Justin Patterson and CC Key, owner and manager, respectively, of the late Southern Gourmasian, which closed earlier this year on West Capitol Avenue, are moving farther west on Capitol Avenue, having signed a lease on the restaurant space in the Hotel Frederica (formerly the Legacy. And, of course, the Hotel Sam Peck), 625 W. Capitol, where they plan to open a Southern-theme restaurant and lounge they're calling TAE.
That stands for "True Arkansas Eatery," and, perhaps coincidentally, perhaps not, "eat" spelled backward.
Patterson says the menu is still a work in progress -- he hopes to have it in place by the end of this week or possibly next -- but it will focus on Southern food with "a few dishes that really represent historical Arkansas food" (and yes, that includes some kind of cheese dip).
The full-service restaurant will seat 50-60 for lunch and dinner with a full bar and a small framed outdoor seating area that Patterson says will probably be used for special events. He says a timeline to open also will take a week or two to firm up.