Little Rock has a new option in pies. Former Yellow Rocket Concepts pastry chef Autumn Hall has started a new venture dubbed Pies B4 Guys with friend Katie Douglas. The start-up is working on a pre-order basis, offering up a rotating menu, including choices like a President Bill Clinton-inspired lemon chess pie with buttermilk cornmeal crust and a sprinkle of lavender sea salt. Pies are available for delivery or pickup in Little Rock for $27 (plus $5 for delivery). Email orders to piesb4guys@gmail.com and follow along at facebook.com/piesb4guys.
In the world of beer, Flyway Brewing Co.'s Matt Foster posted to his blog last week that the company's brewing system is scheduled to be delivered June 26 to the brewery, 314 Maple St. in North Little Rock. "So that means it is conceivable that we could start brewing in early July and have beer in August," Foster writes. In the meantime, Flyway will be brewing in small batches for special events and on tap at a few spots in Little Rock. The number is (501) 350-8868.
With a warm-up in weather comes the return of food trucks to downtown Little Rock. Main Street Food Truck Fridays will return April 24 to the corner of Main Street and Capitol Avenue. A rotating lineup of food trucks will be serving from 10:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each Friday through June 26.
In Saline County food news, Smokey Haven BBQ is now serving in Benton. Located at 1317 Salem Road in a converted house, the restaurant owned by Cody Taylor started out as a food truck before moving into the brick-and-mortar location. Menu includes ribs, pork, beef, catfish and smoked chicken along with all the traditional sides. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Call (501) 794-6619 or head to smokeyhavenbbq.com for more information.
Up in Northwest, the team behind Greenhouse Grille and Wood Stone Craft Pizza have announced plans to open an Indian-style restaurant, Cardamom & Curry, at 1466 N. College Ave., Fayetteville. Co-owner Jerrmy Gawthrop says the restaurant is aiming to open in June and will source many ingredients locally, as his other restaurants do.
Meanwhile in Bentonville, chef and co-owner Luke Wetzel tells us that his Oven & Tap is scheduled to have its grand opening next week. Expect the menu to feature Southern and Italian touches (and plenty of wood-fired entrees) with locally sourced ingredients, along with a craft cocktail menu. The restaurant is at 215 S. Main St. and can be found at ovenandtap.com.
Fresh juice fans will be interested to hear that Garden Press is back under new ownership. The brand, founded by Little Rock's Bo Bennett, has found a home with the owners of Jacksonville's That's So Raw, 423 Dupree Drive. The vegan-focused restaurant will debut its juices and nut milks, which will feature several of Bennett's original recipes, at the Bernice Garden Farmers Market, which opens Sunday at 1501 S. Main St. That's So Raw can be reached at (501) 563-6299.
Per a Facebook post spotted by a colleague, Lucky's Sports Bar and Grill in Maumelle has transitioned to a fully nonsmoking establishment. The restaurant and bar is at 1101 Murphy Drive and phone number is (501) 803-4898.
Atop Petit Jean Mountain at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, guests can make reservations for a Southern cuisine experience that includes 21 dishes such as blackened catfish, fried green tomatoes and Mississippi mud cake. There are wine pairings as well, along with an overnight stay at the mountain top institute and breakfast the next morning. Tickets for chef Robert Hall's tasting dinner event can be bought for $235 per person and must be reserved in pairs. For more information, visit rockefellerinstitute.org/culinary or call (501) 727-5435.
Fans of Memphis restaurant Felicia Suzanne's will want to mark their calendar for April 29, when the chef it is named for, Arkansas native Felicia Suzanne Willett, will be hosting a cooking class at Eggshell's Kitchen Co., 5501 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock. Tickets are $50 per person with reservations required in advance. Tickets can be bought at eggshellskitchencompany.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) 378-3513, or send a note to Restaurants, Weekend Section, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Send email to:
emily@arkansalife.com
Weekend on 04/09/2015