A sharp-eyed colleague spotted an ad on Craigslist (tinyurl.com/nrewmme) seeking a general manager for a Little Rock outlet of the Southlake, Texas-based Del Frisco's Grille chain (a junior cousin of Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House). We made several unsuccessful attempts to reach a representative of the company by deadline to confirm, deny or supply details. However, the map that accompanies the Craigslist listing shows its location as Third and Victory streets. "We're not going anywhere," says Jon Griffith, who owns Cotham's in the City, 1401 W. Third St., Little Rock, which is at that intersection. Griffith also owns the Cotham's name and has leased it back to the current operators of the original Cotham's Mercantile in Scott. Griffith speculates that it might in fact show up at the currently vacant Olde World Pizza building up the street at 1706 W. Third. We will keep you posted.
Meanwhile, at Lulav, 220 W. Sixth St., Little Rock, where the revolving door has not been new restaurants but new folks in charge, there's been yet another ownership/chef change, with a So connection: the Smiths -- father Marshall, formerly at So, Hot Springs' Hamilton House and Arthur's Steakhouse, is the chef, while son Bill, former So general manager, is running the front of the house and is also the sommelier. Bill Smith says they've condensed the menu, focusing on "fresh seafood, hand-cut beef, chops, things like that." They're currently operating under the old full name, Lulav A Modern Eatery, but he says they're looking at creating a new concept with a consequent name change by end of the year. Hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekdays for lunch; for dinner, 4:30-9 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 4:30-10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Oh, and you can now make reservations online via Open Table. The phone number remains (501) 374-5100.
March is the target for the opening of the Chuy's outlet at 5105 Warden Road, North Little Rock. (There's also one in Rogers; the other central Arkansas outlet is on Chenal Parkway in west Little Rock.) You'll recall we reported in July that the restaurant was under construction from the ground up on a former car lot. Keep an eye out for updates via facebook.com/ChuysLittleRock; menu and other details are available at chuys.com.
Sunday was the last day of operation for Far East Asian Cuisine & Bar, 11610 Pleasant Ridge Road, Little Rock. A member of management says there are just too many restaurants in the immediate neighborhood -- just in that spur of the Pleasant Ridge Town Center there are two others, Santo Coyote and the recently opened MarketPlace Grill, not to mention the half-dozen places in the shopping center's main body and the dozens of restaurants along the Cantrell Road/Arkansas 10 corridor. The phone number, (501) 219-9399, has not been disconnected and still returns a voice mail message listing hours; nor does the website, fareastasiancuisine.com, yet reflect the closure.
Other recent shutdowns:
m The Dairy Barn, 619 Cox St., Benton, which is noteworthy primarily for being a Benton landmark -- it was a primary location for Billy Bob Thornton's movie Sling Blade -- served its last meal Friday. The phone number, (501) 778-2900, has not yet been disconnected but nobody answers it.
• One of our sharp-eyed Spa City correspondents reports the closure of the Perkins Family Restaurant & Bakery, 3630 Central Ave., Hot Springs. The phone number, (501) 624-5000, had not yet been disconnected by deadline, but nobody answered it, and, tellingly, the chain's website, perkinsrestaurants.com, lists as the only Arkansas location the one on East Main Street in Blytheville.
• And one of our sharp-eyed Little Rock correspondents reports the closure of Boba Teas, Smoothies and Coffees, 3600 S. University Ave., Little Rock. That phone number, (501) 565-5524, has been disconnected. Mourns the correspondent, of Filipino extraction: "The closest boba [tea] that was that good would be in California. The boba tea at the various Asian eateries can't compare."
...
Our current, up-to-deadline, not-comprehensive list of what's open Thanksgiving Day in Little Rock and North Little Rock:
m The Little Rock Marriott, West Markham and Louisiana streets, will put up a monster buffet, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with a breakfast station, soup, salads, seafood and, at the carving station, tom turkey, Petit Jean ham and prime rib au jus. Plus Chef Lauren's homemade desserts. Cost is $45 (which includes complimentary champagne, mimosas and valet parking), $16 for children 6-11, free for kids 5 and younger. Reservations are a must; call (501) 399-8000.
• The Wyndham Riverfront, 2 Riverfront Place, North Little Rock, will hold its annual Thanksgiving Feast on Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Riverfront Steakhouse and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Silver City Ballroom. The carving stations will feature roasted tom turkey and Petit Jean honey-baked ham; both locations will offer omelet-and-waffle stations and the buffets will feature marinated flank steak, a chicken-spinach pasta, soups, salads, buffet sides and assorted desserts. Cost is $21.95, $19.95 for senior citizens, $12.95 for children 5-11, free for children under 5 (with paid adult meal); tax and gratuity are extra. For reservations, which are strongly recommended, call (501) 907-4826.
m Arthur's Prime Steakhouse, 27 Rahling Circle, Little Rock (off Chenal Parkway), and next-door Oceans at Arthur's are linking up for a "premiere Thanksgiving buffet brunch," 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., which includes sushi bar and seafood bar (oysters on the half shell, cocktail shrimp and mussels); a carving station with beef Wellington, roasted whole turkey, roasted turkey breast and brown-sugar-and-cola-glazed baked Petit Jean ham, and sides, vegetables, salad bar, bread cart and a "prime dessert bar." Cost: $32, $14 for children 8-12, $7.50 for children 4-7, free for children 3 and younger. Call (501) 821-1838.
m Ya Ya's Euro Bistro, 17711 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. will have a buffet with carving station featuring roasted turkey, blackened prime rib and Petit Jean ham, plus salads and desserts. Cost is $29.95, $13.95 for children 10 and younger; to make "strongly recommended" reservations, call (501) 821-1144.
m Area Dixie Cafe outlets will serve a special Thanksgiving Day menu, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The menu for adults: small salad, main course (sliced turkey breast or grilled ham steak), cornbread dressing with turkey gravy, green beans, sweet potato casserole and dessert, $10.99 (plus beverage, tax and gratuity); for kids 12 and younger, turkey or ham, cornbread dressing, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, banana pudding and beverage, $3.89.
• The buffet at Camp David, the restaurant at the Holiday Inn Presidential Center, 600 Interstate 30, Little Rock, will be open 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. On the menu: turkey breast with giblet gravy, honey-glazed ham, Cajun blackened fish and prime rib and hot-bar vegetables, plus cold-bar salads and omelet-and-waffle and dessert stations. Cost is $21.95, $19.95 for senior citizens, $12.95 for kids under 11. Reservations are required -- call (501) 975-2267.
• The 11 a.m.-3 p.m., $95 Thanksgiving dinner ($130 with wine pairings, $35 for kids 6-11) at One Eleven at the Capital Hotel, 111 W. Markham St., Little Rock, has sold out (we'll email you the amazing menu on request), but the hotel's Capital Bar & Grill will also be open and serving, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., butternut squash soup with Arkansas black apples and spiced pecans; roasted or fried turkey breast with savory andouille bread pudding, bacon-wrapped green beans, mashed potatoes with brown gravy and cranberry-orange compote; and pumpkin pie with maple whipped cream. It's $35 per person, including tax and gratuity. They won't take reservations; call (501) 370-7013 for more information.
• The Hive (thehivebentonville.com), the restaurant at the 21C Bentonville Hotel, 200 N.E. A St., Bentonville, will be serving, noon-7 p.m., smoked turkey, house-made cornbread stuffing and Fairy Tale Pumpkin Soup. A four-course prix-fixe menu is $39-$49; for children 12 and younger, there is an $18 three-course prix-fixe menu. Call (479) 286-6575.
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, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Send email to:
eharrison@arkansasonline.com
Weekend on 11/20/2014