Selected restaurants

— 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

arkansasonline.com/ restaurants/

.

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-andbacon-smothered Chicken Oops and a well-seasoned sirloin strip.

Lunch, dinner Mon-Sat.

Full bar. Reservations.

Bargain-moderate.

THE BOX

1023 W. Seventh St., Little Rock, (501) 372-8735 After a two-year delay, owner Kelly Joiner, who had to close his legendary 17th Street burger joint to make room for a chain drugstore, has broughtback some of the decor, the original grill, the staff, the moist, juicy, flavorful, nearperfectly spiced burgers.

Lunch weekdays. Beer. Bargain-moderate.

UPDATE! BUFFALO GRILL

400 N. Bowman Road, Little Rock, (501) 224-0012; 1611 Rebsamen Park Road, Little Rock, (501) 296-9535 You don’t stick around 31 years, as the original location has, by offering cheap food and drinks alone, but the bottom line at these sibling locations is as noteworthy as the reliably good burgers and other familyfriendly fare.

Lunch-dinner daily. Full bar. Bargain-moderate.

CAPITAL BAR AND 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-in-kitchen 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 a New 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.

Weekend, Pages 40 on 11/29/2012

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