TRANSITIONS

Michael Carpenter, owner of Mugs Cafe, 515 Main St., North Little Rock, says his establishment, which his website (mugscafe.org) describes as “a place to eat and drink without the pressure to consume and move on,” is on track for a July 15 opening. In fact, he and the Chamber of Commerce are planning a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting. The menu, also according to the website, will include coffees and espressos, a variety of muffins and pastries; breakfast dishes (including Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, build your-own three-egg omelets, breakfast tacos and French toast); sandwiches, wraps and sliders; salads; and ice cream. Tentative hours of operation (the closing time will settle according to how business traffic flows, Carpenter says): 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. The phone number is (501) 379-9101.

And speaking of coffee shops, the Log Cabin Democrat reports that Something Brewing, Front and Mill streets, Conway, shut its doors June 21. Owners Liz and Larry Eoff told the paper they were closing after 14 years of serving Hendrix College students and downtown workers because they were tired from running the business with competition increasing around them, but looking to move on. And Liz Eoff told the paper Something Brewing’s small operation at Conway Regional Medical Center was still running, but she and her husband are selling it.

Boulevard Bread’s Heights location, 1920 N. Grant St., Little Rock, will open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays starting this weekend. “Come check out our new breakfast menu!” proclaims the website, boulevardbread.com. Hours through the week: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. The phone number is (501) 663-5951. The South Main location, 1417 Main St., has been open on Sundays for a couple of months.

The U.S. Pizza outlet at 5524 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock, has closed - Sunday was its last day of operation, though the phone number, (501) 975-5524, had not yet been disconnected by our Tuesday morning deadline. You will recall that U.S. Pizza owner Judy Waller had converted her unsuccessful Aydelotte’s fine dining restaurant into one of her pizza places about four years ago. “The store just never caught on, and with three other U.S. Pizza locations within three to four miles, it just made financial sense to close it,” says Drew Weber, U.S. Pizza’s chief operating officer. “We were able to place all the employees and managers in other stores, so no one lost their job if they wanted to stay with us.”

The Scottsdale, Ariz .-based P.F. Chang’s chain, which has outlets at 317 S. Shackleford Road, Little Rock, and in the Pinnacle Hills Promenade shopping center, 2203 S. Promenade, Rogers, is introducing summer menu additions of Grilled Pineapple-Citrus Swordfish with Summer Rice; Korean BBQ Chicken Stir-Fry; Heirloom Tomato & Thai Basil Salad; Summer Vegetable Quinoa “Fried Rice”; Grilled Prawns with Chilled Peanut Noodle Salad; and Peking Duck Summer Rolls. Check out pfchangs.com for more details.

The July/August issue of Food Network Magazine, “now on newsstands nationwide,” features America’s best ice cream treats with “one winner in each state.” Arkansas’ choice: Le Pops Gourmet Ice Lollies in the River Market’s Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. To visit the magazine’s website:foodnetwork.com/50-states-50-ice-cream-treats/package/index.html.

And ABC is holding an open casting call for the second season of its series The Taste, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 14 at the Bridge Building, 2 Victory Ave., Nashville, Tenn. On the show, celebrity chefs Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson coach “teams of four competing pro and amateur cooks as they vie to create the best-tasting dish.” Think you have what it takes for high stakes - or is that high steaks? - competition? Visit thetastecasting.com.

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 40 on 07/04/2013

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