promenade at Chenal shopping center. The restaurant is the latest concept from ZaZa owners John Beachboard and Scott McGehee. In an interview in May, McGehee said the restaurant would offer a mix of healthy and indulgent fare, with a number of burger options; a broad, ZaZa-style salad menu and a dozen gourmet milkshakes and floats. The restaurant will be open 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday, 10:30 p.m.-close Thursday to Saturday. The phone number is 821-1515. n Our annual Toast of the Town readers poll is live now at arktimes.com/ toast11. It’s a survey of booze and bars in Central Arkansas.
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 ADAMS CATFISH CATERING Catering company with carry-out restaurant in Little Rock and carry-out trailers in Russellville and Perryville. 215 N. Cross St. All CC. $-$$. 501-374-4265. LD Tue.-Sat. ALL AMERICAN WINGS Wings, catfish and soul food sides. 215 W. Capitol Ave. Beer. $-$$. 501-376-4000. ALLEY OOPS The restaurant at Creekwood Plaza (near the Kanis-Bowman intersection) is a neighborhood feedbag for major medical institutions with the likes of plate lunches, burgers and homemade desserts. Remarkable Chess Pie. 11900 Kanis Road. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-221-9400. LD Mon.-Sat. ATHLETIC CLUB What could be mundane fare gets delightful twists and embellishments here. 11301 Financial Centre Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-312-9000. LD daily. B-SIDE The little breakfast place in the former party room of Lilly’s DimSum Then Some turns tradition on its ear, offering French toast wrapped in bacon on a stick, a must-have dish called “biscuit mountain” and beignets with lemon curd. Top notch cheese grits, too. 11121 Rodney Parham Road. Full
■ dining Nice lunching in Dogtown Cookery Meatloaf and cappuccino. n Not so long ago, no restaurateur in North Little Rock would have dared use the name “Dogtown.” Times have changed, obviously. Being from south of the Arkansas River, we had no objection to the name, nor, after eating here, to anything else, except that the daily lunch special was gone by the time we arrived. We were delayed by some difficulty finding the place — our fault, not theirs. Once inside, we started with the cheese dip, which the menu called a “Dogtown Specialty,” and we found it indeed special — spicy, not too thick or thin, served with warm tortilla chips. Everybody has cheese dip. Not everybody has good cheese dip. The sandwich selection is interesting and varied. Not everybody has “Fried Petit Jean Bologna with our house-made chow chow.” We’ll try that next time, if we don’t get the peanut butter and strawberry jam on white bread. This time, one of us chose the Turkey, Bacon and Ranch (also provolone) on toasted flat bread. Pleasing, as was a small green salad accompaniment — romaine, not iceberg lettuce; a fresher-than-usual tomato slice, and ranch dressing with tarragon. (There’s a big, $7 “Southern Revival Salad” that has toasted pecans, bacon, goat cheese and “our signature molasses vinaigrette.”) The other diner, after much deliberation, chose the “ ‘Leftover’ Meatloaf Sandwich” with lettuce, tomato and mayo on toasted sourdough. Now, any meatloaf is better than no meatloaf, but the real test of a meatloaf is whether it’s good cold. That’s the way leftover meatloaf is supposed to be eaten. But this sandwich was grilled, the ’loaf warm. We’d suggest moving this sandwich from the “grilled” list to the “deli-style” list, along with the cold-cut sandwich and the chicken salad. A little cheese wouldn’t hurt. Dogtown sandwiches come with a choice of two sides. The mixed-fruit salad,
fresh strawberries and blueberries, may have been the best thing we had; the creamy potato salad was the kind that’s become popular, and rightfully so, at some of the better barbecue restaurants in town. The coffee selections include espresso, cappuccino, and latte. One of us thought the au lait could have been a little stronger, but she drank it all right. Stuffed with cheese dip, we had to pass on dessert, but there was some interesting gelato on display — cucumber, blood orange, etc. The breakfast menu includes “The Full Dogtown Fry-Up: 2 pieces sausage, 2 pieces bacon, 2 eggs, roasted potatoes, baked beans, roasted tomato, Dogtown biscuit.” That’ll leave you ready for anything Dogtown can throw at you. The lunch special we were too late for was chicken pot pie and a salad, an employee told us. The day before, it was chicken marsala with roasted potatoes and broccoli, the day before that, corned
beef and cabbage. The specials always go quickly, we were told. The restaurant is clean, cool, roomy and not overly loud — the kind of place that gives Dogtown a good name.
bar, All CC. $$. 501-554-0914. B Wed.-Fri.; BR Sat.-Sun. BAR LOUIE This chain’s first Arkansas outlet features a something-for-everybody menu so broad and varied to be almost schizophrenic. 11525 Cantrell Road, Suite 924. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-228-0444. LD daily. BIG WHISKEY’S AMERICAN BAR AND GRILL A modern grill pub in the River Market with all the bells and whistles: 30 flat screen TVs, boneless wings, whiskey on tap. Plus, the usual burgers, steaks, soups and salads. 225 E. Markham. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-324-2449. LD daily. BOBBY’S COUNTRY COOKIN’ One of the better plate lunch spots in the area, with some of the best fried chicken and pot roast around, a changing daily casserole and wonderful homemade pies. 301 N. Shackleford Road, Suite E1. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-224-9500. L Mon.-Fri. BOGIE’S BAR AND GRILL The former Bennigan’s retains a similar theme: a menu filled with burgers, salads and giant desserts, plus a few steak, fish and chicken main courses. There are big screen TVs for sports fans and lots to drink, more reason to return than the food. 120 W. Pershing Blvd.
NLR. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-812-0019. D daily. BUFFALO GRILL A great crispy-off-the-griddle cheeseburger and hand-cut fries star at this family-friendly stop. 1611 Rebsamen Park Road. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-2969535. LD daily. 400 N. Bowman Road. Full bar, Beer, All CC. $$. 501-224-0012. LD daily. CAFE 201 The hotel restaurant in the Crowne Plaza serves up a nice lunch buffet. 201 S. Shackleford Road. Beer, Wine, All CC. $$. 501-223-3000. BLD daily. CATFISH CITY AND BBQ GRILL Basic fried fish and sides, including green tomato pickles, and now with tasty ribs and sandwiches in beef, pork and sausage. 1817 S. University Ave. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-663-7224. LD Mon.-Sat. CHEERS IN THE HEIGHTS Good burgers and sandwiches, vegetarian offerings and salads at lunch and fish specials, and good steaks in the evening. 2010 N. Van Buren. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-663-5937. LD Mon.-Sat. 1901 Club Manor Drive. Maumelle. Full bar, All CC. 501-8516200. LD daily, BR Sun.
CORNERSTONE PUB & GRILL A sandwich, pizza and beer joint in the heart of North Little Rock’s Argenta district. 314 Main St. NLR. Full bar, All CC. $-$$. 501-374-1782. LD Mon.-Sat. CRACKER BARREL Chain-style home-cooking with plenty of variety, consistency and portions. Multiple locations statewide. 3101 Springhill Drive. NLR. 945-9373. BLD. DAVE AND RAY’S DOWNTOWN DINER Breakfast buffet daily featuring biscuits and gravy, home fries, sausage and made-to-order omelets. Lunch buffet with four choices of meats and eight veggies. All-you-can-eat catfish on weekend nights. 824 W. Capitol Ave. No alcohol. $. 501-372-8816. BL daily. E’S BISTRO Despite the name, think tearoom rather than bistro — there’s no wine, for one thing, and there is tea. But there’s nothing tearoomy about the portions here. Try the heaping grilled salmon BLT on a buttery croissant. 3812 JFK Boulevard. NLR. No alcohol, All CC. $$. 501-771-6900.
BRIAN CHILSON
what’scookin’
GOOD EATS: Dogtown Cookery’s turkey, bacon and ranch sandwich with side salad.
Dogtown Coffee and Cookery 6725 John F. Kennedy Blvd. North Little Rock 833-3850 Quick bite
Although the down-home name might suggest to some a down-home, meat-and-three kind of place, this is actually an up-to-date sandwich, salad and fancy coffee kind of place, well worth a visit.
Hours
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Other info
No alcohol. Credit cards accepted.
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