LITTLE ROCK — French chef Joel Antunes says he turned down offers to cook in Shanghai, among other world food capitals, to take the job as executive chef at the Capital Hotel in Little Rock.
At a corner table in Ashley’s at the Capital, one of the two restaurants he will supervise, along with the hotel’s banquet and catering services, Antunes (his first name, pronounced Jo-EL, rhymes with “noel”), says that at 49, he’s getting tired of globetrotting.
He was in Little Rock and at the hotel in September and October, for about two weeks per, to among other things, cook/audition for hotel coowner Warren Stephens, and “to get to know the people and Little Rock a little bit” by way of deciding that this is the place in which he wants to settle down.
“I like the city, I like the hotel,” says Antunes, whose hometown is the southern French town of Volvic, population 3,000. After a lifetime of cooking in Paris, London, Atlanta, Singapore, Munich and other large, distant cities, “I’m so happy to live in a small city.”
Antunes has been evaluating what’s already in place at the hotel, including the strong culinary team, headed by executive sous-chef Jeffrey Ferrell, who has been keeping things running at Ashley’s as acting chef de cuisine since Lee Richardson’s departure in June, and Travis McConnell, sous-chef at the Capital Bar & Grill.
It’s going to take a while for him to gauge what will interest customers; he says it’ll be at least 90 days before customers will see, for example, any new Antunes-stamped items at Ashley’s. The first signature Antunes dish you are likely to see, he hints, will probably be a dessert: he’s looking at introducing a peanut butter Kit Katlike confection. He’s also looking at possibly adding a nineor 10-course tasting menu and making some modifications to the wine list.
The long-awaited new McDonald’s restaurant opened Wednesday at 104 S. University Ave., Little Rock, on the site of the former Bennigan’s, part, more or less, of the new Park Avenue development in Midtown. It is one of only five McDonald’s in the United States - the third, in fact - built as a “tribute restaurant,” in part reflecting the original design by incorporating arches, but also featuringa two-story atrium; plenty of lounge, booth and bar-type seating; and a sort of mini Internet cafe with Macs and free Wi-Fi. The restaurant also incorporates an unusual three-window drive-through system - one at which to order and pay, and two for pick-up, which should ease traffic flow (that and a special turn-in lane on West Markham Street were designed to mollify city planners who worried about traffic congestion at one of the town’s busiest intersections). The place will be open 24/7. The phone number is(501) 603-2228.
A new Buffalo Wild Wings outlet has opened at 4600 Silver Creek Drive, (between a Hyundai dealer and a furniture store, just off Warden Road and U.S. 67/167 where North Little Rock meets Sherwood. Hours are 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-midnight Saturday-Sunday. The phone number: (501) 819-0192.
Cafe Prego, 5510 KavanaughBlvd., Little Rock, is under new ownership, according to the banner on the fence outside. Brian Lane, one of the new coowners (with wife Maureen Martin), says they took over the Italian restaurant Dec. 6 from former owner Jacqueline Petit and that some of the restaurant’s customers suggested, paid for and hung the banner. He says he’s keeping the restaurant staff intact while expanding the menu (adding more light appetizers and salads), the wine list and thedrink offerings. Hours for the time being will continue to be 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 5-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and the phone number remains (501) 663-5355.
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 cq 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 40 on 12/20/2012