The now-closed Chi's Dim Sum & Bistro, 6 Shackleford Drive, Little Rock, has now been supposedly fully consolidated with its younger sibling, Chi's Fine Chinese Cuisine, 17200 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, or at least as much as is practical. Some portions of the menu have made the move -- and management says the place was packed for dim-sum cart service this past weekend -- but the kitchen out west is just too small to handle all of it. The Chenal Parkway location had started out primarily as a to-go operation called Chi's Express, but a few years ago expanded into what had been a coffee shop at the apex of the L-shaped Centre at Chenal center. Hours are 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. daily. The phone number is (501) 821-8000.
Jacob Chi, who handles much of the family business, confirms they'll keep and repurpose the Shackleford Drive building, but not what it will become. And he gave us this bit of news: Construction has started on a planned downtown location, 319 W. Second St., across from the Pulaski County Courthouse, to resurrect the Chi's Express name, with a focus on lunch, take-out and delivery, which the Chi's Asian Cafe and Sushi Bar, 3421 Old Cantrell Road in Riverdale, has not been able to accommodate for downtown customers. Construction has apparently already started and Chi expects it to take nine to 10 months.
It'll join the Chi's Little Rock restaurant "empire," which includes both branches of Sushi Cafe, in the Heights and in west Little Rock; Lulu's Crab Boil, 5911 R St., and Prospect Bar and Grill, 5501 Kavanaugh Blvd., also in the Heights; and the Little Rock outlet of La Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe, 12210 W. Markham St. (It does not include Chi's Too, 5110 W. Markham St., which started out as a Chi's branch but which the family sold years ago to a former chef.) They also operate or have pieces of a couple of area hotels, with one in the works.