Restaurant Transitions: Midtown IHOP demolished; The Pizzeria update; McMuffins all day

Employees pose in front of the IHOP at West Markham Street and University Avenue in Little Rock in 2003. The building was demolished this week to make way for a new one.
Employees pose in front of the IHOP at West Markham Street and University Avenue in Little Rock in 2003. The building was demolished this week to make way for a new one.

This week has seen the demolition of the Midtown IHOP, 101 N. University Ave. at West Markham Street, Little Rock. Franchisee Susan P. North, who, with a business partner, operates nine other Arkansas IHOPs under the banner Golden Cakes Inc., says they'll rebuild it from the ground up.

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AP

Herb Peterson, the creator of the Egg McMuffin, holds a plate of the sandwiches in 1997. McDonald’s has announced it’s adding McMuffin sandwiches to its all-day breakfast menu at its central Arkansas outlets.

The Pizzeria, formerly the Pizzeria @ Terry's Finer Foods (and before that, when it was still a food truck, Pizzeria Santa Lucia), missed its end-of-September target date to reopen in the former Revolution Gym 4910 Kavanaugh Blvd, a block away from its former location, in Little Rock's Pulaski Heights. A new late-October target will depend on the progress of the permitting process, and especially whether they'll be required to install a Vent-a-Hood to vent the pizza oven. The restaurant phone number remains (501) 551-1388 and you can continue to track its progress via the Facebook page: tinyurl.com/zt27c4j.

Meanwhile, Lex Golden, co-owner of Terry's Finer Foods the Restaurant, 5018 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, doesn't have a firm target reopening date, but it "shouldn't be too long." It's returning to its original, smaller space, the one The Pizzeria recently vacated; Golden says the physical space is ready, the permits are in place (because of the relatively short time the restaurant has been closed) and he's currently working on staffing and assembling a final version of the menu. The restaurant eventually will expand to three meals a day, six days a week, he says, probably opening first for breakfast and lunch, "then dinner a bit later." The focus of the restaurant, which had been basically French bistro, is changing more toward a bar and grill, with a typical American breakfast; soups, salads and deli sandwiches, with Golden's "signature 'world famous cheeseburger'" for lunch; and grilled steaks and seafood items with former French bistro offerings as specials.

Master chef Jennifer Allen has opened a catering company, Cafe Cantrell, inside the Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins hybrid at 6805 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, providing breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch and custom cakes with delivery. The phone number is (501) 420-2035. Meanwhile, the cafe is launching some promotions next week, including a "Decorating Donuts With Kids" on Saturday, the donation of a vest to the Little Rock Police Department for its K-9 unit at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 and the unveiling on Oct. 14 of a hometown hero program with an awards presentation.

Bray Gourmet will renovate its original downtown location, in the Catlett-Prein Tower, 323 Center St. at West Fourth Street, Little Rock, "starting in one or two months," says owner and namesake Chris Bray. The time frame is still a little uncertain, but "We will not be closing. It will be done in stages." He's also going to be making some menu changes; customers can look forward to special items including Pimento Pig (ham, bacon, pimento cheese, lettuce and tomato), tilapia-based fish tacos and a seared ahi tuna salad. Hours are 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday. The phone number is (501) 353-1045.

McMuffin fans who have felt left out of McDonald's all-day breakfast menu, rejoice. "McMuffins are officially available on the All Day Breakfast menu at McDonald's locations across central Arkansas," according to a news release. We've reported that up until now, some corporate bigwig decided that central Arkansas customers were more interested in biscuit sandwiches, and because of an inability to make more than one shape of compressed eggs, post-10:30 a.m. McMuffins were off the table. Meanwhile, the company has also recently announced that it will no longer use artificial flavors, colors or preservatives in its pork sausage patties and omelet-style eggs served on its McGriddles sandwiches.

One of our sharp-eyed correspondents reports the demise of the legendary Tyboogie's Cafe, 197 Main St., Tyronza. A call to the phone number, (870) 487-2054, returns a "no longer in service" message.

And Olive Garden restaurants have reintroduced their "Never Ending Pasta Bowl" promotion -- adding, for the first time, Chicken Alfredo -- through Nov. 20. Customers get the unlimited servings of pasta combinations, soup or salad and bread sticks, starting at $9.99. Visit OliveGarden.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) 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 10/06/2016

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