LITTLE ROCK — Weekly theme listings reflect a range of dining possibilities in central Arkansas, across a spectrum of settings and price ranges. To read recent restaurant reviews in their entirety, visit
www2.arkansasonline.com/restaurants/
Asian
LILLY'S DIM SUM THEN SOME
11121 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, (501) 716-2700 Owners Kathy Webb and Nancy Tesmer widen local dining horizons with commendable Pan-Asian food ranging from Pad Thai to Korean Bibim Bop with grilled steak to Japanese noodles sukiyaki-style.
Lunch, dinner daily. Beer, wine.
Reservations (six or more people). Bargain.
SAI GON CUISINE
6805 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, (501) 663-4000 The Vietnamese dishes outshine the menu's Thai and Chinese fare at this Cantrell Road restaurant, where top choices include noodle-filled soups to which meats can be added, like Pho and Bun Bo Hue.
Lunch, dinner Tue-Sun. Beer, wine. Reservations. Bargain.
THAI TASTE
1516 W. Main St., Jacksonville, (501) 985-1854 Central Arkansas' last surviving Thairestaurant offers delicious dishes deftly seasoned to the customer's taste in a homey storefront. Stick to the menu rather than the buffet.
Lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat.
No alcohol. Reservations. Bargain moderate.
VANLANG
3600 S. University Ave., Little Rock, (501) 570-7700 The Vietnamese eatery draws a good many Asian customers, perhaps a testament to the authentic nature of its seafood dishes and other fare, which come in formidable portions at low prices.
Lunch, dinner Wed-Mon. Beer, wine. Reservations. Bargain.
Brazilian
CAFE BOSSA NOVA
2701 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, (501) 614-6682 Diners who stereotype Brazilian cuisine by envisioning hefty chunks of grilled meat will have their eyes opened by owner-chef Rosalia Monroe's varied menu, which is strong on chicken, seafood and vegetarian fare.
Lunch, dinner Tue-Sat; brunch Sun. Full bar. Corkage fee.
Reservations (five or more people). Moderate.
GAUCHO'S GRILL
11 Shackleford Drive, Little Rock, (501) 954-8787 The specialty of Jerry Barakat's South American barbecue restaurant is the churrasco, various grilledmeats that are brought table-side for an all-you-can-eat sampling for $24.95.
Lunch, dinner daily. Full bar. Call
ahead seating, reservations for 10
or more. Moderate-expensive.
Weekend, Pages 36 on 08/27/2009