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
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.
American
ALLEY OOPS
11900 Kanis Road, Suite D-10, Little Rock, (501) 221-9400 The menu at this easygoing and cheery establishment offers mostly sandwiches and salads with some standout specialties, including the cheese-and-baconsmothered Chicken Oops and a well-seasoned sirloin strip.
Lunch, dinner Mon-Sat. Full bar. Reservations. Bargainmoderate.
BUFFALO GRILL
400 N. Bowman Road, Little Rock, (501) 224-0012;
1611 Rebsamen Park Road, Little Rock, (501) 296-9535 The bottom line at these sibling locations is as noteworthy as the reliably good burgers and other familyfriendly foods.
Lunch-dinner daily. Full bar. Bargain-moderate.
CAPITAL BAR & GRILL
Capital Hotel, 111 W.
Markham St., Little Rock, (501) 374-7474 The Capital Hotel’s “second” restaurant has its own kitchen and offers haute cuisine with an Arkansas accent, including rice-fried catfish, sugar cane-brined pork loin and made-inkitchen moon pies for dessert.
Lunch, dinner daily. Full bar. Moderate-expensive.
CHEERS IN THE HEIGHTS, CHEERS IN MAUMELLE
2010 Van Buren St., Little Rock, (501) 663-5937;
Cheers in Maumelle, 1901 Club Manor Drive, Maumelle, (501) 851-6200 The enduring Heights neighborhood restaurant pays as much attention to the appetizers and side dishes as it does the excellent entrees, many with aNew Orleans flair; its Maumelle sibling is big, bustling and welcoming.
Lunch, dinner Mon-Sat, brunch Sunday (Maumelle). Call-ahead seating (six or more, Maumelle location).
Full bar. Corkage fee. Moderate.
GADWALL’S GRILL
7311 North Hills Blvd., North Little Rock, (501) 834-1840 Heavenly home-cut fries, including sweet-potato fries, are a magnet for faithful patrons of this homey joint where the white chili (made with chicken breast, Great Northern beans and green chilies) is another wonder.
Lunch, dinner daily. Beer, wine. Bargain.
IZZY’S PLACE
5601 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, (501) 868-4311 Top-flight tamales, soups, salads, burgers, pastas, pizzas and milkshakes served at aim-to-please prices by a cheerful staff at this casual eatery.
Lunch, dinner Mon-Sat.
Beer, wine. Reservations.
Moderate.
SADDLE CREEK WOODFIRED GRILL
2703 Lakewood Village, North Little Rock, (501) 812-0883 A broad menu of chicken, ribs, seafood, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, pizza and salads awaits diners at this Montana-fashioned restaurant where the charm falls somewhere between elegant lodge and hunter chic.
Lunch Sun, dinner daily.
Full bar. Reservations. Moderate-expensive.
SHORTY SMALL’S
11100 Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, (501) 224-3344 The original shack-styled location for what has become a troubled chain (locations in Conway and North Little Rock recently closed) still offers substantial dinner platters, sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, ribs, steaks and fried appetizers, served by a staff dedicated to making sure you enjoy your meal.
Lunch, dinner daily, Sunday brunch. Full bar. Call-ahead seating. Bargain-moderate.
Weekend, Pages 38 on 05/31/2012