With somewhat early deadlines because of the holiday, we're still in a slight limbo on the long-delayed opening of the David's Burgers outlet in eastern end cap of the River Market's Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. Diana Long, director of River Market operations for the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, said last week the new target is sometime between Friday and Dec. 1. Our burger breath is bated.
Another target opening missed, judging from the evidence that construction is still in progress, including a large dumpster still occupying part of the parking lot: the mid-November one for Petit & Keet Bar & Grill, the collaboration between construction contractor/former state legislator/restaurateur Jim Keet and Little Rock culinary legend Louis Petit, going into the former Restaurant 1620/1620 Savoy building, 1620 Market St., Little Rock. Keet told us a couple of months ago when the restaurant was announced that there would be some physical renovations to the building, including taking out some walls to combine the rear casual bar area and patio into a display space that will be called Keet's Corner Bar.
Petit, who started out at Jacques and Suzanne's, the literal pinnacle of haute cuisine in the 1970s and early '80s, and ran or was involved in several area restaurants, including Piccolo and Cafe Prego, has been in Florida for several years helping his son, Louis Petit Jr., with the popular and aptly named Louis Louis on the Gulf Coast near Destin. He's responsible for developing the decor (which Keet describes as "polished casual," not white-tablecloth) and the initial menu, in collaboration with area chefs (look, for example, for a veal dish that hearkens back to "Jack & Suzie's") at reasonable prices. He'll continue to live in Florida once this place has opened. We were still awaiting a return phone call from Keet by deadline.
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And here's the somewhat expanded list of restaurants that will be open and serving Thanksgiving and/or other meals today. This list, a service to our readers, consists of submissions by the restaurants and hotels involved, and the presence or absence of any restaurant on the list does not in any way represent an endorsement or lack thereof. Note that for those looking for alternatives to turkey, etc., for Thanksgiving, some Asian, some chain and some fast-food restaurants are also open on the holiday. Check before you go, of course.
• The Capital Hotel, 111 W. Markham St., Little Rock. Thanksgiving Brunch on the Mezzanine, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Cold, hot, breakfast, dessert and kids' stations. $55, $25 children 6-11, free for children 5 and under (plus tax and gratuity). (501) 370-7068.
At the hotel's Capital Bar & Grill, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Thanksgiving prix-fixe menu: soup or salad, sorghum-roasted turkey breast with cranberry and pecan jus and traditional garnishes, plus pumpkin pie with maple whipped cream. $36 plus tax and gratuity. Also: limited Thanksgiving Day menu. No reservations.
At the hotel's One Eleven at the Capital, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., choice of three appetizers; three entrees (Berkshire pork shoulder, house-made sausage, roasted apples, carrots, shallot confit and apple cider jus; roasted Bell & Evans turkey with Brussels sprouts and cranberry sauce; or seared scallops with gnocchi Romaine, risina beans, lemon, thyme beurre blanc); three desserts. $95, $130 with wine pairings, $35 for children 6-11, free for kids 5 and under, plus tax and gratuity. (501) 370-7068.
• 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.
• Heritage Grille, Steak and Fin in the Little Rock Marriott, West Markham and Louisiana streets, Little Rock, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-10 p.m. Prix-fixe plated meal, centering on black cherry-glazed turkey breast or Creole-rubbed pit ham plus vegetables and trimmings. $27.85, $15.95 for children 6-12, free for kids 5 and younger. (501) 399-8000.
• 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 13 central Arkansas Dixie Cafe locations will be open, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., traditional sit-down Thanksgiving Feast ($12.99 plus beverage, tax and gratuity; $4.99 for kids 12 and younger), 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. 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 until 10 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 a 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.
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 11/24/2016