The new North Little Rock franchise of Sam's Southern Eatery finally opened last weekend, after nearly another month's delay, in the former KFC/Long John Silver's hybrid, 613 E. Broadway, just off the Broadway exit off Interstate 30. The menu is close, but not quite identical, to the menus across the chain, which you can find at samssoutherneatery.com -- primarily fried chicken and grilled and fried catfish and shrimp in various combinations. Hours are tentatively 10 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. weekends. We're still trying to track down the phone number. Franchisee Abu Bakr "Al" Sayyah and his family also operate Zam Zam International Market and its next-door restaurant in the Galleria shopping center, 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, and one or more Popeye's franchises.
Several sources reported late last week that the Wendy's outlet at 4600 Camp Robinson Road, North Little Rock, has closed. A call to the phone number, (501) 758-4600, transferred us to another line -- with a different ring tone -- that nobody answered. And as usual in closures of chain and franchise restaurant locations, we have no explanation for why. Nor do we know, since the question will undoubtedly come up, whether there's any link to the recent closure of a Wendy's on Cantrell Road in Little Rock.
Nashville Rockin Grill, 10840 Maumelle Blvd., North Little Rock, is for sale. There's no sign out front but Crye-Leike Real Estate Services has it listed, with an asking price of $395,000, on its website (tinyurl.com/rockingrill). It comes with this glowing description, in all capital letters (we've taken the liberty of down-casing and correcting some spelling) and bristling with exclamation points: "Incredible cash flow! Incredible finish out! 2 huge bars! Oversized stage! Outside seating! The latest in every option needed in a first-class and entertaining setting. Full commercial kitchen with all the latest equipment! Commercial smoker! 200 seating! The latest in technology with 12 oversized TVs. All new tables and electronics. You can take over this thriving business. Inventory, goodwill and equipment included! Catering/passenger van included." Also included: all those exclamation points, and the new paint jobs on the bronze bull (bright red) that protrudes slightly into the parking lot and the establishment's patio roof (bright yellow). The restaurant phone number is (501) 812-0095 if you want to verify any of the information in the listing; the website is nashvillerockingrill.com.
Something is going on at the former Fresh: An Urban Eatery, 1706 W. Third St., Little Rock, which has been vacant since January. One of our sharp-eyed observers spotted a panel truck, either loading or unloading, outside the building's open door.
And one of our sharp-eyed Spa City observers noted a for-rent sign outside Mardi Gras Seafood, 200 Higdon Ferry Road, Hot Springs. A call to the listed phone number, (501) 463-98730, only got us to a voice mailbox.
In the run-up to the sixth Main Street Food Truck Festival on Sept. 24 and beyond, Downtown Little Rock Partnership has resumed its Main Street Food Truck Fridays, 10:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Fridays through Oct. 28 on the "plaza" on the northwest corner of Main Street and Capitol Avenue, Little Rock. There are different vendors each week, all of whom are expected to participate in the festival. Find each week's list on Facebook (facebook.com/MainStreetFoodTruckFestival) and the Downtown Little Rock Partnership website (downtownlr.com).
In case you missed this little tidbit last week in our Business section by ace reporter Stephen Steed, the official explanation for the new Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Little Rock's Riverdale neighborhood being built backward wasn't some architectural foul-up, as you might have guessed if you'd spotted it first on social media. It was done on purpose, say the developers, because it was the only design that fit the small piece of property, which formerly housed a car wash, while still making it possible to include a drive-through window. The back of the building faces Rebsamen Park Road eastward near its intersection with Old Cantrell Road and has a pretty tight driveway for to-go orders. "Aesthetically, it might look funny, but, hey, if it looks funny and attracts customers, that's still good," Steed quoted Chris Kramolis, area developer for Tropical Smoothie in Arkansas, as saying. Plans, approved by the city, are to widen the driveway a bit to make it a little easier for large pick-ups to negotiate.
The North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce will hold its 2016 A Taste for Business food and beverage showcase, 5-7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 on the Concourse Level of North Little Rock's Verizon Arena. More than 30 chamber-member restaurants and caterers will supply food and drink (find a list of participants online at nlrchamber.org). Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door; proceeds support the chamber's educational programs. Call (501) 372-5959, email nlrchamber@nlrchamber.org or visit tinyurl.com/nlrbiztaste.
Garvan Woodland Gardens, 550 Arkridge Road, Hot Springs, will host a pairing event involving gourmet meat from JV Farms in Bismarck, cheese from Kent Walker Artisan Cheese in Little Rock and craft beer from Superior Bathhouse Brewery in Hot Springs, 6-8 p.m. Sept. 17 in the facility's Magnolia Room. Cost is $40, $70 per couple; to make the required reservations, call (800) 366-4664 or (501) 262-9300 or visit garvangardens.org.
And the 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville, 200 N.E. A St., Bentonville, and its restaurant, The Hive, will mark National Bourbon Heritage Month with a Fork & Bottle Bourbon dinner, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28, a dinner of four courses (including bone-in pork belly and sorghum-roasted duck), each paired with a bourbon libation. Tickets are $59 per person; seating is limited and they encourage reservations -- call (479) 286-6518.
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 09/08/2016