The owners of Little Rock's Three Fold Noodles + Dumpling Co. are proceeding with plans to redevelop the property at 1509 Rebsamen Park Road, Little Rock, formerly the Marshall Clements Antique Store, into a restaurant with an outdoor dining space, a bar and a sake brewery.
Owner Lisa Zhang says they have adjusted the site plan they are submitting to the Little Rock Board of Adjustment to reduce the size of the proposed building from 10,000 square feet to 8,000 square feet and eliminating a six- to seven-foot grade on the property to provide at least 48 parking spaces.
That's the principal source of concern for neighboring businesses that led the board to defer for a month — to a meeting on Monday — its decision whether or not to approve the proposal. Zhang says the change should satisfy neighbors that the facility's customers won't be parking on their lots.
Zhang says she envisions a two- to three-year timeline for the new facility, based on how long it will take to raise the necessary funding. "We don't want to put ourselves into deep debt," she explained. The facility, the name of which is still to be determined, will create Asian pickles, cure meats, bake pastries and brew sake, a Japanese rice spirit with apparently Chinese origins. It represents a second Chinese cuisine project for Three Fold, which has steadfastly concentrated on a limited menu of dumplings, noodles and buns, both in its original location, 215 Center St., and its current spot, 611 Main St. Hours will be the same as Three Fold: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday.
Meanwhile, Zhang plans to open a pop-up restaurant in what was its original Center Street location, which Hanaroo, a Japanese-Korean-sushi restaurant took over in December 2017, but closed April 20. She says she'd known about the closing for about a month but it had not otherwise been announced. Hanaroo had moved to Center Street from 205 W. Capitol Ave., where it had operated since 2005.
Zhang said the new restaurant, to be named Haybird Chicken, will serve Asian-style fried chicken, lighter than the traditional American Southern-style, consisting of seasoned, marinated, boneless chicken breasts (white meat) and full legs (dark meat), cut into portions of manageable size and served with a side of sauce in three spice levels (nonspicy, spicy and "poison"), either on a plate or a toasted/steamed whole-wheat bun. A gluten-based vegetarian "chicken" and lightly fried vegetables, tofu and wood-ear fungi would be available for vegetarians.
Thin "hay" fries, house-made pickled daikon, cucumbers and carrots, deep-fried mini-buns and gizzards will be available as side items. As at Three Fold, the beverage list will include fountain-dispensed soft drinks and iced tea, hot tea, Mountain Valley bottled water, bubble tea and draft and bottled beer.
Target to open, assuming all permits are in place date, will be May 25-28. Zhang said she has signed a one-year lease on the space, with an option for a second year; if the concept becomes popular and profitable, it can be made permanent, either at that location or a new one.
Zhang said Three Fold is continuing to do well since it moved to Main Street in the fall of 2017 — the move made it possible to prepare more items to order and slightly expand the menu — to the point at which it occasionally runs out of one or more of its three menu items. Zhang said the new facility will also have space to make additional noodles and dumplings to supplement the Main Street kitchen.
Three Fold's phone number is (501) 372-1739.
Meanwhile, we have confirmed the closing of Hanaroo via this April 19 post on their Facebook page: "We are no longer do business. It's been 12 years, so we want to say thank you so much for everything!" The phone number, (501) 301-7900, had not yet been disconnected by our deadline, but only rang without answer during business hours.
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We've gotten several reports from eagle-eyed observers that the Asher Dairy Bar, 7105 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock, which closed in the fall of 2016, has been razed. No word on what, if anything, will take its place.
The former Rodney's HandleBar & Grill, 9110 Interstate 30, Little Rock, is now Ginger's Handlebar Grill. The namesake is Ginger Roberts, wife of co-owner Daniel Roberts, Rodney's son, who describes it as now more of a restaurant and less of a bar, serving "most everything made from scratch," he says — that is the work of chef Chris Busick, who describes his menu as "traditional America from burgers, salads and steaks to dessert and daily lunch specials." (Those daily specials include a smoked turkey salad wrap today and a country fried steak sandwich on Friday.) Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The phone number is (501) 476-3155; visit the Facebook page, facebook.com/GINGERs-HandleBar-GRILL-655161298249647.
Co-owner Dean Jennings says he's now looking at the first week of June for the opening of the Little Rock branch of the Spa City's Bones Chophouse in the space at 27 Rahling Circle that formerly housed Arthur's Prime Steakhouse. The kitchen, he says, is pretty much complete and he's working on the dining room this week, and plans to do some soft-opening service the last week of May. The core menu will be the same as he serves at 3920 Central Ave. in Hot Springs, with some different appetizers and a few different dinner features. Hours will be 4-9 or 4-10 p.m. daily, and he'll serve Sunday brunch. The phone number is (501) 821-5800.
Milano's Italian Grill has, according to its Facebook page (facebook.com/MilanoItalianGrillLittleRock) opened at 6100 Stones Road at Cantrell Road, Little Rock, next door to the Casa Manana outlet at 18317 Cantrell. The space in the past had housed the Pizza Joint and is in fact the spot that the farthest-west-reach of Layla's Gyros & Pizza had vacated last fall, having moved there from 8201 Ranch Blvd. This is the second restaurant of that name from the folks who run Verona Italian Restaurant, 190 Skyline Drive, Conway; the first opened a few months ago at 1800 Club Manor Drive, Maumelle. Hours are 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is (501) 367-8255.
Kosuke Hibachi & Sushi has opened in a set of storefronts at 1900 Club Manor Drive., Maumelle, that previously, briefly, housed Kendo Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi, and before that, Sashimi Japanese Steakhouse. Hours are 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; the phone number is (501) 734-8434 and the Facebook page is facebook.com/Kosuke-Japanese-Steakhouse-and-Sushi-2181020478614017.
And Wednesday is the target for the opening of South Boulevard (the sign says SoBo), in the former GiGi's Soul Food Cafe and Lounge/Nashville Bar and Grill space, 10840 Maumelle Boulevard, North Little Rock, next to Morningside Bagel. Owner Jermaine Burton, who also owns Lucky's Sports Bar & Grill, 1101 Murphy Drive, Maumelle, says he's looking at a fusion menu that will include steaks and Korean barbecue; the Facebook page, facebook.com/South-Boulevard-400867444061333, also promises a SoBo Original Burger, an Alaskan Pollock Po-boy, a Spring Strawberry Fields salad and desserts including "Gluten Free Turtle Cheesecake from Cinnalightful," as well as limited Sunday brunch menu. Kitchen hours are tentative -- we're told 11 a.m.-10 p.m. weekdays, possibly open a little later on weekends, with the bar staying open somewhat later than that. The phone number is (501) 414-8870.
We've been told, although we haven't been able to confirm, that the opening of Magnolia Skillet in the the former White Pig Inn, 5231 E. Broadway in North Little Rock's Rose City, has been delayed after somebody stole their air conditioning unit.
The last week of May is the target for the opening of the Little Rock franchise outlet of Plano, Texas-based Bawarchi Biryanis outlet in the Market Place Shopping Center, 11121 N. Rodney Parham, Little Rock. The space, storefront 36B, has housed four previous Indian restaurants -- Flavor of India, Amruth, Curry in a Hurry and Kebab & Curry (it's also notable for its proximity to the popular Taj Mahal, just half a block away on Market Street). There is also an outlet in Bentonville. Hours will be 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily; the phone number is (501) 213-8065; you can check out the surprisingly broad menu -- nearly two dozen versions of biryani (an Indian rice dish); vegetarian and nonvegetarian entrees; North and South Indian items (including several versions of the crepe-like dosa); and even "Indo Chinese" fusions of Indian and Chinese cuisine -- at the website, still in progress, bawarchilittlerock.com.
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As part of the Arkansas Literary Festival, five Little Rock restaurants are offering specials inspired by books by four of the festival's authors for "Lit Feast," through Sunday:
Allsopp & Chapple Restaurant + Bar, 311 Main St.: barbecued pork chops and ham slices served with deviled eggs, baked beans with thick cut bacon and jalapeno cornbread, inspired by Rick Bragg's memoir, The Best Cook in the World: Tales From My Momma's Table
Capers, 14502 Cantrell Road, German chocolate cake, and Copper Grill, 300 E. Third St., red beans and rice, inspired by Jeff Henderson's If You Can See It, You Can Be It
Ciao Baci, 605 Beechwood St., small plates of Polpettine Fritte (fried meatballs), Mortadella e Peperoni and Uova con Acciughe (egg with anchovy), inspired by Elizabeth Minchilli's The Italian Table
The Root Cafe, 1500 Main St., tomato tart with mustard and ricotta (breakfast only), lettuce soup (lunch and dinner), soy-sauce egg with sticky rice and apple custard crisp (dinner only), inspired by Dorie Greenspan's Everyday Dorie.
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Speaking of The Root Cafe, it's teaming up with nearby Rock Town Distillery for a 6 p.m. Tuesday dinner of five courses, with chef Jonathan Arrington preparing "dishes articulating familiar flavors in rethought presentations," according to a news release, each with a cocktail pairing. Cost is $70; visit centralarkansastickets.com. The cafe phone number: (501) 414-0423.
Abstract paintings by Brad Wreyford, painting, modern design and craft instructor at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts, will be the "art" part of this month's Art & Wine Dinner, 7 p.m. Sunday at The Avenue, inside The Waters hotel, 340 Central Ave., Hot Springs. Executive chef Casey Copeland is preparing a five-course dinner -- including pickled watermelon rind, coconut shrimp with peach and lemongrass salsa, smoked beef tenderloin and blueberry buttermilk pie -- with wine pairings (see the complete menu online at tinyurl.com/y5zl69rr). Price is $85 per person; call (501) 625-3850 for reservations. The paintings will be on display through the rest of the month.
The Capital Hotel's Capital Bar & Grill, 111 W. Markham St., Little Rock, will hold a Cinco de Mayo "Patron Dinner," 6:15 p.m. May 5. Chef James Hale is preparing five courses, including tuna ceviche, jicama slaw and shrimp, duck enchiladas and chorizo grit cake, all paired with cocktails made with Patron or Reposado tequila. Cost is $120. Visit tinyurl.com/yxd9ju28.
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 04/25/2019