Dining WHAT’S COOKIN’ CORNERSTONE PUB AND GRILL, the restaurant, bar and music venue that has been a fixture in North Little Rock’s Argenta Arts District since it opened in 2003 at 314 Main, has closed. A posting on the Cornerstone Facebook page from Jan. 2 says simply: “After ten years, we, the management of the Cornerstone Pub and Grill, have decided to close business operations in pursuit of alternative ventures. We would like to thank the Argenta Community, the City of North Little Rock, and all of our patrons over the years for their loyalty and support. We wish you nothing but continued success in the New Year and beyond. Cheers! Please private message us if you have any questions about leasing the property.” Several attempts to reach Cornerstone owners Mike and Chris Kent were unsuccessful at press time. Donna Hardcastle, executive director of the Argenta Downtown Council, said that she doesn’t know why the business closed. She said she believes that given its location, the former Cornerstone location will be able to be leased relatively easily, which will hopefully be a benefit to both the owners and Argenta. “It’s a great building, it’s two story, there’s a lot of space,” she said. “Obviously we’re very optimistic that something else will come in there that’ll be another asset for the Argenta Arts District.”
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. $$. 501-379-8715. LD daily. BLACK ANGUS CAFE Charcoal-grilled burgers, hamburger steaks and steaks proper are the big draws at this local institution. 10907 N. Rodney Parham. No alcohol, All CC. $-$$. 501-228-7800. LD Mon.-Sat. BOBBY’S CAFE Delicious, humungo burgers 34
JANUARY 16, 2014
ARKANSAS TIMES
BEEFY: The Hot Dawg from Asher Dairy Bar.
Good blast from the past Asher Dairy Bar serves up cheap, tasty burgers and shakes.
L
iving in the past is not necessarily a bad thing. Nowhere is this more evident than at Asher Dairy Bar. On the outside, this Colonel Glenn fixture may not be much to look at anymore, merely a shadow of its former self. The paint’s fading on the once bright blue, red, and white sign featuring an oversized frosty milkshake. Inside, seemingly not much has changed either. But it’s still just as welcoming to any passerby looking for a fast, tasty meal. The food and shakes taste as classic as ever, accompanied by attentive and friendly service, and prices even your grandparents would be pleased with. Most likely, beyond the milkshakes, you’re going to want to head to Asher Dairy Bar for a burger. Sure, there are a number of other available menu items, which you may be inclined to venture
towards from time to time. But when you’re craving a thin-patty, grease ball of a burger — the kind that leaves you constantly checking over your shoulder to make sure your cardiologist doesn’t catch you in the forbidden act — Asher Dairy Bar is your place. The burger offerings on Asher’s menu are a tad confusing. There’s the regular burger, the jumbo burger, the regular double burger, the jumbo double burger, the “over the hill” burger, and the “over the hill” double burger. If you’ve got 20 minutes for them to explain the whole menu, you may begin to get to the bottom of it all, but allow us to simplify: Just get the regular double cheeseburger ($3.39). It seems to really hit that sweet spot of proper beef to grease proportions, adequate cheese coverage, and
Asher Dairy Bar
7505 Colonel Glenn Road 562-1085 QUICK BITE It’s easy to get lunch from Asher Dairy Bar for under $7. It may well be the best value in the city. During summer months, there’s no finer place to be than at a dairy bar. The bar does shakes, soft-serve vanilla ice cream with all the fixings, chocolate dipped cones, banana splits, and sundaes. As the slogan says, it’s the “best lick in Little Rock.” HOURS 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. OTHER INFO Credit cards accepted, no alcohol.
proper consistency and texture despite being, essentially, a well-done burger. Each patty is thin — about an eighth of a pound each — but they manage to remain juicy and tender due to their lovely fatty properties. The dairy bar grinds its beef fresh every morning, never resorting to frozen patties. The cheese is generously portioned and the bun is slightly toasted on one side. It’s a cheeseburger seen a million times, in a million places, but it’s done right here. And at around $3, no one is complaining CONTINUED ON PAGE 36