Some things you've just got to share -- those dishes and deals that are so super, super cheap or super strange, you just have to talk about them.
   Have you tried...
   ... the El Cubano sandwich ($6.75 regular, $7.95 large) at EJ's Eats & Drinks?
   It's a tall stack of lean sliced pork loin layered with ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and spicy mustard piled into a crusty hoagie roll. Although not as intriguing as a trademark Cuban sandwich (which uses similar ingredients but is toasted and flattened in a press), the El Cubano is an attractive, tasty and filling meal, especially since it's served with EJ's signature homemade chips, amazingly un-greasy, crispy, and offered in regular, barbecue or ranch flavors.
   EJ's Eats & Drinks, 523 Center St., Little Rock, (501) 666-3700.
   -- Karen Martin
   ... the sandwiches at The Grand Cafe?
   Recommended: the Californian, a tasty chicken salad wrap served with an enticingly tangysweet, mayonnaise-based dip (if you order fruit with your wrap, the dip goes well with the fruit also); and the hearty tuna melt, a yummy creation served on wheat bread and crowned with a thick, cheesy topping. Both sandwiches are $7.50. Don't plan on dessert... these delicious sandwiches will fill you up just fine.
   The Grand Cafe, Little Rock Hilton Metro, 925 S. University Ave., Little Rock, (501) 664-5020.
   -- Helaine R. Williams
   ... the bar at Romano's Macaroni Grill?
   OK, maybe you've tried the bar because you had no other choice because your wait for a table was an hour or so. But have you tried the bar somewhere between 4 and 5:30 p.m., when the dinner crowd hasn't arrived and the boisterous chain restaurant is empty and quiet enough to carry on a conversation? Order the tasty and filling bruschetta ($5.79) and an apple martini ($6) and you are well on your way to a pleasant afternoon.
   Romano's Macaroni Grill, 11100 W. Markham St., Little Rock, (501) 221-3150.
   -- Werner Trieschmann
   ... the "Texas-Sized" Spuds at McAlister's Deli?
   Back in the 1980s, way before the second generation low-carb craze, potatoes were quite fashionable. Restaurants had potato bars. Mall food courts had baked potato booths.
   If leggings can make a comeback, we definitely think potatoes can too.
   At McAlister's Deli, potatoes have never been out of vogue. They sell a whole crop of Texas-Sized spuds (two potatoes pushed together to make one giant one) loaded with everything you can think of -- cheese, chili, jalapenos and bacon -- and everything you never thought of -- kielbasa, chicken fajita fixings and pot roast.
   Still want to fit into your leggings ? Consider opting for light sour cream or choosing, say a Veggie Spud ($4.35), which comes with diced red onions, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, black olives, green onions and salsa on the side. They'll go easy on the mozzarella cheese or leave it off if you prefer.
   McAlister's Deli, 12019 Westhaven Drive, Little Rock, (501) 228-7727 ; 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, (501) 537-4848 ; 5507 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, (501) 367-5050 ; 4842 North Hills Blvd., North Little Rock, (501) 812-6920 ; 2465 Sanders Road, Conway, (501) 513-1311.
   -- Jennifer Christman

This story was published Friday, November 03, 2006