In case you missed this last week, Conway-based Tacos4Life, with two popular outlets in Conway and one in Jonesboro and Fayetteville, will open sometime in early 2017 in Little Rock, on a streetside pad between Longhorn Steakhouse and the Boomerang Carwash in the Shackleford Crossings Shopping Center, 2600 block of South Shackleford Road, Little Rock. It's not just any taco outlet -- its ultimate goal, according to a news release, is to "eradicate childhood hunger worldwide, [providing] Feed My Starving Children the funds necessary to purchase one meal for every meal sold in the restaurant." Check out the website, tacos4life.com, for the menu and other details.
Luby’s Cafeteria has closed its west Little Rock outlet, 12501 W. Markham St., and the phone number, (501) 219-1567, has been disconnected. We don’t know why.
A sign on the door of the former Good Food by Ferneau and its predecessor, Argenta Market, Sixth and Main streets, North Little Rock: "Coming soon! Kamikaito by Kiyens." It will, in fact, be an offshoot of Kiyens Seafood Steak and Sushi, 17200 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock; an employee said it will have similar offerings -- sushi, hibachi meals and Asian-fusion entrees (kiyens.com) -- possibly in a more pan-Asian direction (chef Kiyen Kim is, we're told, considering things like Korean-style pizza). It is looking at an opening date somewhere on or shortly before Oct. 1. The west Little Rock restaurant's phone number is (501) 821-7272.
And Diana Long, director of River Market operations for the Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, says the lease is not yet signed and the name of the establishment is still in flux, but a hot-dog eatery that will make its own dogs from scratch is heading into the former Boulevard Bread space in the River Market's Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. Meanwhile, construction is well underway on the exterior of the long-delayed David's Burgers outlet in the hall's eastern end cap (also a former Boulevard Bread space), extending the building into what had been a patio to create a partially open, mostly enclosed space similar to the one on the hall's west side. There will still be a bit of patio space; the construction will also allow for a walk-up window for potential late-night service. Things are still on target for an early October opening.
Last Saturday was the last day of operation for Mo Betta Gumbo, 16925 Interstate 30, Benton. Management, on the eatery's Facebook page Aug. 25, thanked the restaurant's regulars for "all the love and kindness that so many of you have shown over the past two years" and the staff for "joining us on this wild ride."
And this weekend will see the final Saturday brunch service at Cache, President Clinton and River Market avenues, Little Rock. The restaurant will continue to serve Sunday brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The phone number is (501) 850-0265.
And speaking of Cache, it's the weekday home of Tim Morton, the last chef at 1620 Savoy, 1620 Market St., Little Rock, who will join his mentor and aunt, Evette Brady, for the final farewell dinner for the restaurant, which closed several months ago, at 6 p.m. Sept. 10. Cost -- $40 per guest plus tax and gratuity -- includes a principally all-local (ingredients from Harding Farms) buffet (featuring 1620 favorites -- Blackened Shrimp With Creole Remoulade, Smoked Duck Caesar Salad, Grilled Salmon With Sauce Charon, 1620 Chicken and Potatoes d'Auphinoise), passed entrees (Filet Bearnaise, Black Peppercorn Strip Steak With Brandy Brown Sauce and 1620 Scallops with mushrooms, jalapenos and hollandaise), small plates, a chef's station on the patio area serving made-to-order Rush Pasta, a dessert station and Brady's 1620 Souffle. Wine and liquor will be available via a cash bar. Call (407) 694-5507 or email info@rhcatering.com or sean_m_page@yahoo.com to make reservations. Brady apprenticed and subsequently worked as sous chef under legendary chef Denis Seyer at Jacques and Suzanne, Le Casse Croute and Alouette's, and signed on as chef and general manager when Paul Bash, another Jacques and Suzanne's veteran, opened 1620 in 1990. She bought the restaurant in 1997. Morton and Brady are operating a catering company out of the building, which has has been listed for sale.
The building at 4716 Camp Robinson Road, North Little Rock, which has previously housed Mexican restaurants Los Nogales and Rio Grande, will now be a restaurant called Agave, according to a sign out front spotted by one of our sharp-eyed colleagues. We could not get an answer at the phone number on the sign -- (501) 753-8336 -- which was the same number Los Nogales had.
For some reason, we missed out on reporting the early July opening of the Cupcake Factory, 2808 E. Kiehl Ave., Sherwood. Like its sister establishment at 18104 Kanis Road, Little Rock, it offers gourmet cupcakes, dessert-style and custom-made cakes, cookies and other baked goods; unlike the other, it doesn't offer sandwiches or a lunch menu. Hours are 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. The phone number: (501) 819-5070.
Confirmation from two sources arrived after last Thursday's column was printed that the 3920 Central Ave., Hot Springs, outlet of Ruby Tuesday has, in fact, closed. One came from a first-hand observation from a sharp-eyed Spa City correspondent, the other via a curious little spreadsheet that one of our correspondents obtained from a real estate broker that lists currently or soon to be defunct Ruby Tuesday locations and their disposition. That also includes the Conway outlet we mentioned, 2400 Sanders Road, and now-closed outlets in Fayetteville and Bentonville.
Three Fold Noodles and Dumpling Co., 215 Center St., Little Rock, has forged a partnership with three downtown Little Rock theaters -- the Studio Theatre, 320 W. Seventh St.; the Weekend Theater, West Seventh and Chester streets; and the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, 601 Main St. -- to offer a Pre-Theater Meal for Two. Show them your same-day tickets and get two noodle bowls, one six-piece dumpling bowl, a choice of slaw, a bag of sesame balls and two drinks for $29.79. Hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. The phone number is (501) 372-1811.
And the Arkansas Hospitality Association and Pulaski Tech's Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute are searching for Arkansas' top bartender, via the Mixology Competition, noon-4 p.m. Sept. 14 as part of the Sept. 14-15 Arkansas Hospitality Trade Show, at the Statehouse Convention Center, Markham and Main streets, Little Rock. The competition will be in two phases: "Bartending 101: Classic Cocktail" and "Art of Mixology." Rules, details and an online entry form are available at arhospitality.org/events/star-of-the-bar. Got questions? Email klipsmeyer@pulaskitech.edu orjill@arhospitality.org.
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 09/01/2016