Here's the list we've received so far of restaurants that will be open and serving Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24). (And yes, we'll run this list again, with any later entries, next Thursday, so if your restaurant will be open on the holiday, hot-shot an email to eharrison@arkansasonline.com, listing your address; hours; method of presentation -- buffet or sit-down; whether or not you're taking reservations; and contact information, particularly if you're taking reservations.) We've compiled this list from submissions by restaurants and the presence or absence of any restaurant does not in any way represent an endorsement or lack thereof. In no particular order :
• Wyndham Riverfront, 1 Riverfront Place, North Little Rock. Two buffets, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Silver City Ballroom and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Riverfront Steakhouse, with carving, omelet and waffle, entree, cold dish and dessert stations. $25 (not including tax and gratuities), $22.95 senior citizens, $14.95 children 5-11, free for kids under 5 with paid adult meal. (501) 907-4826.
• Crowne Plaza Little Rock, 201 S. Shackleford Road, Little Rock. Executive Chef Andre Poirot's Thanksgiving Champagne Brunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., with carving, omelet and waffle, shrimp and grits, entree, cold dish and dessert stations. $32, $28 senior citizens, $18 children. (501) 223-3000.
• Arthur's Prime Steakhouse, 27 Rahling Circle, Little Rock. Brunch buffet, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Dijon-horseradish crusted prime rib, smoked whole turkey, bourbon-peach glazed ham, sushi, oysters and raw bar, vegetables and cornbread and sage dressing. $40, $19.50 for children 8-12, $12 for children 3-7, free for children under 3. (501) 821-1838.
• La Madeleine, 12210 W. Markham St., Little Rock. 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m., serving usual full menu. (501) 221-7777.
• All Dixie Cafe locations will be open, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., serving a traditional sit-down Thanksgiving Feast ($12.99 plus beverage, tax and gratuity, includes small dinner salad, sliced turkey breast or grilled ham steak, cornbread dressing with turkey gravy, green beans and sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, homemade rolls and jalapeno cornbread, cobbler or banana pudding for dessert; $4.99 for kids 12 and younger). No reservations; seating is first come/first served depending on party size. dixiecafe.com/locations.
• Del Frisco's Grille, Promenade at Chenal, 17707 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., prix-fixe turkey dinner, with trimmings and choice of appetizers and desserts, $39 (plus beverages, tax and gratuity). Full menu available 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (501) 448-2631; DelFriscosGrille.com.
• Mimi's Cafe, 11725 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, and 2105 Promenade Blvd., Rogers. Starting at 11 a.m., three-course Thanksgiving Dine-In Meal ($18.99, $8.99 for kids, includes choice of soup or salad, roasted turkey, traditional gravy, cornbread stuffing, vegetables, apple cranberry orange relish, signature bread basket and choice of pie. (Regular menu available 7 a.m.-8 p.m.) Other options: "Holiday Turkey Chef Prepared Take-Home Suppers" ($89.99, includes a whole turkey and family-size portions -- serves 8-10 adults) of stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, apple cranberry orange relish, gravy, carrot nut loaves and pumpkin pie; "Just the Sides to Go," $42.99; and "Brunch at Home" ($42.99, croissants or muffins, fresh seasonal fruit and quiches, serves 6-8 adults). Little Rock: (501) 221-3883; Rogers: (479) 936-7983.
...
And Malvern-based Brandon Moving & Storage will hold a "Fill-A-Truck" food drive to help provide Thanksgiving meals for their neighbors in need, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday outside Libby's R.O.S.E. of Hot Spring County, 227 W. Page St., Malvern. The company will provide the truck; members of the community are asked to donate enough nonperishable, Thanksgiving-theme items -- for example, canned vegetables, instant potatoes, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce and gravy -- to fill it, whereupon the company will take it all to the Northside Church of Christ Food Pantry in Benton. Call (732) 774-0521, Extension 109.
...
There was considerable sadness a couple of weeks ago when Nancy Tesmer announced she was shutting down Lilly's Dim Sum Then Some and its weekend breakfast/brunch alter ego, B-Side, in the Market Place Shopping Center, 11121 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock. Now Tesmer says B-Side will survive, thanks to a pair of longtime patrons, a couple who by deadline are still wishing to remain anonymous, who have bought the restaurant and are looking to reopen it as B-Side only, on or about Dec. 1, serving breakfast, lunch and brunch, six or seven days a week. Tesmer says she's temporarily putting on hold plans to return to her hometown, Chicago, to become caretaker for her 88-year-old aunt in order to consult with the new owners on the menu (which she says will likely return to the breadth of its glory days) and other details.
Terry's Finer Foods the Restaurant has reopened at 5018 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, serving dinner only for the moment, 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Monday and 5-10:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. You may also see it referred to as Terry's Finer Foods Sidecar Bar & Grill, a reference to the primary "sidecar" dining space on the building's south side, which was the restaurant's original home (previously Sue's Pie Shop, which most recently housed The Pizzeria). Co-owner Lex Golden says the menu will blend two styles: "A new family-friendly grill menu by Rodney Williams" (including shoestring french fries, onion rings, chicken wings with Terry's Seasoning, nachos, Cajun crab and pimento cheese dips, Golden's "signature 'world famous cheeseburger,'" rotisserie chicken and three steaks) while retaining "our most popular French dishes and daily specials by Jeffrey Moore" (including French onion soup, baked brie, pate and escargot appetizers, plus pan-seared salmon, sole Meuniere and duck confit). Oh, and daily specials: loin lamb chops Thursday, lasagna Friday, Magret duck breast Saturday, beef stew Sunday and Pork Milanese Monday. And starting Nov 25, you'll be able to get "Nyunt Family 'Quality Sushi' freshly prepared onsite ... as carry out from grocery and made to order nightly in restaurant." You may not recognize the name, but you might recognize the couple: They used to make sushi in the nearby Heights Kroger (and we now have an answer for folks who have been asking us what has become of them). The phone number: (501) 663-4154.
Memphis-based Gus's World Famous Hot & Spicy Fried Chicken has closed its west Little Rock restaurant, in the Bowman Curve Shopping Center, 400 N. Bowman Road, Little Rock, posting this message to "our loyal customers" on its website, gusfriedchicken.com: "After much consideration, beginning Nov. 7, we will convert our Bowman Curve location from a restaurant to a hub for our expanding catering operations .... Unfortunately, we have not been consistently satisfied with either the level of service or high product standards we set for ourselves. We are confident consolidating back to one full-service restaurant in the River Market will better equip us to offer you the best experience; every meal; every time .... Gus's River Market will now be, not only a family-owned restaurant, but more importantly, a family-operated restaurant. General Manager Christin Bryant has recently joined us from Fayetteville and with her extensive restaurant background, we are certain she will ensure the food and environment are what anyone who has eaten at a Gus's Fried Chicken has come to expect."
The Tropical Smoothie Cafe at 1510 Rebsamen Park Road, Little Rock, opened last week. The footprint created a little controversy on social media when folks incorrectly claimed the place had been built backward and when news broke that the drive-through would be a bit tight for larger vehicles. Hours are 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. We've so far been unable to track down a phone number.
...
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 11/17/2016