Rx Catering Cafe bills itself as "just what the doctor ordered." It's more like just what the stomach ordered.
   A franchise cafe and catering service started by former pharmaceutical representatives and executive chefs, Rx has an intriguing menu that is rich in chicken entrees and casseroles.
   We visited the Little Rock location on a recent Wednesday and had the place pretty much to ourselves -- although, according to the amiable gentleman working the counter, the clientele is "getting there." Headlining the restaurant menu are hot plate lunches, $6, with the usual format : an entree, two vegetables and a choice of cheese biscuits or French bread. Three veggies and bread is $4.
   For our entrees we tried the pot roast, cooked and flavored to a consistency that had us savoring every bite of the generous serving, and a deliciously unique poppy-seed chicken casserole.
   Breaded toppings are plentiful here; we found it on our sides of green bean casserole and sinfully carbohydrate-rich hash brown casserole, as well as the poppy-seed chicken casserole.
   A third side dish, buttered corn, tasted as good as one would expect buttered corn to taste. Our only criticism is that most of the dishes were a bit on the salty side. But that didn't stop us from cleaning our plates.
   For dessert we tried the peach cobbler, which we especially enjoyed because we are crust fans. Unlike the case at a few too many eateries, the crust was just right... nicely brown on top and not gooey.
   Other entree choices offered at Rx during the week include rosemary and garlic chicken; Mexican chicken casserole ; meat lasagna; marinated chicken; and chicken enchilada. (The separate catering menu provides even more chicken dishes: blackened chicken; Italian chicken casserole; chicken and rice; and chicken teriyaki.)
   Black-eyed peas, red-skin potato salad, plain green beans, mashed potatoes, rosemary potatoes, bacon and brownsugar green beans, and side salad make up the additional vegetable choices. Other desserts are cookies, dessert bars, mini-cheesecakes and other cobblers.
   According to the menu, two entrees and four vegetables are served each day (although, in addition to the pot roast and chicken casserole, lasagna was available the day we visited).
   Those who wish to start their day at Rx may choose from a $4 breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs, biscuit and gravy, and bacon; a la carte breakfast items, $1 to $3.25; and bacon, ham and sausage breakfast sandwiches for $3.85.
   Also available are continental-breakfast items, from 89-cent bagels -- no longer homemade, as was once the case -- to $1.99 cinnamon rolls. There's a full espresso bar and, for those who want to linger a bit and get some work done, wireless-Internet availability.
   Customers are encouraged to call ahead for the menu of the day and, if placing a catering order, to do so a day in advance.
   Other Rx locations may be found in Fayetteville; Shreveport /Bossier City; Memphis; Tulsa; and Dallas.
   

RX CATERING CAFE Address:
200 N. Bowman Road, Little Rock

Hours:
6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday

Cuisine:
Plate lunches, breakfast

Credit cards:
AE, V, MC

Wheelchair accessible:
Yes

Alcohol:
No

Carryout:
Yes (501) 221-3929 ; www.RxCatering. net

This story was published Friday, June 09, 2006