LITTLE ROCK — Three pieces of news from the River Market’s Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock:
Kent’s Downtown, which in 2009 revived of one of the market hall’s original tenants, V.K. Brown Meat Market, has been closed and pinkplacarded for nonpayment of sales taxes. We’re told the shutdown took place at the height of Saturday’s River Market lunch rush and drew quite a crowd.
Rivershore Eatery, a sort of wholly owned subsidiary of next-door
Mason’s Deli, and operated by brothers Sam and Omar Kassees, is slated to fully open for business Tuesday. It will offer salads, wings, soups, nachos and daily plate-lunch specials, plus a display case full of desserts (right now, they’re being imported for soft-opening purposes, from Silvek’s inthe Heights), coffee specialties and Yarnell’s ice cream. The telephone number will be (501) 244-2326.
Fatsam’s Louisiana Cafe, which had cut back its hours during the fall and winter, has reopened Mondays. Owner/ chef James Meadors explains that he’ll be open now for “Mardi Gras Mondays” with a limited menu and everything on it will be $5. The rest of the week, hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. The phone number is (501) 244-4720.
The latest word we have on the reopening of
Browning’s Mexican Grill, 5805 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, isthis report from the website, browningsmexicangrill. com: “Electric & plumbing has started. Next, bar and kitchen construction, interior finish, new retro sign, patio awnings, cool new murals and updated drive-thru. We’ll then hire, train and start cooking the best Mexican food in LR! Late March. We hope you will love the new Browning’s! Hasta luego!” We’ll keep you posted.
Lee Richardson, executive chef at Little Rock’s
Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel, is among the “Best Chef: South” semifinalists in the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards, “one of the nation’s most prestigious recognition programs honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries,” according to a news release.Richardson, the only Arkansan in the competition, is up against 18 other Southern chefs, including six from New Orleans and two from Birmingham, Ala. The foundation will announce five finalists in each of 19 culinary and wine and spirits categories March 21 at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Portland; the winners will be honored at the James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception on May 9 at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York. The awards are named after the cookbook author, teacher and champion of American cuisine, who died in 1985. A complete list of nominees and any other information that might interest you is available at the website, www.jamesbeard. org/awards.
Richardson is also competing against nine other chefs in the Midwest region in Food & Wine magazine’s annual online poll for “The People’s Best New Chef 2011.” If he wins, it’ll earn him a profile in the magazine’s July issue. For more details or to vote for Richardson, visit www.foodandwine.com /peo ples-best-new-chef. Voting closes Tuesday; as of midday Monday, Richardson was in second place with 26.22 percent of the vote, just a hair behind Erik Anderson of Sea Change in Minneapolis, who had pulled in 26.36 percent.
Central Arkansas outlets of
IHOP, including the ones at 101 N. University Ave. and 11601 Hermitage Road in Little Rock and 4225 Warden Road in North Little Rock, are offering a complimentary short stack of pancakes, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday, National Pancake Day, in exchange for leaving a little something behind for Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Last year, regional IHOP locations raised more than $23,000 for the hospital. The chain raised more than $2.1 million last year and $5.35 million since the beginning of National Pancake Day in 2006 for 170 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country. Arkansas IHOP locations participating in National Pancake Day include those in Benton, Bryant, Conway, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Rogers, Russellville and Searcy. Details are available at the website, ihoppancakeday.com.
The Minnesota-based
Famous Dave’s
chain is introducing new menu items,including six new “Citrus Grill BBQ” platters (Grilled Salmon, Grilled Shrimp, Steak Tenderloins, Naked Ribs, Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Chicken) with less than 600 calories. Diners who buy one of these dishes through the end of March will receive a free 30-day “pass & fitness assessment” with a personal trainer at Snap Fitness, worth about $140. (The restaurant chain has outlets in west Little Rock and Rogers; the fitness chain has outlets in west Little Rock, Fayetteville and Russellville, and plans outlets in downtown Little Rock and on John F. Kennedy Boulevard in North Little Rock.) Check out the website, www.famousdaves.com.
Stromboli’s, 2665 Donaghey Ave., Conway, will close Sunday and is expected to reopen in early April at 605 Salem Road (between College and Prince), across from the Conway Regional Fitness Center, with an expanded menu and hours (including breakfast, “authentic Philly cheesesteaks, more pastas, table service with more seating [and] a more upscale atmosphere.” The phone number will remain the same: (501) 327-3700.
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, 121 E. Capitol Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72201. Send e-mail to:
Weekend, Pages 37 on 02/24/2011