Conway-based Blue Sail Coffee Roasters will open a 1,222-square-foot coffee shop on or about March 1 on the first floor of Phase 1 of the Little Rock Technology Park project, 417 Main St. It will offer lattes, cold brews and pour overs, plus "signature brunch items such as quiche, croissant sandwiches and baked goods," according to a Tech Park news release. Hours are, tentatively, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays with possible Saturday hours. Blue Sail has two stores in Conway, 1028 Front St. and in the Donaghey Center, 250 Donaghey Ave., fronting the University of Central Arkansas. Check out the website: bluesail.coffee.
Just down the street, Bruno's Little Italy owner Gio Bruno now says he has bowed to pressure from staff and patrons and has started offering 8-inch personal round pizzas for lunch, now that the former Bruno's Little Deli has fused with the main restaurant, 310 Main St., Little Rock. Originally he planned not to light the restaurant's main pizza ovens in the daytime and continue to only serve the deli's French-bread pizzas.
The website for Trevose, Pa.-based chain/franchise operation Rita's Italian Ice lists as coming soon a location in the Lewis Crossing Shopping Center on Conway's South Amity Road.
Three Sam's BBQ & Catering is selling barbecue sandwiches, barbecue stuffed potatoes and desserts, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. most weekdays in its parking lot at 10508 Mann Road, Mabelvale, while the restaurant, destroyed by fire in May, is slowly being rebuilt. We couldn't get through to the listed phone number, (501) 407-0345, to turn up any additional information, but hopefully somebody with the restaurant will spot this and give us a holler.
The iced sugar cookie at Kris and Sam's Box Lunch and Cookie Store, 1208 S. Bowman Road, Little Rock, is the Arkansas pick for Good Housekeeping's listing of the best cookie in each of the 50 states (tinyurl.com/zgwndls): "Kris and Sam's in Arkansas has the classic sugar cookie on lock. Who doesn't love a soft, doughy treat layered with creamy icing? For just under $2, add customized flowers, smiley faces or even Santa Claus if you visit around holidays." The store's phone number, should you wish to offer congratulations or order a few dozen: (501) 223-3110.
A codicil to our recent reporting on Sharks Fish and Chicken: The outlet at 8722 Col. Glenn Road, Little Rock, has closed, and its phone number is now the same as the one for its year-old location at 6606 Col. Glenn: (501) 569-9502.
Trio's Restaurant in Little Rock has teamed with the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board's educational food program, the Kitchen/Fields Table Tour, serving a January feature dish that helps promote the Arkansas soybean industry. Owner-executive chef Capi Peck created and has been serving a soybean-inspired herbed salad with edamame, avocado, scallions, pistachios and mint leaves and a grapefruit-cardamom vinaigrette. Collaborators for the rest of the first half of the year: J Town's Grill, Jonesboro (February), Le Petite Cajun Bistro, Stuttgart (March), Taylor's Steakhouse, Dumas (April), Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie, Bentonville (May) and Brave New Restaurant, Little Rock (June). Visit TheMiracleBean.com.
And Taco Bell is rolling out today the Naked Chicken Chalupa, according to the Irvine, Calif.-based chain's website, tinyurl.com/chalupa1. It's tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and "creamy avocado ranch," wrapped in, instead of an ordinary crispy tortilla shell, a fried 4-ounce marinated white-meat chicken patty "kicked up" with bold Mexican spices. The release follows successful test runs in Kansas City, Mo., and Bakersfield, Calif. It will reportedly cost $3.
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 01/26/2017