Dining WHAT’S COOKIN’ THE CAPITOL ZONING DISTRICT COMMISSION will consider a request Thursday to use a former restaurant on West Third across from the Capitol as a site to host food trucks. The staff of the commission has recommended approval. Jim Powell Inc. has applied to use the property at 1706 W. Third, most recently a pizza restaurant, as a host spot for food trucks. A diagram of the idea shows up to four trucks parked alongside the building in addition to some landscaping. No details are provided on the types of trucks contemplated. The Commission oversees planning around the Capitol and Governor’s Mansion to preserve historic characteristics. The staff figures a food truck gathering would resemble a drive-in restaurant, which is allowed as a conditional use with commission approval. The master plan for the neighborhood recommends mixed uses and encouragement of pedestrian activity. Capitol workers indeed might like to walk across the street for a little lunchtime variety. The current structure was built as a service station in 1965 and has had a variety of uses since. The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
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 Tuesday, but food is certainly worth full price. 3000 Kavanaugh Blvd. Full bar, CC. $$-$$$. 501-603-9630. D Mon.-Sat. BIG ORANGE: BURGERS SALADS SHAKES Gourmet burgers manufactured according to exacting specs (humanely raised beef!) and properly fried Kennebec potatoes are the big draws, but you can get a veggie burger as well as fried chicken, curried falafel and blackened tilapia sandwiches, plus creative meal-sized salads. Shakes and floats are indulgences for all ages. 17809 Chenal Parkway. Full bar, All CC. $$-$$$. 501-821-1515. LD daily. 207 N. University Ave. Full bar, All CC. $$. 501-3798715. LD daily. BLACK ANGUS CAFE Charcoal-grilled burgers, hamburger steaks and steaks proper are the big draws at this local institution. 10907 N. Rodney Parham. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-228-7800. LD Mon.-Sat. BOBBY’S CAFE Delicious, humungo burgers and tasty homemade desserts at this Levy diner. 12230 MacArthur Drive. NLR. No alcohol, No CC. $. 501-851-7888. BL Tue.-Fri., D Fri. 36
MARCH 20, 2014
ARKANSAS TIMES
CLASSIC: The Main Cheese’s Main Cheese.
Cheesy
The Main Cheese
Comfort food gone gourmet.
I
n the spirit of reinvented and restructured comfort foods, The Main Cheese, Little Rock’s first gourmet grilled cheese restaurant, opened recently in West Little Rock on Cantrell Road. The old Saigon space is nearly unrecognizable from its former self. There are new walls, fresh paint in orange and blue, dark wood, and a brick wall that lines one entire side of the restaurant. The place is bright and clean, comfortable and well designed. A restaurant devoted to grilled cheese clearly hopes to capitalize on fanatical love for the sandwich. A good grilled cheese is comforting and warming inside — it’s gooey, hot and buttery. It’s a simple concoction, but The Main Cheese hopes to build upon this cherished favorite, offering several new takes on the classic dish. A quick perusal of the rest of the menu reveals a handful of appetizers (artichoke and cheese dip, hummus, and a cheese plate), a few salad options (like the “Thai Peanut Fusion” with Napa cabbage, carrots, cucumber, edamame, cilantro, fried wonton strips, peanuts and Thai dressing) or soups (such as the creamy potato cheese
or tomato dill). Diners choose from around a dozen sandwich options that range from the basic grilled cheese to slightly-more-exotic options like the “Two Rivers” with slowroasted pork with mojo, salami, shaved ham, Swiss and pickles. A cup of slaw comes standard with every sandwich but diners can substitute fries for an extra $1.50 or housemade seasoned chips for $1. If you are worried about caloric intake, there are several healthier options to be had — a side of fresh fruit, those aforementioned salads, and sandwiches such as the “Farmers Market” with avocado, muenster, grape tomatoes, arugula and parmesan on multigrain bread. Bread comes from the locally owned Arkansas Fresh Bakery (a very wise move, indeed). They roast and slice up all meats in house, and vegetarians and gluten-free diners will also find something they can eat here. We started with the classic “Main Cheese,” ($5.25), a take on a basic grilled cheese. However this one is filled with Muenster, Fontina and cheddar and stuffed into grilled sourdough. The sandwich was
14524 Cantrell Road 367-8082 themaincheese.com
QUICK BITE One nice option offered here is the “make your own” grilled cheese. Choose from a number of meats to throw on your sandwich, including roasted chicken breast, slow roasted pork, shaved ham, roast beef, or applewood bacon. Then opt to include a number of veggies — such as avocado, spinach, onions, or sundried tomatoes — and finish with one of the house sauces. HOURS 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. OTHER INFO Credit cards accepted, beer and wine.
passable, but we felt it could have benefitted from a bit more cheese and butter. It’s not a bad grilled cheese; but with our ideal grilled cheese, we crave that stringy, gooey melted cheese stretching from mouth to sandwich with each bite — this sandwich really had none of that. To accompany this, we decided to order a cup of their tomato dill soup ($3.95). It was hearty but simply done — it made for a nice vessel to dip one’s sandwich into. The dill was a little