TRANSITIONS

Correction: Negotiations continue between the Lonoke County prosecuting attorney’s office and homebuilder and restaurateur Gene Hickman in a pending case involving three dozen allegations of theft of property. An item in this column incompletely described the status of the case.

The website (lulaveatery. com) still lists J. Matt Lile III as “proprietere,” but we’ve learned that Lulav, 220 W. Sixth St., has a new owner: Burch Wilson of Little Rock, whose Facebook page now lists him, in addition to “President/CEO at Wilson & SON Group, LLC and Power Engineering Sales Rep at United Engines, LLC,” as “Sole Proprietorship/Owner at Lulav.” We couldn’t get past a voicemail phone tree at the restaurant phone number, (501) 374-5100, by deadline, so we’re pretty sketchy on the details, including what the restaurant hours will be, whether it will continue to be known as the Italian Kitchen at Lulav (Lile introduced the new name and concept in February) or even whether the restaurant is currently actually open for business. Nor did we hear back by deadline from chef Donnie Ferneau Jr., who is reportedly working asa consultant to Wilson.

Lulav opened in the summer of 2005 (after multiple delays) on the ground floor of a defunct business college. Then owner-chef James Botwright, who had been working in Napa Valley, called his menu “California Sephardic kosher,” but he lacked a firm grip on the concept and the business. It has changed hands at least twice, and chefs and concepts (most of them involving some form of Mediterranean accent) many times, since.

Anatolia Mediterranean Restaurant opened Friday in the Colonnade shopping center, 315 N. Bowman Road, in a storefront next to the Little Caesar’s outlet. The menu is Turkish/Mediterranean; the hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is (501) 219-9090.

Several sharp-eyed observers, and the chain’s corporate headquarters, have confirmed that the structure at 6000 Warden Road, Sherwood, is in fact an On the Border. Sept. 9 is the target date.

Gene Hickman says Nov. 1 is the target date to open Sir Loins Steak and Lobster House in the long-vacant former Sir Loins Inn, 801 W. 29th St., North Little Rock. Hickman, who bought the building in January, says that he has had to replace practically the entire contents of the building because thieves stole everything, from the copper wiring and the plumbing to the fire extinguisher system; he was expecting to start work on the kitchen this week as soon as his building permit was in place; remodeling the bathrooms will come next and he expects to start work on a two-tier outdoor deck for cigar smokers on or about Sept. 1. Hickman plans to return the place to its heyday glory, including the salad bar and the steak and seafood menu. Meanwhile, Hickman says a court date involving three dozen allegations of theft of property relating to a failed Cabot business has been dropped, allowing him to devote his full time and energy to the project.

OW Pizza, 1706 W. Third St., closed at the end of last week. Matthew Monroe, co-owner with Regina Smith, was tight lipped about the reason. The place operated out of the former gas station under a series of owners for nearly 19 years. “For lease” signs have sprouted in the parking lot, but the windows and door have been papered over, which suggests, at least, that some activity may already be underway within. The phone number, (501) 374-5504, has been disconnected.

And speaking of pizza, the real estate transactions column in Sunday’s paper reports the July 18 sale of a building at 1122 S. Center St., from Rebick Frederick LLC to Hilton Carter Holdings LLC for $450,000. What’s in that building? Larry’s Pizza-Downtown. A quick call to (501) 372-6004 reveals the restaurant is still open, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Food Truck Fridays will resume Sept. 6 at the northwest corner of Capitol Avenue and Main Street in downtown Little Rock, leading up to the 2013 Main Street Food Truck Festival, all along the Main Street corridor and into the side streets, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.Oct. 5. The official deadline for food truck vendors to sign up is Friday, but the Downtown Little Rock Partnership, which has already extended the deadline at least once, can be a little flexible, says events director Chellie Castellanos. She says they’re already close to matching last year’s total of 27 food trucks. Call her at (501) 375-0121 or email ccastellanos@downtownlr.com, or visit downtownlr.com.

Boulevard Bread’s outlet in the River Market’s Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., is dropping its beer and wine permit and has been offering its remaining stock of beer at “fire sale” prices.

One of our sharp-eyed Spa City observers spotted an “Opening soon” sign at Hibachi Sushi Buffet in the Temperance Hill Square shopping center, 4334 Central Ave., Hot Springs. According to the Hot Springs site, the restaurant hours will be 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The phone number is (501) 463-9988, although nobody answers it.

Food and drink establishments in the Argenta Arts District of downtown North Little Rock - Argenta Market, Cornerstone Pub & Grill, Cregeen’s Irish Pub, Crush Wine Bar, The Joint, Mugs Cafe, Reno’s Argenta Cafe, Ristorante Capeo and Starving Artist Cafe - will offer special $8, two-course lunch menus, and $25, three-course, prix fixe dinner menus along with their regular menus during the Argenta Arts Foundation’s Argenta Restaurant Week, Monday-Aug. 24. You can also enter to win a $50 Argenta restaurant gift certificate in the Server Photo Contest - take a picture of yourself (and your server) with the official Restaurant Week menu and post it to the Argenta Arts District Facebook wall. Call (501) 517-3127 or visit argentaartsdistrict.org.

And 1620 Savoy Chef Tim Morton and emeritus 1620 Chef Evette Brady will conduct another “In the Kitchen With Tim & Evette” cooking class at 2 p.m. Aug. 25 in the kitchen at 1620 Savoy, 1620 Market St. The “Fun & Informative Time” will include “sausage making, curing bacon, preparing fish, haute burgers and much, much more,” along with wine, beer and cocktail recipes from 1620 Savoy sommelier Jeff Yant. Cost is $75 and space is limited. Call (501) 221-1620.

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 email to: eharrison@arkansasonline.com