If ever there were a dysfunctional relationship between Little Rock diners and a restaurant, it’s with the occupants of 220 W. Sixth St.
The space — once Lulav, then The Italian Kitchen, now Cellar 220 — has never gotten particularly good feedback. But it keeps changing, just enough. And we keep coming right back.
Cellar 220 has been on my list since it reopened this fall with its updated menu and Little Rock’s Donnie Ferneau listed as “Guest Chef.”
A friend and I stopped by on a recent weeknight, and as we sat in the middle of the empty dining room perusing the wine list, Usher’s “Burn” blared in the background.
“I really want to work this out, but I don’t think you’re gonna change.”
Preach. In the words of Mr. Raymond, it’s better for me to let it go now, than hold on and hurt you. In that spirit, here’s what’s happening at Cellar 220:
Find myself callin’ her your name
In the hour and a half my friend and I sat at Cellar 220, we were the only patrons. Not a single other diner or happy hour seeker came in while we were there from 5:30-7 p.m. The only people coming in or out were late employees and a few gentleman looking for a meeting held in the party room upstairs. One of those visitors had to ask if he was in the right place. You can’t blame him. After all, this space was formerly Lulav, which transformed into The Italian Kitchen in January before morphing into Cellar 220 this fall. What’s new? The chef, the menu and a few decorations. Not that it’s enough to make much of a difference. This space has had so many updates, it’s hard to differentiate one version from the next. Especially when each incarnation has failed to make a solid impression with Little Rock diners.
Ladies, tell me, do you understand?
Being the only customers in the place, perhaps the only money coming in for hours, you’d expect service to be flawless. But there was trouble from the start. One man (presumably a manager) was playing host, server and bartender during our visit. Maybe the fault rests with the constant stream of R&B coming in over the speakers. Maybe he was distracted rearranging the bottles behind the bar. Whatever the excuse, I wound up with a glass of the house cabernet sauvignon when I’d ordered a glass of the house sauvignon blanc. (For the ultra-unititiated, those two aren’t even the same color.) And for dessert, we wound up with — and were charged for — two slices of cheesecake when we’d ask for one. Sure, it happens. But when you’ve only got one table to juggle? No excuse.
I know I made a mistake, now it’s too late
If there’s one thing that will kill a restaurant quicker than anything — even bad food — it’s a bad atmosphere. Things were already a little uncomfortable thanks to the completely empty dining room. But what took it to the next level of awkwardness was getting to watch two staffers (possibly) get fired right in front of us. The exchange went something like this: Pair of workers wander in the front door, apparently late. Manager asks why they didn’t get his texts. Workers mumble excuse. Manager angrily says they might as well just leave, they’re done. End scene.
And then there was the experience of watching kitchen staff carry in crates of food through the front entrance. As well as the staffer’s toddler daughter who was wandering around the dining room, ready to go home. Was she adorable and acting like she was going to take our order? Absolutely. But while I don’t mean to sound like the Grinch, I’m paying to enjoy a dinner out, not to babysit when a kid ambles over to the table.
Gotta let it go, cause the party ain’t jumpin’ like it used to
The potential in Cellar 220 rests in its location. Just blocks from some of the busiest office buildings in Little Rock, the lunch crowd potential here is huge. But they’re simply not capitalizing on it. No lunch specials are advertised. And when we tried to stop by for lunch on a recent Tuesday (when they’re supposedly open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), everything was shut and locked. They’d been unexpectedly closed for dinner the night before as well, which doesn’t bode well for the potential they have to start drawing the before-and-after theater crowd from The Rep later in the week.
If Cellar 220 wants to stick around in 2014, something has to change. And we don’t mean the name.
THE DISH
Almond Crusted Chicken Thigh ($14.50)
When I ordered, I was told that the pearl couscous included in the dish was out, so they’d be swapping in grits. Fair enough. But the herbed mushooms listed also didn’t arrive. What did? A crispy-on-the-outside chicken thigh (yes, one) sliced over a bed of creamy grits with an overly lemony butter and caper sauce. The whole thing was topped off with three somewhat limp asparagus spears. And though it was hard to tell in the dim dining room light, a few sections of the chicken looked still slightly pink. Yikes. (evz)
Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs with Cheese Polenta and Fried Onions ($18)
Perched on a pile of cheesy polenta and topped with overly breaded fried onions (oh, and there’s that asparagus again), these short ribs were a complete disappointment. Tough, underseasoned and ridiculously fatty, there was barely enough palatable meat to fill up on. (evz)
Dark Chocolate Cheesecake ($7)
When the winner of the meal is a slice of cheesecake, there’s serious work to be done. Though we asked to split one slice, two came out. The dark chocolate was bordering on too rich, but compared to our entrees, it was a hit. (evz)
IN A NUTSHELL
The latest incarnation of this downtown restaurant (formerly Lulav and The Italian Kitchen) and wine bar focuses on updated classics at moderate prices.
Location: 220 W. Sixth St.
Phone: (501) 374-5100
Web: facebook.com/lulavlittlerock
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 5-10 p.m. Saturday
Prices: $8-$34
Attire: Business casual
Alcohol: Wine-focused
For more on food and drink in central Arkansas, check out Emily Van Zandt’s blog, Arkansas Bites, at arkansasbites.syncweekly.com.