Restaurant Transitions: Ceci's plans location in Little Rock; Aji Ramen Bar opens soon; Samu coming next month

Ceci’s Chicken and Waffles plans to open a second outlet in Little Rock in 2019.
Ceci’s Chicken and Waffles plans to open a second outlet in Little Rock in 2019.

Ciceley McDowell did not say where or when in her Oct. 10 Facebook video, but she's planning to open a second location of her Ceci's Chicken and Waffles in Little Rock sometime next year. You will recall McDowell opened her restaurant at 324 E. 13th St., North Little Rock, and about a year and half ago uprooted and relocated to 1600 Dave Ward Drive, Conway. In her video, McDowell says while she'll keep the Conway location, "I've always wanted to have at least two restaurants, so I'm super excited about it," she said in the video. "Little Rock was always going to be one that I had. 2019 -- we're trying to do it big. We're going to the bank. It's time." Meanwhile, the Conway location will start cutting night hours and close at 3 p.m. beginning in November. The phone number there: (501) 358-6944.

It came as a surprise to us the other day that, as we passed the former convenience store at 1402 Rebsamen Park Road where it intersects with Cedar Hill Road in Little Rock's Riverdale neighborhood, that a Domino's Pizza is going in there. Another surprise: We found out Monday that, depending on several items that have to happen in just the right sequence, it could open as early as Friday. We don't have a phone number and as of deadline, it doesn't yet appear on the locator website, pizza.dominos.com/arkansas/little-rock.

Georgia's Gyros, 2933 Lakewood Village Drive, North Little Rock, has closed after more than a quarter century in operation. This Facebook post, presumably from owner Mark Rogers, appeared on Monday: "I am sad to announce I have officially closed Georgia's due to my personal health issues," with thanks to customers and staff for their support "over the past 26+ years of business." The phone number, (501) 753-5090, had not yet been disconnected as of our Tuesday morning deadline but nobody answered it.

From their Facebook page: the front of Aji Ramen Bar, opening Monday on Shackleford Road
From their Facebook page: the front of Aji Ramen Bar, opening Monday on Shackleford Road

Owner Oki Sutanto says he expects to open Aji Ramen Bar, in the shopping center at 301 N. Shackleford Road, Little Rock, on Monday. Hours will be 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The phone number is (501) 414-8433; the Facebook page is facebook.com/Aji-Ramen-Bar-709585816084060.

Nov. 5 is the target opening date for Samu Bar Sushi Hibachi in the space Oceans at Arthur's recently vacated in the Village at Rahling Road, 27 Rahling Circle, Little Rock. The new website, samubarsushihibachi.wixsite.com/sushi, tells us that it's from chef Ferry S. Chow, who with his family runs Wasabi Sushi Bar in downtown Little Rock and Ninja Sushi Bar and Grill on Cantrell Road, with a menu very similar to that of both places. Hours will be 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. daily; the phone number is (501) 448-2310.

From their Facebook page: the front of Samu Bar Sushi Hibachi, opening Nov. 5 in the Village at Rahling Road.
From their Facebook page: the front of Samu Bar Sushi Hibachi, opening Nov. 5 in the Village at Rahling Road.

Bruno's Little Italy, 310 Main St., Little Rock, will close on Election Day, Nov. 6, "so all our employees will be able to get to the polls and vote." In posting this to Facebook, "We encourage other businesses that are able to forgo a day of income to do the same -- to encourage their employees to vote." (Business owners, let us know if you're planning to follow suit.)

Contractor Flynco Inc. has obtained a building permit to begin $830,000 worth of work to, among other things, add Chick-fil-A and Burger King outlets, scheduled to open in January, to the passenger concourse at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field. The new Chili's outlet on the concourse opened Wednesday. The restaurant work is part of a nearly $4 million project to upgrade the airport's food, beverage and retail offerings.

MorningSide Bagels, 10848 Maumelle Blvd., North Little Rock, won't meet its Wednesday target reopening date. New owner Robyn Edwards, whose voice now appears on the message we got when we called the shop's phone number, (501) 753-6960, says going has been slower than expected and her new target -- "not in concrete either," she says -- is Nov. 12. Hours will be 6 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Meanwhile, the next-door GiGi's Soul Food Cafe and Lounge, 10840 Maumelle Blvd., North Little Rock, is closed for a "complete remodeling," according to a recent Facebook post, which suggests folks "[s]tayed tuned for opening date." The phone number is (501) 771-1829.

Kendo Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi is now open in what used to be Shashimi Japanese Steakhouse, 1900 Club Manor Drive, Maumelle. Hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, though it may eventually open for lunch Saturday-Sunday. The phone number is the same as Sashimi's: (501) 851-4700. There's also a Facebook page (facebook.com/kendo.maumelle.3).

And we've had an update on the neighboring in-progress doughnut shop, a couple of doors down in the same strip center, also 1900 Club Manor, in the space vacated by Hangers Cleaners. One of our eagle-eyed correspondents has spotted a sign that says 7 Day Donuts.

And speaking of doughnuts, while we're waiting for the Oct. 27 official opening of of Donuts & Deli, 308 Main St., Little Rock, they've started their soft-opening service; by mid-morning Saturday, the unanticipated large rush of customers had already stripped them out of doughnuts. The place has a firefighter theme; the breakfast menu includes, in addition to the Firefighter Skillet, a 1st Responder Special, and the lunch menu has Hook and Ladder [chicken] Strips. Hours are 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. The listed phone number is (501) 626-8083, which according to the voicemail message is a wireless number; the website is donutslr.com; and the Facebook page is facebook.com/donutslr.

India Cafe, from the folks who formerly operated Desi Den, is now open in the former Home Plate Diner space, 2615 N. Prickett Road, Bryant. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. The phone number is (501) 213-0429; the Facebook page (facebook.com/pg/DESI-DEN-is-Now-INDIA-CAFE-440952209319344/posts) announces they've started free delivery this week.

The Conway building at 912 Front St. that was renovated for the former John Daly's Steakhouse, which closed in July after less than a year in business, is up for sale and the eatery's former CEO has filed for bankruptcy, reports our online ace Jaime Dunaway. Real estate developer Newmark Moses Tucker Partners listed the 10,000-square-foot property last week. Meanwhile, Arkansas Business reported that Sam McFadin of Conway, a co-owner, executive or LLC member at several companies, including John Daly's Steakhouse, the S.A.M. Group, which developed the restaurant, filed Sept. 14 for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Arkansas.

Former Hot Springs resident Robin Hazard will display before-and-after Hurricane Harvey photographs of her home in Rockport, Texas, and paintings inspired during her evacuation in Johnson City, Texas, for The Avenue's monthly Art & Wine Dinner, 7 p.m. Sunday inside The Waters hotel, 340 Central Ave., Hot Springs. Executive chef Casey Copeland has put together a five-course dinner of Southern classics (including fried chicken, duck breast and poached pears) with wine pairings from the Jackson Family Estate winery. Cost is $85. For a complete menu and reservations, call (501) 625-3850.

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Offers.com (offers.com/blog/post/get-halloween-freebies-and-deals) lists a few Halloween freebies and deals; since participation varies by location and franchise, they, and we, recommend you check with your local outlet before making specific plans.

Applebee's specialty Zombie Cocktail, featuring rum, pineapple, passion fruit, cherry and lime flavors, and is garnished with a gummy "brain," is $1 every day in October.

• At Baskin-Robbins, get $1.50 ice cream scoops on Halloween. Flavor of the Month is Trick Oreo Treat, a vanilla ice cream base packed with crumbled pieces of orange creme-filled Oreo cookies and Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy pieces. There's also the Fang-Tastic Monster Cake, decorated with orange fur, three eyes and a happy smile, which you can customize with the ice cream flavor of your choice.

Chili's Great Pumpkin 'Rita, $5 through Halloween, combines Monin Pumpkin Spice Syrup, Lunazul Silver Tequila, triple sec and a splash of Captain Morgan rum.

• Guests who show up in costume at Chuck E. Cheese during "Chucktober" get 50 free tickets.

• At IHOP, kids 12 and younger get a free Scary Face Pancake, 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 31 (one pancake per child, dine-in only).

• Dunkin' Donuts offers a new Halloween Oreo Donut and the return of the Spider Donut. And Krispy Kreme's annual Halloween collection features new Trick-or-Treat and Monster Batter doughnuts, joining the Jack-O-Lantern Doughnut and the Chocolate Iced Doughnut with Halloween Sprinkles. Come in costume Wednesday and get a free doughnut of your choice.

Papa John's pumpkin-shaped jack-o'-lantern pizza is $11 through Wednesday (use the code JACKOLANTERN if you're ordering online). They're also running Halloween Party meal deals, including five large one-topping pizzas with the option of three bread sides or three desserts for $55. (Visit papajohns.com/order/menu?special=Parties.)

• Participating Red Robin locations offer $1.99 kids meals on Wednesdays, including Halloween.

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And CareLink, central Arkansas' Area Agency on Aging, is reprising its pre-Thanksgiving Pie It Forward, its second annual sale of homemade pies to raise money for Meals on Wheels, with the nonprofit's development department baking and peddling 10-inch sweet potato and apple pies for $13. Deadline to order is Nov. 9; pies will be available for pickup "during select times" (to be announced) Nov. 16 and 21 at the Meals on Wheels kitchen at 2100 Pike Ave., North Little Rock. Order five pies or more and they'll deliver 'em for free. Call (501) 688-7469 or visit carelink.org/events, tinyurl.com/pieitforward or the Facebook events page, facebook.com/events/542510719547328. Meals on Wheels delivers more than 1,100 hot and frozen meals daily to older people in a six-county region in central Arkansas.

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 10/25/2018

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