TRANSITIONS

The Root Cafe on Main Street in Little Rock awaits a construction permit before expansion can begin on the kitchen and dining room.
The Root Cafe on Main Street in Little Rock awaits a construction permit before expansion can begin on the kitchen and dining room.

Loca Luna owner-chef Mark Abernathy says the weather-delayed physical interior and exterior face lift on the restaurant, 3519 Old Cantrell Road, Little Rock, is pretty much done. But a minor health issue is keeping him from working on the new menu, the roll-out of which he is looking at for sometime in mid-September. The restaurant has stayed open during the makeover with the exception of a recent Monday, during the repaving of the parking lot and some interior painting. The phone number is (501) 663-4666; the website is localuna.com. We'll keep you posted.

Work continues on the Sunday brunch menu at Kemuri -- Sushi, Seafood, Robata, 2601 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, says owner Jerry Barakat, which is why the restaurant didn't meet its July 26 target date for its long-delayed brunch debut; and it appears it won't happen this Sunday, either. The phone number is (501) 660-4100.

We've got a firm line on what has become of Mr. Texano Mexican Restaurant, 102 Markham Park Drive, Little Rock: Yes, it has closed, and there's a for-lease banner hanging from the awning. You will recall that it briefly replaced a relatively short-lived tamale place called Tamalittle. A checkup call to (501) 217-9085 still returns, not a disconnect message, but that the phone number has been changed and "the new number is unknown."

Plans to expand the kitchen and dining room continue at The Root Cafe, 1500 S. Main St., Little Rock. Owner Jack Sundell tells customers in an email update that he hopes to have approval to start construction at the SoMa restaurant by the end of August. He also hopes to launch dinner service by the end of 2015. (The restaurant currently serves only breakfast and lunch.)

Meanwhile, the cafe is teaming up with Little Rock Urban Farming for food preservation workshops Aug. 20 and Sept. 24 at the farm, 5910 G. St., Little Rock. The August session will focus on fig and jalapeno preserves; September attendees will make pickles. Fee is $35 for each class; tickets are available at southerncenterforagroecology.org.

One Eleven at the Capital, the fancier restaurant at the Capital Hotel, 111 W. Markham St., Little Rock, sent out an email blast to its customer list noting that it will mark its first anniversary Aug. 10-14 with an $11.10 price for its Express Lunch; a dinner special -- buy "1" appetizer, "1" entree and "1" dessert (see what they've done there?) "and receive a second trio from us as a reward for your patronage." Dinner hours are 5:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Call (501) 370-7011 or visit oneelevenatthecapital.com.

In the nostra culpa department, last week's review of brunch at South on Main, 1304 Main St., Little Rock, incorrectly noted the restaurant takes Sunday brunch reservations. It does not. Management says it's too difficult to manage table turnover (folks have been known to linger for a couple of hours); they learned that the hard way when taking reservations for a special Valentine's Day brunch didn't work out.

And The Hungry Greek is "coming soon" to 2243 Central Ave., Hot Springs, the first out-of-state franchise of a Tampa, Fla.-based operation with three open Florida locations (Tampa, Wesley Chapel and Clearwater), plus one in the works for Land O' Lakes. Check out the menu, which features gyros, souvlaki, avgolemono soup, moussaka, pastitsio, dolmades and Greek salads, at thehungrygreek.com.

Emily Van Zandt contributed to this column.

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) 399-3667or (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 07/30/2015

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