DON VICCI'S ITALIAN RISTORANTE
211 W. Capitol Ave., Little Rock, (501) 372-3700. Open 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 4:30 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday.
   Food: Skip the sometimes ho-hum lunches and head to this downtown spot for dinner. Starters and salads are fine, but the kitchen really tries on entrees. On a good night, classics like Chicken Picatta can shine. Pastas are good too.
   Mood: Ignore the sad houseplants collecting dust in the front window and the out-of-season Christmas garlands. This cavernous space may not be fancy, but the rent is probably cheap. Music is offered late on some Fridays and Saturdays.
   Moolah: Salads and starters are mainly in the $3.25- $8.95 range, entrees in the $13.95- $16.95 range. Several pastas, all under $9, are a good option for those counting pennies. Wines by the glass start at $6. -- Scott A. Johnson ROCKY'S

PUB
Indian Hills Shopping Center, 6229 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock, (501) 833-1077. Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday.
   

Food:
A lot of people serve what they call a "Philly cheesesteak," but running across an authentic Philadelphia cheesesteak outside of Philadelphia is like finding the Holy Grail. Former Philadelphians Kristine and Patrick Dunlap know what a real cheesesteak is and serve one here. They also offer homemade meatballs, ravioli and lasagna all with a tasty homemade marinara.
   

Mood: Rocky's
is as much a pub as it is a restaurant, so the bar at one end is a pretty lively place, with plush plastic aqua-colored booths and some Razorbacks paraphernalia to perk up the decor. There's no nonsmoking section, but the ventilation system works pretty well, and that's a moot point anyway after July 5, when the statewide smoking ban goes into effect. Everybody's friendly; be prepared to be "checked on" frequently.
   

Moolah:
The cheesesteak is $6.99 small, $8.99 large; the top entree price, for Crabmeat and Shrimp Alfredo, is $12.99. -- Eric E. Harrison

PASTA JACK'S
9811 Maumelle Blvd., Maumelle (other locations in Benton and Bryant), (501) 753-6860,

www.pastajacks.com
. Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday.
   

Food:
A fast-foodish Italian restaurant with fine-dining ambitions, the minichain with a new location in Maumelle pushes pasta. Some of the entrees contain chicken or vegetables or sausage or shrimp, but they're all pasta-based and come with marinara, Alfredo or a butter sauce. Rounding out the menu are a few salads and appetizers.
   

Mood: It's
a place where dim candlelit elegance meets an order counter with a menu hanging on the richly painted wall. Think, maybe, a more upscale, family-friendly Fazoli's, minus the drive-through and plus a good designer. Service is inconsistent.
   

Moolah:
Entree prices range from $3.25 for a half portion of spaghetti with marinara sauce up to $9.50 for a combo platter of three pasta dishes. -- Jennifer Christman

MIMIS CAFE
11725 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, (501) 221-3883,

www.mimiscafe.com
. Open 7 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.
   

Food:
This Southern California-based chain restaurant puts a Southern spin on many of its entrees and even has a "Comfort Classics" section on its menu. Many of the breakfast items are available all day, including the Cajun Sausage and Eggs that drew raves from our Louisiana-born party member. The Original Spinach and Artichoke Dip is tops among the appetizers.
   

Mood:
The two bustling dining rooms are done up to recall New Orleans' French Quarter and a French bistro. The large wait and support staff is poised to quickly clear empty dishes or bring whatever you need in a hurry, but on your first trip to the restroom you get an obligatory escort. There's a large waiting/bar area inside the front door, which is usually full of people waiting for tables.
   

Moolah:
Prices are reasonable for a chain -- pasta, seafood, "comfort" and steak entrees hover around the $12 average -- and you get plenty of food for your money. But watch out for the inflated soft-drink prices. -- Eric E. Harrison

This story was published Friday, June 02, 2006