TRANSITIONS

— In case you missed the big news,

Browning’s Mexican Grill, 5805 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, will indeed reopen this fall. That’s thanks to a group of investors headed by Steve Davis, chief executive of Little Rock-based Riverside Bank; they bought the place from Vintage Eats LLC, David Ashmore and Wally Rowland, partners, not long after they closed it in July.

And yes, according to a story in Tuesday’s paper by our redoubtable Alison Sider, the Saltillo plate will be one of six original “Browning’s tribute items” on the new menu, along with updated Mexican andTex-Mex fare. Target for the reopening is Thanksgiving weekend, initially just for dinner (with plans to eventually add lunch, brunch and breakfast), but Davis says mid-December might be more realistic, based on how long it takes to do major reconstruction - new roof, floors and walls (which, like the old ones, will be made of pine and bear hand-painted murals). We’ll keep you posted.

Just up the block, Asian fusion restaurant-sushi bar

Sushi Cafe, 5823 Kavanaugh Blvd., has finally opened its second dining room in what had been a next-door art-andframe shop. It more or less doubles the seating space and provides some waiting roomfor overflow crowds, which have been large because the place used to be so tiny. It also includes an out-front patio and a nifty party room (accessible by sliding glass panels). However, it isn’t completely finished and probably won’t be until the end of the month - work still needs to be done on the new bar area and the patio. The restaurant is also planning some menu trims. Hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday for lunch, 5 p.m.-“close” daily for dinner. We’ll keep you posted. The phone number is (501) 663-9888; the website is sushicaferocks.com.

Fresh Start Cafe

opened this week in space that until the spring housed Odell’s Uptown and before that Cheers on Broadway, where the Metropolitan National Bank building meets the US Bank building, West Capitol Avenue and Broadway, Little Rock. The menu is mostly breakfast dishes plus sandwiches, salads, wraps and burgers, and you can order breakfast and lunch items all day. Hours are 7 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays; the phone number is (501) 372-2237.

As of this weekend,

Vieux Carre, 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, is moving opening hour for its Sunday jazz brunch to 10 a.m. (still closing at 2 p.m.), and adding savory crepes (with scrambled eggs,sauteed fresh tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms and a brandy sauce) to the brunch menu. The restaurant will also open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday to accommodate those looking to feed after the Race for the Cure. The phone number is (501) 663-1196.

Has a restaurant opened - or closed - near you in the last week or so? Does your favorite eatery have a new menu? Is there a new chef in charge? Drop us a line. Call (501) 399-3667 or (501) 378-3513, or send a note to Restaurants, Weekend Section, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Send e-mail to:

eharrison@arkansasonline.com

Weekend, Pages 40 on 10/14/2010

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