LITTLE ROCK — Weekly theme listings reflect
a range of dining possibilities
in central Arkansas, across a spectrum of settings and price ranges. To read recent restau
rant reviews in their entirety, visit www2.arkansasonline.com/ restaurants.
Chinese, etc.
NEW! A.W. LIN’S ASIAN CUISINE Promenade at Chenal, 17717 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, (501) 821-5398 This western outrider of a Tennessee-based mini-chain offers great plate presentation, good service and fl avorful Chinese dishes, especially among the chef’s specials, along with sushi and Japanese and Thai fare.
Lunch, dinner daily. Full bar.
Reservations. Moderate-expensive.
UPDATE! CHI’S DIMSUM & BISTRO 6 Shackleford Drive, Little Rock, (501) 225-8878NEW! CHI’S FINE CHINESE CUISINE 17200 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, (501) 821-8000 Lulu Chi has expanded her Chenal Parkway restaurant into a full-service, sit-down establishment (while retaining the popular to-go entrance) and introduced some of the Sichuandishes she’s adding to the dim sum and other authentic Chinese items on a newly retooled menu at her original “headquarters.” Lunch, dinner daily. Full bar (wine and beer only at Chenal).
Reservations (Shackleford location). Moderate-expensive.
FAR EAST ASIAN CUISINE 11600 Pleasant Ridge Drive, Little Rock, (501) 219-9399 The successor to Hunan Oriental serves familiar Chinese fare with some surprises, including the fragrant Senbei or “Three Cup” clay pot meals, quail and duck dishes, as well as a standout Sunfl ower Calamari appetizer.
Lunch, dinner daily. Full bar.
Reservations. Moderate.
FANTASTIC CHINA 1900 N. Grant St., Little Rock, (501) 663-8999 A consistent top choice in reader polls, with food that is much like its contemporary decor - interesting and bold, yet soothing and not the least bit intimidating,and with an emphasis on quality ingredients, good service and specials (like the tableside Moo Shu show).
Lunch, dinner daily. Full bar.
Reservations. Bargain.
FORBIDDEN GARDEN 14810 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, (501) 868-8149 Run by the folks who operated the former Forbidden City in Park Plaza, this west Little Rock restaurant emphasizes fresh, quality ingredients and presentation, including some Thai-influenced dishes like cumin shredded beef and basil chicken in addition to traditional Chinese.
Lunch, dinner daily. Full bar.
Moderate.
FU LIN RESTAURANT 200 N. Bowman Road, Little Rock, (501) 225-8989 Able and amiable, Fu Lin offers a lengthy and traditional menu of Chinese dishes, like a truly hot and sour hot and sour soup andzesty chicken with orange peel, at its west Little Rock location.
Lunch, dinner daily. Full bar.
Reservations. Moderate.
NEW! MR. CHEN’S AUTHENTIC CHINESE COOKING Village Shopping Center, 3901 S. University Ave., Little Rock, (501) 562-7900 Many of the dishes will be a little weird, or at least challenging, for Western tastes, but as the name says, it’s authentic alright, with the produce and the particularly the fresh seafood coming from the Oriental supermarket that encloses it.
Lunch, dinner daily. Reservations for large parties. Moderate.
SAI GON CUISINE 14524 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, (501) 663-4000 There’s a little more room to roam around in this primarily Vietnamese restaurant since it moved west, but the top choices still include add-meat,noodle-fi lled soups, like Pho, Mi and Bun Bo Hue, with a number of Thai and Chinese dishes to round out the menu.
Lunch, dinner Tuesday-Sunday.
Beer, wine. Reservations.
TASTE OF D-LIGHT 3200 N. Reynolds Road, Bryant, (501) 847-6267 A Bryant fi xture, Taste of D-Light serves generous portions of Chinese and Vietnamese food during the week with a popular lunch buffet on Sunday.
Lunch, dinner daily. No alcohol.
Reservations. Bargain-moderate.
WASABI 101 Main St., Little Rock, (501) 374-0777 Michael Choi’s Asian-fusion restaurant offers excellent and inventive “proud” sushi plus American, Japanese and Chinese entrees in a distinctly non-Asian setting.
Lunch Monday-Friday, dinner Monday-Saturday. Full bar.
Reservations. Moderate.
Weekend, Pages 34 on 03/07/2013