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Friday, January 5, 2007
1/5/2007 : Dining Out : Beakfast after sundown Why limit the best meal of the day to morning? The Man says you can only have breakfast between 6 and 10 a.m. and then it turns to brunch. The Man says that the grill is no longer recognizing eggs or bacon. The Man says that if you want a bagel, you'll just have to go to the store and toast it up yourself. Are you going to listen to The Man? No. If you want waffles, hash browns and eggs at 1 p.m. or 8 p.m., you should have them! And you shall have them and more - fie on The Man! - if you follow our guide below to all-day breakfast. BY WERNER TRIESCHMANN 1/5/2007 : Dining Out : SPIRITS : That hangover is all in your head. Feel it?< R-E-M-O-R-S-E ! Those dry martinis did the work for me: Last night at twelve I felt immense, Today I feel like thirty cents. BY PHILIP MARTIN 1/5/2007: Dining Out : Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends : CHEAP REHEATS 1/5/2007 : Dining Out: JUST DESSERTS : Imported Key lime pie is a yummy original When January blows in, so do visions of white sands, warm breezes and Key lime pie. Of course, some of us devotees of dessert entertain year-round visions of Key lime pie. BY JACK HILL 1/05/2007 : Dining Out : DISH : Online reservations slowly creep into state Making reservations at a restaurant used to involve the "cumbersome" process of picking up the phone, dialing the number and dealing with a real, live human being, or worse, having to leave a message on the answering machine BY ERIC E. HARRISON 1/5/2007 : Dining Out : SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 1/5/2007 : Dining Out :SELECTED RESTAURANTS 1/5/2007 : Dining Out: HAVE YOU TRIED BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN 1/5/2007 : DINING OUT: SPORK REPORT : Pursuing the perfect pot pie ... sans snails BY KYLE BRAZZEL 12/01/2006 : Dining Out : Shoppers' sustenance: These retail district sit-down eateries will help harried gift-buyers keep up their strength Tie for dad? Check. Jewelry for mom? Check. Toys for the kiddos? Check. Food for you? No check for that yet - you've been too busy shopping to even scope out nearby noshing options. No problem. We have already done that for you and put together a list of 10 easily accessed eateries in the metro area's shopping districts of downtown, midtown, west Little Rock and North Little Rock. BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN 12/01/2006 : Dining Out : SPORK REPORT : Those three words shatter shopping fantasy This is the time of year we must pay special attention to those three little words. Those #*@%ing three little words. Internet/catalog only. Are there any uglier words in the English language? There are certainly no uglier words in the lush, magazine-like Williams-Sonoma circulars, especially in the - ahem - appetizer section, where the language is as sumptuous and beautiful as the photography. BY KYLE BRAZZEL 12/01/2006 : Dining Out : SPIRITS : Sweet cream liqueurs are creme de la creme They have Starbucks in Paris now. The first Starbucks opened a couple of years ago on Avenue de l'Opera, and if they don't exactly pimple the city, there are a handful now. BY PHILIP MARTIN 12/013/2006 : Dining Out : DISH : New menus, new moves and other news in '06 Here today, gone tomorrow, and another establishment opens in its space the day after tomorrow. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 12/01/2006 : Dining Out: JUST DESSERTS : Who knew hospital food could be such a treat? Hospital cafeterias are usually the unsung heroes when it comes to good desserts, and Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock and North Little Rock are no exception. The Nutrition and Food Service department of the North Little Rock facility offers specialty desserts Monday through Friday to the hospital cafeteria customers, as well as basic desserts in its year-and-a-half-old Atrium Cafe. BY HELAINE R. WILLIAMS 12/01/2006 : Dining Out : SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 12/01/2006 : Dining Out :SELECTED RESTAURANTS 12/01/2006 : Dining Out: WORTH THE DRIVE : Angling for dinner? Dorey's Catfish is a fine catch A friend recently recommended a restaurant that was, as she put it, a bit off the beaten path but well worth the drive. And always being one for a road trip with the promise of good eats, I set out with the family for Dorey's Catfish Restaurant in the small town of Leola. BY ROSEMARY BOGGS 12/01/2006 : BIB TALES : Damgoode dinner is enjoyed by parents, kiddo A man named Joe Croce opened the first CiCi's Pizza restaurant in Plano, Texas, in 1985. His vision was for CiCi's to be a family-oriented restaurant that served fresh pizza at affordable prices in a buffet setting. Now, more than 20 years and 600 CiCi's locations later, I'd say Croce's vision was realized. BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 11/03/2006 : Dining Out : Dry county bounty A dining roundup for those wet behind the ears on Conway's range of restaurants In the not-so-distant past, fine dining in Conway meant Western Sizzlin' or buffet catfish. The steakhouses and cafes of the '60s and early '70s were ancient history. The city's downtown area, which turned into a ghost town every evening by 6, seemed on its way to becoming history, too. That's all changed now. BY JAN GAUGHAN 11/03/2006 : Dining Out : Some with a special flavor Here are some other Conway eating places we often suggest for certain meals and appetites. If we've left off your favorite, let us know. BY JAN GAUGHAN 11/03/2006 : Dining Out : SPIRITS : Drink rules and adventurous spirits don't mix Most of us have private rules that may or may not have anything to do with the way things work in the world. You might, for instance, be absolutely convinced that there is no such thing as a short-sleeve dress shirt, or that women ought to cover their heads in church. However hard you squeeze your eyes shut and wish it true - however much you think your ideas are correct - your beliefs are unlikely to have any effect on the behavior of others. BY PHILIP MARTIN 11/03/2006 : Dining Out: BIB TALES : Mimi's gives kids plenty to hear, see and taste When we announced that we were headed for Mimi's, Bib Taler probably thought we were going for a longer drive. His grandparents - aka Mimi and Bop - live about an hour away from us, but we arrived at Mimi's Cafe in west Little Rock in under 15 minutes. BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 11/03/2006 : SPORK REPORT : 'Green' containers hold up as a takeout idea or people who think that takeout containers are degradable enough, thank you - and have the teriyaki and marinara stains on their car upholstery to show for it - the advent of bio-degradable and compostable restaurant carry-out packaging might seem one waste-not, want-not step away from ladling soup directly into customers' cupped palms and bidding them safe, spill-free travel. BY KYLE BRAZZEL 11/03/2006 : Dining Out : JUST DESSERTS : Down-home pies like Your Mama's would make Your Mama's Good Food is aptly named, for sure. Barbara Stockton, who is "Mama," does offer up some good food at lunch Monday through Friday, and she doesn't make you eat your vegetables like your real mama did. And, like a good mama, she creates some fine desserts. BY JACK W. HILL 11/032006 : Dining Out : SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 11/03/2006 : Dining Out :SELECTED RESTAURANTS 11/03/2006 : Dining Out : CHEAP REHEATS Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 11/03/2006 : Dining Out: Have you Tried? 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. Democrat-Gazette Staff 11/03/2006 : Weekend : Cheap Eats: CiCi's offers fresh pizza in a friendly atmosphere A man named Joe Croce opened the first CiCi's Pizza restaurant in Plano, Texas, in 1985. His vision was for CiCi's to be a family-oriented restaurant that served fresh pizza at affordable prices in a buffet setting. Now, more than 20 years and 600 CiCi's locations later, I'd say Croce's vision was realized. BY ROSEMARY BOGGS 11/03/2006 : Weekend : Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 11/03/2006 : Weekend : Restaurants : Montana off to wobbly start in steakhouse herd The McCain Mall vicinity of North Little Rock is certainly not lacking for steak places. Just about every steak chain - Lone Star, Outback and the dueling roadhouses Texas Roadhouse and Roadhouse Grill - is present, as are some more upscale steak restaurants, Firefall Grill & Bar and Saddle Creek Woodfired Grill. BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN 10/06/2006 : Dining Out : Get me to the show on time Which downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock restaurants are just the ticket when you have concert or theater ? When it comes to attending a show, there are three things we worry about. Where are we sitting? What are we wearing? And, most importantly, where are we eating? DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF 10/06/2006 : Dining Out : SPIRITS : The gilded palace of that beguiling gin Gin is not our drink, although we have a grudging respect for it. BY PHILIP MARTIN 10/06/2006 : Dining Out : JUST DESSERTS : Charlotte's diners sweet on her homemade treats In case you haven't heard, Charlotte's Eats & Sweets Shoppe, a 13-year presence in the tiny, southeast-of-Little Rock community of Keo, has some wonderful desserts. BY HELAINE R. WILLIAMS 10/06/2006 : Dining Out : DISH : Spinach or no spinach? Restaurants spill all You know, I've been waiting for years for somebody to tell me not to eat spinach. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 10/06/2006 : SPORK REPORT : Italian Couple's take-out is worth left turn Urban planners have a sosimple-as-to-sound-scientific classification for a retail operation into which you can make an easy, obstructionless right turn from a rush-hour clogged street: They're known as a "going-home side" business. BY KYLE BRAZZEL 10/06/2006 : Dining Out : JUST DESSERTS : Charlotte's diners sweet on her homemade treats In case you haven't heard, Charlotte's Eats & Sweets Shoppe, a 13-year presence in the tiny, southeast-of-Little Rock community of Keo, has some wonderful desserts. BY HELAINE R. WILLIAMS 10/06/2006 : Dining Out : SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 10/06/2006 : Dining Out :SELECTED RESTAURANTS 10/06/2006 : Weekend : Cheap Eats : 'New' Cheers misses the lunchtime mark When Cheers on Broadway's new owner, Amy Kim, took over a couple of months ago, she promised nothing about the place would change. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 10/06/2006 : Dining Out : CHEAP REHEATS Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 10/06/2006 : Weekend : Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 10/06/2006 : Weekend : Restaurants : Taste of D-Light in Bryant lives up to its name On a recent Thursday night, the large dining room of Taste of D-Light, a Bryant restaurant that has been open for nine years, was sparsely populated, but I can't figure out why. BY MELISSA TUCKER 09/01/2006 : Dining Out : ROAD TRIP Hillcrest offers diners everything from coffeehouse to cosmopolitan Little Rock's Hillcrest neighborhood isn't as bohemian as once it was. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 09/01/2006 : Dining Out: BIB TALES : Tater-lovin' tot fired up over buffalo head Lunch with Bib Taler at Saddle Creek Woodfired Grill during what should have been nap time threatened to turn ugly. BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 09/01/2006 : Dining Out: JUST DESSERTS: Restaurant's sampler plate makes dessert decision easy as pie It seems like such a great idea - so simple and easy - that a dessert fan can't help but wonder why more restaurants haven't come up with this option. BY JACK W. HILL 09/01/2006 : Dining Out: SPORK REPORT : Luchessi's offers Old-World flavor to-go With its charming name - fun to say without being unpronounceable - and its caprese color scheme of a red-and-white striped awning with green accents, Lucchesi's, the Heightsarea Italian cafe and grocery, seems movie-perfect. BY KYLE BRAZZEL 09/01/2006 : Dining Out: SELECTED RESTAURANTS 09/01/2006 : Dining Out: SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 09/01/2006 : Dining Out: CHEAP REHEATS Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: That's a WRAP ... ... or a panini or a melt or a Cuban ... Anyone can slap a sandwich together. BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: Fast food menus include fancier subs Roasted turkey with basil pesto on artisan bread. BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: SPORK REPORT : To-go is good way to go at popular Chang's So there's this new, splashy Chinese restaurant in west Little Rock that we've finally gotten and that's famous for, like, two-hour waits - What? BY KYLE BRAZZEL 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: SPORK REPORT : To-go is good way to go at popular Chang's So there's this new, splashy Chinese restaurant in west Little Rock that we've finally gotten and that's famous for, like, two-hour waits - What? BY KYLE BRAZZEL 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: BIB TALES : Rug rats go for the cheese, chips at Moe's "Welcome to Moe's !" BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: SPIRITS : Cocktail tales and more mixology trivia EW ORLEANS - We're here for a couple of days of the fourth Tales of the Cocktail conference - an exploration of the history and craft of mixology - held in the historic Hotel Monteleone, where Truman Capote was almost born, where William Faulkner received the French Legion of Honor, and whose famous Carousel Bar is prominently featured in the works of Eudora Welty, Ernest Hemingway and Richard Ford. BY PHILIP MARTIN 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: JUST DESSERTS : Ferneau serves sweets grand enough to share The elegance of Ferneau easily carries over to its dessert menu. BY SAMANTHA FRIEDMAN 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: DISH : Time changes downtown's Market Hall What's going on in the restaurant world Only a few visionaries envisioned, when the River Market's Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., opened a decade ago, that it would thrive 10 years later. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends CHEAP REHEATS BY ERIC E. HARRISON 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends : SECOND BITES BY ERIC E. HARRISON 08/04/2006 : Dining Out: SELECTED RESTAURANTS 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: DAIRY delightful Dairy bars serve soft scoops of nostalgia along with fingerlicking-tasty fare There are lots of places we could go for a burger and a shake. BY DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: JUST DESSERTS: Italian Couple's sweet on desserts Yes, the Italian Couple - the charming little restaurant near midtown Little Rock - is back. BY HELAINE R. WILLIAMS 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: SPORK REPORT: Fried chicken takes us back; wings get us going Bib Taler is still a little too young to fully appreciate the charms of the French Quarter, but that doesn't mean he couldn't be ready to get a taste of New Orleans. BY KYLE BRAZZEL 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: BIB TALES : Spinach spread, cheesecake get kid approval Bib Taler is still a little too young to fully appreciate the charms of the French Quarter, but that doesn't mean he couldn't be ready to get a taste of New Orleans. BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: DISH: Zoning rules slice pizza restaurant's hours At some pizzerias, "zone" is a shortening of "calzone," which is what you get when you fold a flat piece of pizza dough over a ricotta cheese mixture to which you can add pizza toppings like sausage, pepperoni or mushrooms. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: SPIRITS : Demon rum's virtue is it's straightforwardness During Prohibition, lots of Americans descended on Cuba - home of original multinational Bacardi and some of the world's great bars - to drink. BY PHILIP MARTIN 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: CHEAP REHEATS Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekend 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: SELECTED RESTAURANTS 07/07/2006 : Dining Out: SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 07/07/2006 : Weekend :: Restaurants : Specialties worth more than a look at Mi Ranchito i Ranchito recently replaced El Acapulco in a west Little Rock shopping center. But you'd have to look close to know it. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 07/07/2006 : Weekend: Transitions There's a 90 percent chance will be moving soon, says Florence-trained chef and coowner Yuli Waters. 06/30/2006 : Weekend: Restaurants : Hibachi can be a guilty pleasure at Sekisui How many times have you stopped at a Taco Bell to get (relatively) inexpensive quasi-Mexican food - especially in the wee hours when you're willing to put up with the indignities of using the drive-through because you're hungry and that's what's available in the wee hours? BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/30/2006 : Weekend: Cheap Eats : Taco Bueno's a bit bland but beats the Bell How many times have you stopped at a Taco Bell to get (relatively) inexpensive quasi-Mexican food - especially in the wee hours when you're willing to put up with the indignities of using the drive-through because you're hungry and that's what's available in the wee hours? BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/30/2006 : Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/23/2006 : Weekend: Restaurants: Fine fare makes up for cafe's odd system Cafe 1217 opened in the late 1990s, at the dawn of the gourmet deli concept. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/23/2006 : Cheap Eats: Mama's tasty food earns a big salute Mama Bea's bills itself as the place for "All American Old Fashioned Hamburgers." BY DENISE DORTON 06/23/2006 : Transitions BY DENISE DORTON 06/16/2006 : Weekend: Restaurants: Chic Rumba-Revolution has Cuban spice There is not yet a sign out front to alert you about this, so let us tell you: Rumba-Revolution is in business. BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN Weekend: Cheap Eats: Lunch hour not best time to bag a burrito An offshoot of a popular Fayetteville burrito bar, The Flying Burrito Co. has recently opened in Little Rock's River Market District. BY ERIC E. HARRISON Weekend:Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/9/2006 : Weekend :: Restaurants : Mamma mia - Pia's dishes up good meal The restaurant space at 915 Front St., now an Italian restaurant called Pia's, used to be an Italian restaurant called Amore. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/9/2006 : Cheap Eats : Rx Catering Cafe will cure that food craving Rx Catering Cafe bills itself as "just what the doctor ordered." It's more like just what the stomach ordered. BY HELAINE R. WILLIAMS 06/9/2006 : Weekend: Transitions Rx Catering Cafe bills itself as "just what the doctor ordered." It's more like just what the stomach ordered. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: WINNING wine lists Here's a toast to a dozen Little Rock restaurants where the selection of bottles makes for finer dining. Restaurant wine lists can be intimidating documents. BY LORRI HAMBUCHEN SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE AND JACK SCHNEDLER 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: SPORK REPORT: Mercado San Jose is a feast for the senses When you enter the Mercado San Jose, a Hispanic grocery, deli and short-order grill in southwest Little Rock, there is much to distract. BY KYLE BRAZZEL 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: BIB TALES: Vegetables, rice go better without flames Bib Taler has become quite accustomed to the only entertainment at the dinner table being his mom threatening to sell him to the gypsies if he throws one more handful of food on the floor. BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: SELECTED RESTAURANTS This selection of noteworthy central Arkansas restaurants is not intended to be all-inclusive. It aims to reflect a mix of the area's dining possibilities across a spectrum of cuisines, settings and price ranges. 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: JUST DESSERTS: Julie's does Mrs. G's special cheesecake famously It's not actually true that beside every La Quinta you'll find a Denny's. BY JACK W. HILL 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: CHEAP REHEATS Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends. 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: JUST DESSERTS: Julie's does Mrs. G's special cheesecake famously It's not actually true that beside every La Quinta you'll find a Denny's. BY JACK W. HILL 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: DISH: Restaurant soft-drink prices: Hard to swallow Gasoline is not the only liquid for which the price is higher than the nose of a mountain-climber's mule. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/2/2006 : Dining Out: SPIRITS: Lone Star chain understands steak/booze link We once knew a woman who claimed she'd never been to McDonald's. BY PHILIP MARTIN 06/2/2006 : Weekend: Cheap Eats : Drive-through key word at this palace When you see the name "Hunan Palace Express," think "express," not "palace." BY ERIC E. HARRISON 06/2/2006 : Weekend: Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/26/2006 : Weekend: Cheap Eats : Tasty smorgasbord has a touch of home Serendipities started out in a small, windowless storefront on the ground floor of the Donaghey Building in downtown Little Rock, selling tasty sugar-free desserts. BY ROSEMARY BOGGS 05/26/2006 : Weekend: Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/19/2006 : Weekend: Restaurants : Don Vicci's may look faded, but menu shines Things were a little slow on a recent Wednesday evening at Don Vicci's Italian Ristorante. BY SCOTT A. JOHNSON 05/19/2006 : Weekend: Cheap Eats : Bakery wraps up some tasty lunch items Serendipities started out in a small, windowless storefront on the ground floor of the Donaghey Building in downtown Little Rock, selling tasty sugar-free desserts. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/19/2006 : Weekend: Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/12/2006 : Weekend: Restaurants: Praises ring true for generous Mimis Cafe Readers who have eaten at Mimis Cafe outlets throughout the country have praised the place prior to the opening of its new Little Rock branch on Chenal Parkway, on the same hill as Garden Ridge and On the Border. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/12/2006 : Weekend: Cheap Eats: It's simple: Lenny's is home to hearty subs Ordering a sandwich is kind of stressful anymore. BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN 05/12/2006 : Weekend: Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : The straight DIP' A bowl of red, a bowl of white ... we sample the chips, salsa and cheesy concoctions of central Arkansas restaurants. BY DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : DISH : Nonsmoking visions vary among venues Comedians have been making jokes about smoking at the Waffle House for years. "If you don't smoke when you go into a Waffle House, you will when you leave." BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : SPORK REPORT : Victorian Garden fills appetites and freezers It's tempting to say that the Little Rock location of Victorian Garden - 14901 Cantrell Road, (501) 367-0100 - uses the term "restaurant" loosely, located, as it is, in a windowless corner of the David Claibourne home furnishings and antiques emporium. But the kitchen has a firm grasp on flavor and service ; there are plenty of tables and a sleek, black ceramictiled bar. By Kyle Brazzel 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : BIB TALES : Lilly's wants kids to eat their vegetables Having been to Lilly's Dim Sum, Then Some many times without Bib Taler, I worried a little about taking our little bull in a china shop into this pretty restaurant with all of its pretty (and breakable) artwork. We decided recently, however, that life just wasn't worth living if we couldn't take a little risk for a tasty meal now and then, so off we went. BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : JUST DESSERTS : Aydelotte's desserts: Dressed up and delicious True, many fine restaurants serve pretty-looking dishes. But the desserts at Aydelotte's - the villa-esque private dining club in North Little Rock - are so visually stunning, they don't even look real. BY HELAINE R. WILLIAMS 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : SPIRITS : Cinco de Mayo's not just a great day to drink Cinco de Mayo, blowout, denial... - Liz Phair, "Cinco de Mayo" Most Americans probably regard Cinco de Mayo as the booze industry's equivalent of a Hallmark Holiday - a vague "celebration of Mexican culture," an excuse to get neckdeep in frozen margaritas and limed Corona, a kind of Mexican St. Paddy's Day marked mainly by overindulgence by revelers eager to be Mexican for the duration of the party. By Philip Martin 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : SELECTED RESTAURANTS This selection of noteworthy central Arkansas restaurants is not intended to be all-inclusive. It aims to reflect a mix of the area's dining possibilities across a spectrum of cuisines, settings and price ranges. 05/05/2006 : Weekend : Cheap Eats : No silk purse to be had at new Cross-Eyed Pig The Cross-Eyed Pig's new west Little Rock location is much more spacious and has a menu much more varied than its Riverdale cousin on Rebsamen Park Road. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/05/2006 : Weekend :Transitions BY ERIC E. HARRISON 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : CHEAP REHEATS Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 05/05/2006 : Dining Out : SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : 'You'll have the WHAT?' Along with house specialties, menus can include some unlikely offerings.We decided to be adventurous and order the unexpected. BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : SPORK REPORT So's late-night indulgence is cheesy delight For many people, the litmus test distinguishing a great city from a merely habitable one is the instancy of its gratification Ñ whether one can get anything he wants at the exact moment he wants it. By Kyle Brazzel 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : JUST DESSERTS Trio's throws zest into key lime pie In my never-ending quest to find the perfect slice of Key lime pie, Trio's has come onto the sweet horizon. BY JACK W. HIL 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : SECOND BITES Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : DISH Rx Catering: Bagels didn't make enough dough Just because it's round and made of bread dough does not make it a bagel. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : SPIRITS Besotted with freedom, blessed with Bellinis It isn't surprising that the writer of the monthly booze column is occasionally accused of intemperance Ñ usually by smug advocates of a therapeutic nanny state who, if they had their way, would impose penal tax rates on horsepower, legislate mandatory sunscreen applications and outlaw excessive end zone celebrations. By Philip Martin 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : SELECTED RESTAURANTS About the reviews This selection of noteworthy central Arkansas restaurants is not intended to be all-inclusive. It aims to reflect a mix of the area's dining possibilities across a spectrum of cuisines, settings and price ranges. Restaurant reviewers' visits are anonymous and all expenses are paid by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Evaluations are unrelated to advertising. Restaurants are wheelchair-accessible unless otherwise noted. Be aware that restaurants sometimes change their days or hours of operation. Call before going to be sure your choice is open. "Reservations" in the listing means the restaurant accepts reservations for any number of diners. When reservations are taken only for larger parties, that is indicated. "Call ahead service" allows patrons to put their names on the waiting list. "Corkage fee" indicates customers may bring their own wine for a charge. "Bargain" in the listings means a meal (without beverage or dessert) is typically less than $12. "Moderate" is $12 to $25. "Expensive" is $25 and up. 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : CHEAP REHEATS Condensed reviews from last month's Arkansas Weekends. 04/07/2006 : Dining Out : BIB TALES Skee-Ball, cheese bread:A bib taler's paradise Mama mia, papa pia, baby's in the pizzeria. BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : DISH : Boom boom goes dining on NLR corridor The restaurant boom along the McCain Boulevard-U.S. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : You’re having what? Who orders the steak at seafood places, hamburgers at Mexican restaurants and spaghetti at barbecue joints? We do next month in our Dining Out issue devoted to unlikely dishes. Look for it in your April 7 newspaper. 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : SPIRITS : Cognac’s lesson: Taste, savor, remember In May 1980, Pete Townshend released his album Empty Glass, a beautifully realized song cycle about faith and experience and doubt and the mature realization that you can’t always get what you want — and that’s OK. By Philip Martin 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : SELECTED RESTAURANTS About the reviews This selection of noteworthy central Arkansas restaurants is not intended to be all-inclusive. It aims to reflect a mix of the area’s dining possibilities across a spectrum of cuisines, settings and price ranges. 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : BIB TALES : Even tiny fans find a lot to watch at sports pub Bib Taler could have watched the big game on any one — or more than one — of 16 televisions at Beef O’ Brady’s in Maumelle. BY KIMBERLY DISHONGH SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : JUST DESSERTS : Sweet rescue for last-minute cake seekers According to its brochure, the Blue Cake Company offers “desserts for every occasion.” That lets you know that sweets for the sweet are myriad here. BY HELAINE R. WILLIAMS 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : CHEAP REHEATS BIG ON TOKYO River Market, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, (501) 375-6200. Open 11 a.m.-about 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : RAW reviews Raw bars are suddenly all the rage with the introduction late last year of one at Vermillion Water Grille in downtown Little Rock and the opening of So Restaurant & Bar in Hillcrest. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : Sushi served here It is a common misconception that all sushi is raw fish. Only some sushi (and most sashimi) is raw. — Eric E. Harrison 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : SPORK REPORT : Pizza place serves up a little slice of memory As reasons to eat go, eating out of nostalgia is neither a very good nor a very bad idea, not as bad an idea as eating out of boredom and not as good as eating because you’re about to go grocery shopping. By Kyle Brazzel 03/03/2006 : Dining Out : SECOND BITES VIEUX CARRE 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, (501) 663-1196. Open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday for lunch, 5 p.m.-close Monday-Saturday for dinner, and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday for brunch. 03/03/2006 : Weekend : Cheap Eats : American Pie offers pizza basics, more American Pie might not win any awards for originality. (A neighborly restaurant serving thin-crust pizza and patriotism? BY JENNIFER CHRISTMAN 03/03/2006 : Weekend : Transitions The Arkansas Flower and Garden Show will sponsor a “Meet the Chefs” discussion panel as part of its Ultimate Garden Party, noon-2 p.m. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 03/03/2006 : Weekend : Restaurants : Boscos brims with pleasing bite and brew Boscos isn’t central Arkansas’ first brewpub. But its beers have found their niche — just listen to the Boscos folks brag about the awards they’ve won — and its food has found a secure place in Little Rock’s bustling River Market District. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 02/24/2006 : Weekend : Transitions The Italian Couple is back. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 02/24/2006 : Weekend : Restaurants : Victorian Garden is a calm oasis of fine dining If the thought of standing 45 minutes in a crowded foyer, waiting for a sticky table that’s smashed up against a booth full of loud strangers — who brought their cranky 3-year-old to dinner — is not your idea of an enjoyable evening on the town, you’re sort of out of luck these days. BY NANCY JEFFERY 02/24/2006 : Weekend : Cheap Eats : Food is still dandy at Daddy’s new location You would think a soup-and-sandwich shop would be a natural fit for just across from a cineplex. Stop by on the way into or out of the theater for a premovie or post-movie snack. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 02/17/2006 : Weekend : Restaurants : All is bright at well-dressed Vieux Carre A sunny setting and succinct menu welcome diners to Vieux Carre, the newest occupant of a space on Kavanaugh Boulevard that previously housed Beechwood Grill, La Scala, and That Little Restaurant. BY KAREN MARTIN 02/17/2006 : Weekend : Cheap Eats : Buffet overflows with pizza varieties, much more Since it had been years since we’d made a visit to The Pizza Co. in Jacksonville, it seemed like just the thing to do on a recent Friday evening. The restaurant has a great buffet and a menu, offering a selection of pizzas, pasta and sandwiches plus a salad bar with the biggest variety of dressing flavors I’ve ever seen in any restaurant. BY ROSEMARY BOGGS 02/17/2006 : Weekend : Transitions Construction is still in progress and we still don’t have an opening date, though we've heard April 1, but the Hooters going up on Landers Road in North Little Rock has progressed to the point where a sign is now up. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 02/10/2006 : Weekend : Restaurants : Brave is serious about its quality dining Brave New Restaurant is a deservedly popular dining venue, not a comedy club. But our waiter on a recent Tuesday evening seemed to have the concepts confused as he delivered our main courses. BY JACK SCHNEDLER 02/10/2006 : Weekend : Cheap Eats : Little Japanese spot is big, flavorful deal Big on Tokyo may be the town’s littlest Japanese restaurant, but it’s big on flavor. BY ERIC E. HARRISON 02/10/2006 : Weekend : Transitions Just as we were confirming the supposed demise of Poncho’s Villa at 600 N. Tyler St., Little Rock, we started getting calls that, phoenixlike, the restaurant has risen again at 123 S. Jeff Davis Ave., Jacksonville. Once a Japanese place called Kyoto of Japan, the building had been vacant for some time. BY ERIC E. HARRISON Dining Out : SELECTED RESTAURANTS About the reviews : This selection of noteworthy area restaurants reflects the opinions of the Arkansas Weekend staff. Of the many dining choices available in the area, these are among the ones we’ve found most likely to please. -> | ||||