Three Fold Noodles and Dumplings, 215 Center St., Little Rock, is expanding its hours and its menu. It will now be open Saturdays (11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday) and adding to the previously limited menu sweet sesame balls and a new noodle bowl called Zhajiangmian, a traditional dish that includes stir-fried wheat noodles and pork in a salty fermented soybean paste. The restaurant phone number is (501) 372-1739; the website: eat3fold.com.
Whole Hog Cafe is opening a new location next week at TAC Air at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, Adams Field, in Little Rock, in the south hangar space on the airport's west side. The space had housed The Flight Deck, which closed on Friday. Whole Hog, the enterprise of an award-winning barbecue team, opened its first restaurant in 2000 and now has 13 locations in Arkansas, Missouri, New Mexico and New Jersey.
Menchie's Frozen Yogurt, billing itself as "the fastest-growing frozen yogurt franchise," will celebrate its new location at The Promenade at Chenal, 17801 Chenal Parkway, Suite B, Little Rock, with a seven-day grand opening celebration beginning Saturday with free frozen yogurt and T-shirts and a ribbon cutting. Other deals during the week include "free face painting, a balloon artist, kids eat free and more!" The self-serve yogurt store offers rotating flavors, as well as a variety of toppings. Hours of operation are noon-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, noon-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The phone number is (501) 821-2230, and website is menchies.com.
Speaking of the Promenade, Sync reports that the Little Rock franchise outlet of Del Frisco's Grille, which we reported a few months ago had a fall 2015 target date to open (but for which we couldn't pin down a location) will show up in the Promenade at Chenal, in the 17000 block of Chenal Parkway. The information hasn't yet been added to the website of the Southlake, Texas-based chain, delfriscos.com (where you can get an idea of what the menu will look like), but we'll keep you posted.
And 1620 Savoy Restaurant, 1620 Market St., Little Rock, this week started a new month-long campaign, "Half Price House Wine Wednesdays," house wines by the glass or bottle half price with the purchase of an entree. Chef Joseph Salgueiro wants patrons to "be on the lookout this spring for our newest menu."
Omar Kassees, who operates Mason's Deli & Grill in the River Market's Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, says he has expanded his burger menu ("Our new menu consists of burgers and more burgers") to include a bacon cheeseburger, mushroom Swiss burger, bacon-egg-cheeseburger and a turkey burger. He has also added a couple of chicken sandwiches, keeping the bratwursts and the cannolis, but removing most of the specialty deli sandwiches. The phone number is (501) 376-3354.
The Pulaski Technical College Foundation's Diamond Chef Arkansas competition, a fundraiser for the school, kicks off preliminary competitions, 2-8 p.m. March 31 at the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute on the college's South Campus, 13000 Interstate 30, Little Rock. Six area chefs will compete for a spot in the June 2 finals (6-10 p.m. at the Statehouse Convention Center, Markham and Main streets, Little Rock) and a chance to challenge the reigning champ, chef Marc Guizol, executive sous-chef at the Capital Hotel. Admission is free; they'll serve hors d'oeuvres and beverages, 5-8 p.m., and you can just drop in. Call (501) 812-2771 or email bcgraves@pulaskitech.edu.
And Mac 'N' Cheez Mania, Little Rock's first "Mac 'N' Cheez" Festival, will take place 11 a.m.-2 p.m. April 11 at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium, AT&T Field, West Markham Street and Fair Park Boulevard, Little Rock. It's a benefit for Trinity United Methodist Church missions that serve children, hunger, health and education. Registration deadline for teams is April 1; fee is $40 for professional teams, $20 for home cooks and free for kid cooks 18 and younger. Admission is $10, free for kids 12 and younger. Visit Facebook.com/MacNCheezMania.
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 03/05/2015