In case you missed Alex Gladden's outstanding obituary in this newspaper last week, Maggie Hinson, owner of Midtown Billiards, 1316 Main St., Little Rock, died April 30 at 72. Midtown patrons took shots of Patron, memorializing her practice, while she was managing the place, of taking a 6 a.m. shot of tequila and eating peanuts. She lost a two-year fight with kidney disease, her children said. She bought Midtown with her husband, Jim Hinson, in 1989; "Big Jim," as he was often called, died on Christmas Day 2013. Employees considered her as a second mother and called her "Momma Maggie." Son David Shipps, who has been running Midtown for the past few years, said he plans to keep the bar with the same old Midtown spunk. Hinson also helped start two other area bars with former employees, Four Quarter in North Little Rock and TC's Midtown Grill North in Conway.
• Construction delays had pushed the opening of the new McDonald's at 515 W. Sixth St. at Broadway, Little Rock, from May 1 to Tuesday, but there has been another hitch -- rain has been holding back a utilities project, so, barring additional weather delays, it's expected to be up and running Friday. Being billed as "flagship location for central Arkansas" and with all the new McDonald's bells and whistles, including the electronic ordering kiosks, it's replacing the one catty-cornered at 701 Broadway.
We're still trying to track down information and/or updates on these recent restaurant/eatery developments:
• The new owner(s) of Mylo Coffee Co., 2715 Kavanaugh Blvd. in Little Rock's Hillcrest, were originally to have been announced last week. Outgoing owners Stephanos and Markos Mylonas posted about the sale April 26 on the coffee shop/bakery's Facebook page, facebook.com/MyloCoffeeCo, but have posted nothing since.
• An opening date is still unknown for the Heights branch of The Cupcake Factory, going into the former Cupcakes on Kavanaugh storefront, 5625 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock. Owner Melissa Bristow originally was shooting for an April 30 opening, in time to take advantage of last weekend's Cinco de Heights Street Fiesta along that stretch of Kavanaugh, but we've found no indication that happened. The phone number at the original location, 18104 Kanis Road, Little Rock, is (501) 821-9913.
Target opening date for the new Little Rock branch of Northwest Arkansas-based Grub's Bar & Grille, 10700 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, in the space formerly occupied by Chili's has been moved from mid-May to mid-June. There is now a Grub's Bar & Grille -- Little Rock Facebook page; a Sunday post thereon says only, "Opening soon." The website for the mini-chain: grubsbar.com.
Co-owner Eric Herget says they're "in the process of moving away from a menu for dinner" at the Green Room at the Heights Corner Market, 5018 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock. Instead, they're combining the forces of the grocery and the kitchen for three nightly specials. "We have great meat and produce on hand," Herget says. "We need to take advantage of it. We can still cook you a steak or burger; however, we feel most will want to try the specials and have a regular change." Recent specials, for example, have focused on veal; subsequent specials might focus on seafood, "but we have various proteins on hand, too." Hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5:30-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; the phone number is (501) 663-4152.
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Rebel Kettle Brewing Co., 822 E. Sixth St., Little Rock, recently put its figurative foot down on the behavior and conduct of underage customers, as this April 26 Facebook post attests:
"Rebel Kettle is an adult establishment that has always welcomed children, and we'd like to continue to do so. In light of a few recent incidents, we have no choice but to tighten our child policy. These house rules were created with safety in mind:
• "No running.
• "No climbing on the stage, tables, fence, or railings.
• "Please keep children with you at your table. (No tables of children without an adult present.)
• "Since children must be supervised at all times, there cannot be more than 3 children per 1 adult.
• "Strollers must not block entry ways, the ramp, or back gate.
• "No changing diapers outside of the bathroom. There is a changing station in the family restroom.
• "Parents/guardians must be within 15 feet of their children at all times.
• "Shoes and clothes must be worn at all times.
"Rebel Kettle is a brewery that caters to adults. We are not a playground, a daycare service or babysitting service. If you cannot be respectful of this, you will be asked to leave."
Rebel Kettle's phone number: (501) 374-2791.
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The Root Cafe's chef, Jonathan Arrington, and co-owner, Jack Sundell, are putting together "If Reasons Were as Plenty as Blackberries: Arkansas Fruits and Berries," a meal pairing a different Arkansas fruit with a main-course protein, for each course, 6:30-9:30 p.m. June 6 at Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St., Little Rock. It's the second dinner in the museum's 2019 "History Is Served: Arkansas Foodways" dinner series. Tickets, $60 ($45 for museum members), go on sale Monday at arkansasonline.com/509fruitticket./Foodways0606.
Tropical Smoothie Cafes in Little Rock (and elsewhere) are raising money to help send kids with life-threatening illnesses and their families to Camp Sunshine on Sebago Lake in Casco, Maine, with a goal of $1.2 million for 2019. Through June 30, Tropical Smoothie customers who donate will not only get a paper sunshine, to be displayed in the cafes, but for donations of $5 or more can receive a 5% discount card, good for purchases for the remainder of the year. And from 2-7 p.m. on National Flip Flop Day, June 14, guests wearing flip flops will receive a free 16-ounce Sunshine Smoothie -- and, of course, will be encouraged to donate. Visit tropicalsmoothiecafe.com.
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 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 05/09/2019