On days when we barely make it to work thanks to ice, there’s nothing that sounds worse than a sad desk sandwich for lunch.
You want something hot, you want a drink with free refills and you want to sit down in an actual chair somewhere to relish the fact that you conquered those slushy roads and icy bridges when others refused.
Of course, if you’re broke-ish (just me?), spending $15 on lunch isn’t going to make your money last through Friday. So sad desk sandwich it is. Or maybe a drive-thru dining experience.
Or you could just go to Afterthought Bistro and Bar, and for a cool $7 have a generously sized “half” steak sandwich smothered in mushrooms, onions, mozzarella and garlic creme along with some tomato basil soup and chips. Yup, $7. That’s probably less than you’d spend on that drive-thru outing you were planning.
Is that the sound of you organizing a lunch trip to Hillcrest? Thought so. They open at 11 a.m weekdays.
Running on empty
The weather was so brutal the day the Sync crew stopped by Afterthought for lunch that we had to call ahead to make sure they were still open. And they were — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., as usual. Thanks to the cold and ice, our table was the only one occupied in the whole place. We settled into the oversized corner booth for the best view of the restaurant and the sliding cars along Kavanaugh Boulevard. Sometimes an empty dining room speaks ill of the meal you’re about to have, but there’s just no way that was the case here. The food was too good, and the roads were too bad.
Vieux Carre no more
To be clear, the sunny dining room we took refuge in isn’t the storied corner bar. It’s the old Vieux Carre next door. The restaurant combined with the bar in summer 2013 under the same name and, while the space looks mostly the same, the menu has seen some updates. The 2013 changes came after an ownership and chef switch, and no one in our group had been back since the update. Vieux Carre was (as the name implies) a little more Creole-focused than it is now, with dishes like jambalaya, a shrimp and jalapeño quesadilla, and a muffuletta sandwich. Now things are slightly more traditional American, though some New Orleans influence remains.
Short lunch, big options
The same menu is used for both lunch and dinner at the new Afterthought, so the selection is serious. It took us more time than usual to settle on what we’d each be trying because everything looked so darn good. Burger choices include patties topped with habanero aioli and jalapeños (the Diablo), mozzarella and roasted tomato (the Truffle) and blue cheese and barbecue sauce (the B&B). Then there were the sandwiches, salads and entrees which ranged from a 12-ounce grilled rib-eye to orange and jalapeño-glazed salmon. Vegetarians should have no problem here, with veg-friendly items including a falafel burger, portabello sandwich, and roasted eggplant and squash sandwich.
Full meal deal
For the best value at lunch, opt for the $7 pick-two lunch. You get your choice of a half sandwich (any sandwich on the menu other than burgers) and a cup of soup or half a salad (any salad except the pistachio-encrusted ahi tuna — which is also a must-try). My steak sandwich (see The Dish for full details) was a seriously generous portion considering it was a half. Between the sandwich, soup and chips I was full until dinner, which is almost unheard of for a $7 meal. Other budget options include the list of “small meals” like ahi tuna tacos, duck empanadas and pulled pork sliders, all which come with fries, rice or a veggie for $10-$14. Salads are also a good way to go at lunch. Each full-sized portion here rings in for $5-$12 with an additional charge to add shrimp, chicken, salmon or ahi tuna.
Final Verdict
I’m still thinking about the delightful mess that was my steak sandwich on our last visit. I walked out full and with an egg-topped BLT and chips to go for less than $20. To get a local meal for less than $20 is a feat, and to have it be this level of quality is even rarer. If you’d been frequenting Vieux Carre before and left after the ownership switch, do yourself a favor and give it another try. I never got a chance to experience Vieux Carre, but I left heartily impressed by Afterthought. The menu may be a little different, but it’s going on my list as one of the best options for a white-tablecloth sandwich experience in town.
THE DISH
Diablo burger ($9)
Created with habanero aioli, pickled jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, arugula and onion along with tomato, which I declined, the server humblebragged this burger packed heat. Fair warning, but the burger wasn’t all flash; the Diablo is brimming with a variety of flavors, too. A crispy sear locked the burger’s juices in, and the outside char popped with a peppery spiciness. The arugula added its own tart flavor that wasn’t buried by the burn of the habanero aioli (from where most of the burger’s heat arose), and the onions actually lightened the burger’s fiery tang. One drawback: pickled jalapeños instead of fresh. (ss)
Half steak sandwich and tomato basil soup ($7)
Thickly sliced steak came out piled high on a lightly toasted hoagie roll, topped with plenty of mozzarella and garlic creme. The menu mentioned onions and mushrooms and though I tasted a few, they took a backseat to the juicy, tender steak. I wasn’t asked how I wanted the steak done, but it came out medium, with a healthy pink in the middle and crusty sear on the edge. Perfect for me, but be sure to mention if you like yours more toward well. The portion was huge and could easily have passed as a whole sandwich in another context. The soup was less of a hit, salt-packed almost to the point of being inedible. A little less sodium would have let the basil flavor shine. (evz)
Half chicken salad sandwich and strawberry crunch salad ($7)
Afterthought’s chicken salad includes grape halves along with slivers of walnut and apple, so it’s got a sweetness and crunch that stands out from the mayo base and well-seasoned chicken. A healthy scoop came served between thick slices of wheat bread, and paired nicely with the strawberry crunch salad — a mix of goat cheese, strawberries, toasted almonds, fried wontons and spring mix served with a tangy Asian vinaigrette. The housemade chips are not to be overlooked; they weren’t seasoned very much, but they had the perfect crunch. (sm)
IN A NUTSHELL
After expanding into the old Vieux Carre space and updating the menu, Afterthought Bistro & Bar is still churning out well-made sandwiches, salads and soups. Stop by for a cheap Hillcrest lunch outing with Afterthought’s $7 half-sandwich deal.
Location: 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock
Phone: (501) 663-1196
Web: afterthoughtbistroandbar.com
Attire: Casual for lunch, business casual for dinner
Alcohol: Full bar
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday
Prices: Entrees $14-$26, sandwiches $7-$13
Kid-friendly: Plenty on the menu for kids to enjoy, but the atmosphere is more date night than family night.