The Fold (or Folde) Taqueria & Bar - “Fold” is the name on the Facebook page (facebook.com/381185925263810), and it may or may not originally have been called B&B Taco Garage - in an old Alltel fleet service station at 3501 Old Cantrell Road at Mart Road, Little Rock, appears to be nearing completion. Co-owner Bart Barlogie Jr. (not the famous oncologist, but his son) did not return a call by deadline. The Facebook page provides these operating hours - 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-midnight Sunday - and this telephone number: (501) 350-9799.
The long-awaited reopening of the Starlite Diner, 250 E. Military Road at MacArthur Drive, North Little Rock, took place Monday. Hours are 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The restaurant has two listed telephone numbers - (501) 771-2036 and (501) 353-0465.
Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant, 5900 W. 12th St., Little Rock, has closed and its telephone number, (501) 296-9494, has been disconnected.
Today is SOMA Food Truck Thursday at Bernice Garden, 1401 S. Main St., Little Rock, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Vendors will include Clyde-n-Kiddos BBQ, Green Cuisine Vegetarian, Santa Lucia Pizzeria, Sugar Shack Sweets, Green Cart Deli Hot Dogs, K-Bird Thai Cuisine and Le Pops. This will also be the final appearance for The Food Truck; owner Jeffrey Palsa says he’s looking at various options to keep his business open but he’ll be shutting down the mobile part of it for the time being. And Loblolly Creamery at the other end of the block will stay open late. Call (501) 707-8999 or visit the SOMA Food Trucks Thursday page on Facebook.
We’re still waiting for a corporate representative of Lone Star Steakhouse to return our call regarding the closing of the outlet at 10901 Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock. Meanwhile, reports are coming in that construction and alcoholic beverage permits have been filed for one in the 1400 block of Higdon Ferry Road in Hot Springs.
And speaking of Hot Springs, we have a name for the pizzeria that has opened in what had been the Whistle Stop & Bread Shop, 2608 Albert Pike: Crispino’s Pizza Co. They’re using the former restaurant’s phone number - (501) 767-0700 - and they’re open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Monday (closed Tuesday).
As of this week, The Hive, in the 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville, is now open for Sunday brunch, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., and lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays. Executive Chef Matthew Mc-Clure focuses on using local ingredients. Check out the menus at thehivebentonville.com/menu.
And in our nostra culpa department, last week we misspelled the name of the July-opening eating and coffee establishment at 515 Main St., North Little Rock: It should, of course, be Mug’s Cafe.
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: eharrison@arkansasonline.com
Weekend, Pages 38 on 04/11/2013