FOOD & DRINK

HONEY AND LIME:

The Brussels and Kale Salad at The Fold is rounded out with goat cheese, pickled red onion, pepitas, a protein and a sweet citrus vinaigrette.

SALAD DAYS

SOME LEAFY CENTRAL ARKANSAS FAVORITES.

BY STEFANIE KENNON-MCGILL, GUY CHOATE AND RHETT BRINKLEY

There’s a 1995 episode of “The Simpsons” from season 7 titled “Lisa the Vegetarian” and Lisa asks why there can’t be any vegetarian options on the menu for some event they’re having. Bart tells her, “You don’t win friends with salads.” Then Homer joins Bart in a catchy “You don’t win friends with salad” chant and the two form a train and start marching around. They exit the frame, and when they return, Marge has joined the train and the chant, much to Lisa’s chagrin.

Salad might not be the most fun or exciting choice, but in the days of farm-to-table dining and with the creative strides chefs have made over the years, Lisa’s stance is aging better. We decided to try to win some friends with some of our current Central Arkansas favorites.

STEFANIE KENNON-MCGILL

STEFANIE KENNON-MCGILL

MOVE OVER, NOODLE BOWL: With a tea-scented egg and pickled vegetables on top, the Three Fold Salad is among the best in Little Rock.

THE FOLD: BOTANAS & BAR BRUSSELS & KALE SALAD

Raw Brussels and kale may sound wholly unappealing to many people, and with good reason. While I love Brussels sprouts if they are roasted and drenched in bacon fat (but of course, roasting in bacon fat can turn pretty much anything into a flavor explosion), I am not a huge fan of them raw, nor am I a fan of kale. If not prepared the right way, Brussels sprouts and kale can both impart a certain bitterness that can ruin a dish. That is not the case with the Brussels and Kale Salad at The Fold. The typical bitterness is tamed by The Fold’s signature honey lime vinaigrette, which is sweet without being cloying. The pickled red onions also add another subtle layer of sweetness and balance. Savory goat cheese and crunchy pepitas round out this healthy and flavorful salad. While you can add a variety of protein options to the salad, including bison, steak and crab cakes, I recommend ordering your salad with shrimp or tender shredded pork so as not to overwhelm the flavors of the rest of the ingredients. Plus, when you order this salad you can feel a little better about your inevitable choice to devour the chips and queso beforehand … or perhaps that’s just me. — SKM

THE PANTRY ARUGULA PEAR

You know those last few bites of a good salad? The ones that are packed full of flavor from all the little bits of salad fixings and dressing that fall to the bottom of the bowl after eating all the greens? I have dreams of those last bites of the Arugula Pear Salad from The Pantry. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this salad’s name. This salad is loaded with intense layers of flavor, thanks to the savory blue cheese and capers, the sweet pears, and the tangy vinaigrette. Although the salad is studded with pungent bits of blue cheese and capers, they don’t overwhelm the subtle sweetness of the pears or the vinaigrette. I prefer to add grilled chicken to this salad, as the crispy, char-grilled bits of chicken elevate the flavor of the salad into another realm. Even if you are someone who either doesn’t like fruit with savory foods or doesn’t like blue cheese (you know who you are), I guarantee the Arugula Pear Salad will please your palate. — SKM

THREE FOLD NOODLES & DUMPLING CO. THREE FOLD SALAD

If you are looking for a change of pace from standard American-style salads, Three Fold has your back. While the pork noodle bowl is possibly my favorite dish in all of Little Rock, I will occasionally veer from the noodles and order the Three Fold Salad when I feel like cutting carbs without cutting the complex flavors for which Three Fold has become known. The Three Fold Salad comes with spring greens, the restaurant’s signature slaw (packed with carrots for an extra boost of nutrients), pickled veggies, cilantro, house dressing and my favorite — a teascented egg. You choose your protein and level of spiciness; I recommend going for the roast pork and medium spiciness. The salad bowl is loaded with tangy, vinegary shredded cabbage and carrots, providing crunch and depth of flavor while remaining a healthy, nutrient-packed choice. The pickled veggies, cilantro and house vinaigrette layer in even more flavor, which is all rounded out by the savory and slightly sweet tea-scented egg. Tea-scented eggs, which are typically made by simmering eggs in a savory liquid of traditional Chinese flavorings and black tea, are hard to come by in Central Arkansas, so I was thrilled the first

Karlah

Accounting Clerk

HERstoRy:

is OuR StoRy

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we celebrate our ‘Women of Water,’ whose knowledge and contributions help us protect public health and the environment. We acknowledge women like Karlah, Accounting Clerk, who ensures our partners are compensated for the work they do to assist us in helping the city thrive. Learn more about our Women of Water, their positions and our diverse people and processes at LRWRA.com.

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RHETT BRINKLEY

SALADS TO WIN FRIENDS WITH: The Grilled Salmon Salad at Cheers, the Peck’s Special Salad at Trio’s and the Thai Chop at Big Orange.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

COME SEE US!

KILWINS LITTLE ROCK 415 President Clinton Ave. Little Rock, AR 72201 (501) 379-9865 littlerock@kilwins.com

time I ordered the Three Fold Salad and spotted that beautiful marinated, soft-boiled egg resting on top of the slaw. It may be hard for me to make the healthier choice to order a salad instead of the noodle bowl at Three Fold, but I never regret it when I do, and I hope you won’t either. — SKM

CHEERS IN THE HEIGHTS GRILLED SALMON SALAD

A former Cheers waitress turned me on to this salad, and I’m glad she did. Usually when I hear people order a salmon salad I think to myself, “Well, that’s a responsible yet sophisticated order, probably the healthiest choice on the menu, too. Perhaps I should try the salmon salad.” Cue the waiter.

“I’ll have the fried chicken, please.”

“Would you like macaroni and cheese with that, sir?”

“That’ll be fine.”

I was wrong to think that healthier is synonymous with boring. The Grilled Salmon Salad at Cheers has flavor profiles that are fun and mysterious. It seemed so simple: a bed of spinach, sliced strawberries, dried cranberries, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, sugared pecans and a grilled salmon filet doesn’t sound complex. But it is. The tip from my former waitress friend is to order it with creamy bell pepper dressing and the white vinaigrette and mix the two together. But after returning home and sampling the creamy bell pepper dressing, I decided to go all in with it, the hell with the calories. I’m being mostly good, right? The creamy bell pepper dressing is subtle enough to magically work for both the savory and sweet elements of the salad. You might be thinking strawberry and creamy bell pepper don’t go together at all, but they do. Some bites taste like a not-too-sweet, somewhat healthy dessert bite, some taste more savory and uniquely delicious. All the ingredients blend together in salad harmony, and I imagine that if you took one away, it would lose something. I can conjure the flavor sitting here at my desk, and I want it now. And I don’t have much budgetary regret ordering a $17 salad twice in a month. — RB

TRIO’S PECK’S SPECIAL SALAD

Time travel may not be possible, but while eating Peck’s Special Salad I can almost picture myself sitting at a classic hotel bar in the ’50s. Perhaps one of the most iconic salads in Little Rock, Peck’s Special Salad dates back to the Hotel Sam Peck at 625 W. Capitol Ave., which was owned by Trio’s owner Capi Peck’s grandparents Sam and Henryetta Peck.

There’s a reason it’s stood the test of time. It’s a simple formula, but it works and it tastes like a classic. A bed of fresh crispy romaine and leaf lettuce is topped with roasted pulled chicken breast, toasted almonds and bacon. It’s served with the original vinaigrette from the Sam Peck Hotel, which has a wonderful balance of tart and

RHETT BRINKLEY RHETT BRINKLEY

sweet flavors. — RB

ZAZA FINE SALAD AND WOOD OVEN PIZZA CO. PETIT JEAN RANCH

There was a time (a single time) in my life a few years ago when I was working out three days a week and pasta sounded inexplicably gross and it appeared for a brief moment like aging might not be so bad. That seems like a lifetime ago. Now, I’ve just celebrated my 40th birthday, I can’t even bring myself to walk my dog around the block, and the idea of going to a restaurant and choosing leafy greens sounds absurd to me in the same way that telling someone settling into the electric chair they shouldn’t smoke sounds absurd. I recognize the melodrama in my words, but what I’m trying to convey is that I have decided to adopt a defeatist’s approach to personal health now that we are nearly two years into a pandemic that feels like it might last forever.

Deep down, however, I know — as I continue to gain weight — that I must one day get back to eating salads and working out. To that end, my strategy will be to eat salads that fall on the guilty-pleasure end of the spectrum and work my way slowly back toward something my doctor might be proud of me for ordering. So, please don’t @ me with the judgmental information that my go-to salad right now has the signature ingredients of ham and ranch dressing. If I didn’t order this salad, there’s a chance I would order ham and ranch dressing by itself. I’m doing my best to sneak some leafy greens and colorful peppers into my diet and that feels like progress in this new year. My next baby step will be to order it without the croutons, which seem like expendable carbs whose elimination won’t affect the overall flavor we’re working with here. A profile that feels familiar (ranch, ham, cheese, tomatoes, bacon bits), but also dynamic (bell peppers, mushrooms, red onions). — GC

BIG ORANGE THAI CHOP

Big Orange’s signature salad is likely on everyone’s list. A quick Google search revealed that it’s already made an Arkansas Times list, as did the same “Simpsons” reference! Kudos to Dana Vickerson for beating me to the punch. From Dana Vickerson comes this tip: “This is truly a salad that can be enjoyed by omnivores and vegetarians alike — either enjoy this excellent salad with the listed steak or fish, or simply ask for black beans instead of the protein. The staff at Big Orange are friendly and incredibly accommodating to dietary preferences. What makes this a really great salad are the flavors. Chopped romaine, shaved cabbage, red peppers, spicy jalapenos, cilantro and toasted peanuts are all tossed in a delicious ginger soy dressing. It all works together to make a spicy, salty and sweet flavor combination that makes this one of my favorite salads in the city.” — RB

Lauren

Commissioner

HERstoRy:

is OuR StoRy

In recognition of Women’s History Month, we celebrate our ‘Women of Water,’ whose knowledge and contributions help us protect public health and the environment. We acknowledge women like Lauren, Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority Commissioner, who makes decisions on policies that protect our ratepayers. Learn more about our Women of Water, their positions and our diverse people and processes at LRWRA.com.