Larry's tasty pizza-fest is a feast for the frugal

LITTLE ROCK — The appeal of dining at Larry's is never having to fret about the Georges, Abrahams and Alexanders.

That's because Larry's Pizza, which recently opened a new outlet in North Little Rock (there are eight others, in Little Rock, Bryant, Cabot, Conway, and Clarksville), serves a high volume of pies at low prices.

Really low. (Not nearly as low as Cici's Pizza, to be fair, but we prefer Larry's product.) Families can stuff themselves silly on pizza and salad at the all-you-can-eat buffet offered at lunch ($6.79) from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and at dinner ($7.69) from 5-8:30 p.m. Tuesday and Friday without emptying their savings accounts. (Children's buffet with drink is always free for those under 4, $3.79 for ages 5-7 and $4.79 for ages 8-10.)They could also do it, if they chose to, without getting up.

In addition to pizza offered at the walk-up buffet station, young servers circulate around the floor, offering slices of freshfrom the-oven pies to seated customers.

We'd suggest that places like Larry's are partially responsible for America's current obesity numbers - but, hey, they do have Lite Ranch on the salad bar. And besides, our mouths are too full of Fat Larry Supreme to say so. Ooh, is that the Chicken Alfredo Pizza? Put her here!

While the buffet is a main draw, the eatery also sells whole pizzas - from $2.99 for a small cheese up to a $16.95 for an extra large specialty (with discounts on a second pizza order). As for toppings, if someone wants it, Larry's probably has it - whether it's bacon, pineapple or even pickles.

There are also salads, from garden to chicken Caesar ($3.99 small to $6.89 large) and ham, turkey, meatball and pepperoni subs ($4.99-$5.29). Pizzas can be ordered to eat in the restaurant, carry out the front door or pick up at a drive-through window.

Anyone needing a starter might try the bread sticks or cheese sticks ($3.29-$4.99). And anyone definitely not needing but wanting an ender might try dessert pizzas in flavors from cherry and chocolate chip cookie to Bavarian creme ($5.89 small, $12.95 medium, $14.95 large).

The North Little Rock location is the only openbusiness in the new Overbrook Plaza strip center, so the dozens of cars parked in the lot these days can only be Larry's customers, also known as the competition. These are the people who might win the race to the cashier line (diners prepay for the buffet), to a table (expect waits to be seated on buffet nights) or to the last slice of Meat Madness.

The restaurant features a large, open, often noisy dining room with basic tables andchairs. Silverware, plates and salad bowls are at the buffet stations; drinks are served at the cashier stand and refilled by servers who will check in periodically to see if patrons need anything, like a slice of their favorite pizza that somehow passed them by.

We liked the decent salad bar selection (which comes with the buffet, costs $2.99 with a pizza oder or costs $5.69 for salad bar only). The vegetables were fresh, and we appreciated extras like diced meat, chopped egg, jalapenos and sunflower seeds - not necessarily together.

We prefer to let the pizza come to us. Lazy? Maybe. But we like knowing the food we're getting is hot and hasn't been sitting (although buffet turnover is quick). And because whatever the servers happen to be bringing by always sounds more interesting than what we might have chosen for ourselves.

Like the Cheeseburger Pizza.

Instead of pizza sauce, the signature thin crust is slathered with mustard and topped withground beef, bacon, diced pickles, onions, tomatoes and cheese. It sounded weird, but it worked.

Another unique and pleasing pie was the Buffalo Chicken Ranch. Maybe there could have been a bit more ranch dressing to balance the bitey hot sauce, but the spicy chicken pizza was satisfying.

And we had to sample the unusual Loaded Baked Potato pizza. The crust topped with sliced potatoes, butter, bacon bits, chives, mozzarella and cheddar on a ranch dressing base was quite the starch- and fat-fest.

Other hits included the flavorful Garlic Chicken, featuring olive oil, chicken, sliced tomato, mozzarella and plenty of garlic and seasonings, and the Canadian Bacon & Cheddar that has the ingredients in the name plus tomato sauce, regular bacon and mozzarella.

Diners should know that dessert pizza will be coming, and that they'll probably have to try at least a bite of the very rich,powdered-sugary Chocolate Peanut Butter, whether they can do so comfortably or not.

Our only complaint - if you can consider it one - about Larry's pies is that they sometimes have too much on top. A Fat Larry Supreme that we ordered to eat in the restaurant on a nonbuffet night was overloaded with cheese and meat (not that the male member of our party minded), although there was little detectable sauce.

We were very impressed when our server noticed before we did that the pizza had been topped with the green peppers we asked to have held. And when she, without being asked by us, had the kitchen make us a new one. And when she volunteered to box up the incorrect pie with green peppers for us to take home, suggesting cheerfully, "Maybe you can pick them off !"Larry's Pizza Address: 5933 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock and other locations around Arkansas Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday Cuisine: Pizza, salads, sandwiches Credit cards: AE, D, V, MC Alcoholic beverages: Beer Wheelchair accessible: Yes Carryout: Yes (501) 812-5353, www.

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