In case you didn’t hear, Montego Cafe has opened up in the ground floor of the K-Lofts building at 315 Main in Little Rock, most recently the site of Porter’s Jazz Cafe. Indeed, the historic building was renovated with the ground floor venue in mind, and little architectural overhaul has taken place in the changeover to the island theme.
Before this article begins in earnest, be warned that this conversation from a recent staff meeting could happen to you, too:
“So, what’s for lunch?”
“Why don’t we go to Montego? It’s that new cafe on Main Street where the jazz club used to be.”
Except that no one will really hear that last part, because everyone will start humming that Beach Boys song from Cocktail (“Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I wanna take ya...”). It’s gonna happen, so just trust me on this one. And it will probably stay stuck in everyone’s head for most of the day.
But don’t let that stop you from checking it out. Montego follows the same layout as its predecessor, with a dozen or so tables and booths at street level for the lunchtime crowd and a much larger lower level. There can be found tables, lounge areas and a stage for live music. A cut out in the floor allows the upstairs crowd to appreciate the downstairs talent when there is music, which the staff says there will be, particularly on weekends.
What’s interesting, though, is that while much of the interior remains the same, the place does feel different. When Porter’s opened I said, and I’m quoting my own writing here, “It’s not hard to see the soul of this place. It is a thing of nightlife, a thing of soft and silky sounds to be enjoyed over the clinking of glasses and quiet hush of close conversation.”
Montego feels different. As a companion on my visit observed, it feels very spring-like, very light. The bamboo accents and woven grass décor, along with a large sunburst where the ground floor cuts away to the lower level, obviously very directly invoke the beach. But something else — something felt more than seen — successfully makes a place more accepting of daytime activity.
I don’t think it’s just the menu, though that’s another point of interest and marked difference of the new establishment. Whereas before the fare was Southern standards, the offerings of Montego are in line with the new theme and reflect Caribbean flavors among American favorites.
For instance, the app menu offers wings, either traditional Buffalo or jerk spiced. Likewise, shrimp are served in cocktail or coconut battered, also with an option for jerk. Sandwiches and wraps also bend toward chicken and shrimp rather than deli meats, and even the burgers show signs of island infusion. That particularly applies to the house specialty Bob Marley burger (see sidebar).
For main courses, the menu doesn’t get far from the sea, as perhaps should be expected. The jerk chicken again shows up, but island curry shrimp, grilled tilapia and red snapper are evidence of the culinary tradition at work, along with “Rasta pasta” and tacos, with options for shrimp, tilapia or chicken. Most of the menu can also be “made Rasta,” or spiced up a bit, for a slight upcharge.
With drinks and salads, there’s actually plenty here to meet a lot of needs. The place works for a quick lunchtime visit or a happy hour stop for the downtown crowd. The lower level clearly has a still later hour in mind, with service to match.
And that will serve Montego well, as it’s a spot with a lot of eyes on it. A great many hopes and now dollars are being turned toward Main Street with the expectation that it can augment the attraction of the nearby River Market district. The unique flavors at work will help set this new cafe apart and potentially make it a destination, though not quite as far away as the city for which it’s named.
THE DISH
Bob Marley Burger ($8.99)
I confess to being a little dubious of the name here. I mean, you make an island theme restaurant and slap a name like this on a burger, and at first it looks like it’s going to be that kind of place. But the end product here is culinary creativity. The double patties are intriguingly spiced, so much so that I couldn’t tell exactly what was in them. On top is cheddar cheese and a fried egg with fresh avocado. The menu has promised plantains (!), but the kitchen said they weren’t ripe enough to serve just yet. As is, the burger needed something a touch salty to balance it, like bacon. I don’t know that that would be the case with the plantains. And either way, it’s served on a phenomenal sweet jalapeño bun that I could eat all day by itself. Trust me, this isn’t just a ho-hum burger with a thematic name. It’s as unique as it should be. (sw)
Portobello Burger ($8.99)
What I figured would be a lighter alternative to a regular burger, the Portobello burger is (figuratively) just as meaty as its all-beef counterpart. The “patty” is marinated in balsamic vinaigrette and dressed in a lemon garlic aioli, which gives it a tangy flavor that’s balanced by the sweetness of the ciabatta bun. In fact, the bun is so toothsome it could stand on its own. It doesn’t need that tasty peppering of spring mix, onion and tomato. It doesn’t even need that mushroom. I’d buy a dozen of these buns and bring them to a church function and they’d be the life of the party. (sb)
Jerk Chicken Wrap ($7.99)
Well, someone had to get the jerk chicken at the Jamaican restaurant. This wrap comes filled with rice and peas (though beans were subbed on my visit) and mango salsa, along with, of course, plenty of jerk chicken. The chicken was moderately spicy, offering a level of heat that could still be balanced by the rice and beans and mango salsa, which was chunky with lots of onion, lime and cilantro. I could have gone for more mango in it, honestly. Sandwiches on the menu come with chips (Lay’s) but you could substitute fries or a fruit platter for an upcharge. I might go for the fruit platter next time just to see what all that entails. Maybe more mango? (sm)
Mango Salsa ($5.49)
This app was nothing like the pureed tomato mix you so commonly get for salsa in this area. Mango, of course, made it sweeter, but a tad too much onion made that a predominant taste. But there were notes of lime and perhaps pineapple and cilantro. Overall, it was a fine mix and well worth a try. Just don't go in thinking it'll be what you usually get before the meal at a Mexican place. (sw)
Stuffed Mushrooms Appetizer ($6.99)
In the world of stuffed mushrooms, it's often more about the stuffing than the mushrooms themselves. And if that's the case, Montego has a home run. It's a mixture of spinach and cream cheese with spices, and it's plate-lickingly divine. For real. Myself and another in the party were scraping with a fork and only good manners kept us from turning into human dishwashers. The order came with five or six mushrooms (the stuffing overflowed and sort of made it hard to tell), so, easy enough to split. But you might be sorry you did when you taste that stuffing. (sw)
IN A NUTSHELL
Montego offers Caribbean cuisine in a downtown setting that works as well for a daytime lunch as an evening out. A large downstairs area offers plenty of room for lounge and live entertainment from evenings into late night.
Location: 315 Main St., Little Rock
Phone: (501) 372-1555
Web: www.montegocafe.com
Prices: $6.99-$15.99
Hours: Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Friday; dinner 4-9 p.m. (subject to crowds) Monday-Wednesday. Open 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday-Friday, 4 p.m. to midnight Saturday.
Alocohol: Full bar