Food’s upscale at low-key piano bar

By Jennifer Christman

Photo by Karen E. Segrave

Speakeasy

ADVERSTISMENT

LITTLE ROCK — Another piano bar?

We’re not sure we would have put that at the top of downtown Little Rock’s most pressing needs.

But SpeakEasy, located in space that formerly housed private club The Factory, is only half piano bar (the relaxed, jazzy kind - not the rowdy dueling variety) and half “supper club,” serving lunch, dinner and someday soon, Sunday brunch.

Very dark with black and mirrored walls, a large U-shaped bar in the center and a stage with a piano and drums up front, Speak-Easy is an easygoing place to have drinks and some “Georgia on My Mind” or a full-fledged fairly fancy dinner (even late, since the kitchen serves dinner until 11 p.m. and appetizers until 1 a.m).

The same atmosphere, minus the entertainment, can seem a little gloomy at lunch - especially when it’s empty. People might not realize the tinted-window joint is open just yet.

Menu choices are limited but interesting, and the food exceeded our expectations.

We were confused when our midday server left us with dinner menus - Shrimp Scampi at noon? - instead of lunch. When we did get the correct menus, we found the lunch and dinner appetizers ($7-$8.50) were the same.Choices like Crab Fondue ($8) and Oysters Rockefeller ($8.50) seemed a bit much for a weekday lunch, so we shared the Chicken Skewers ($7).

Our favorite part of the three kebabs of mild, supposedly Caribbean jerk-marinated chicken chunks and fruit was the grilled pineapple.

We were intrigued by busy-sounding Bloody Mary Salad ($8) of spring mix, pickled green beans, carrots, cauliflower, celery, pepperoncini and green olives with a chunky Bloody Mary dressing - but not enough to order it or the other salad selections ($2-$9): side, club, chicken, shrimp Caesar and Greek.

Instead we studied the five sandwich choices ($7.50-$8) that come with house-fried chips and an unadvertised pickle spear, settling on the Ultimate Cheese ($7.50) and the Build Your Own Wrap ($8). Other choices were club, roast beef poor-boy and chicken salad.

For $7.50, we expected the holy grail of grilled cheese. The mellow melt of mozzarella, gruyere and cheddar on Texas toast with tomatoes and basil came close. We found the well-done ultra-crunchy chips quite crave-worthy.

My friend ordered her wrap to include turkey, spring mix, mozzarella, Kalamata olives, tomatoes and bacon (which was burned, so good thing there wasn’t much of it) with honey mustard that came on the side. She reported that the result - whether it was due to her selections or the kitchen’s execution - was dull.

When lunch was over, our server told us to come back again - if we weren’t scared. Uh, come again?

I wasn’t too frightened to return for dinner with friends, where we found the round cocktail tables (seating is on black, padded cafeteria chairs) too tiny for a party of four to dine comfortably.

Not that it stopped us from keeping the last bites of the delicious and creamy Baked Brie appetizer ($8) - served with a sweet roasted red pepper coulis to be smeared on buttery garlic crostini rounds - when the server offered to remove the plate and free up more space for the entrees.

We were OK with a premature parting with the Caprese Carpaccio ($8) - a plate of beef tenderloin, fresh mozzarella, not-quite-peak Roma tomatoes and basil that had little flavor, except for the balsamic marinade.

Pacing was smooth. And the same server we had at lunch was responsive (although one friend noted that when he switched from beer to Diet Coke, his empty glass remained that way too long). We enjoyed the range of songs - “Wind Beneath My Wings” to “Walking in Memphis” - played by the gifted pianist.

Everyone had praise for their entrees:

The Crab Cakes ($17) were solid, even to a Maryland snob. They weren’t big in size, but they were big on jumbo lump crab meat, not filler, and served with a pleasing Vidalia onion cream sauce.

The pepper-crusted Filet Mignon ($19) featured a fine cut of perfectly cooked beef with a gorgonzola sauce - only it was supposed to be served with a fig glaze, and the diner wasn’t informed of the switch until her steak was presented. She was still happy; not all diners would have been.

The spinach-and-mozzarella-stuffed Pork Loin ($14), topped with bacon gravy was moist, tender and prettily presented.

The bourbon-braised Sirloin Roast ($15) with onions, peppers, celery, carrots and rosemary was tasty even if it was a bit on the dry side.

What we didn’t have praise for were the accompanying lackluster sides - the undercooked and underseasoned roasted potatoes and the soggy zucchini that were the starch and veggie of the day.

House wines (Crane Lake) are $5 by the glass. With the exception of a $10 port, all glasses from the not large but varied list are under $10. Bottles range from $17 for Coastal Vines Chardonnay up to a $135 Bell Clone 6 Cabernet. Beer is $3-$4. Mixed drinks are $5-$15.

Our server came by to tell us all about the wonderful dessert - that we couldn’t have. The restaurant had run out.

SpeakEasy Supper Club and Piano Bar Address: 412 Louisiana St., Little Rock Hours: 11-2 a.m. Monday-Friday, 6 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday Credit cards: D, MC, V Cuisine: Sandwiches, salads at lunch; steak, seafood, pork, chicken at dinner Reservations: Yes Alcoholic beverages: Full bar Wheelchair accessible: Yes Carryout: Yes (501) 374-2008

Weekend, Pages 31 on 10/08/2009