We're not sure whether this is an actual sign of anything, but with at least the potential of restaurant dine-in returning in the coming weeks, three higher-end Little Rock restaurants that had closed temporarily have reopened for takeout and/or delivery in just the past few days.
Petit & Keet, 1620 Market St., reopened Monday for curbside pickup and delivery, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. On the limited menu, main dishes range from the Classic Burger ($14) to the 6-ounce House Butchered Filet ($39), plus soups, salads, an appetizer dip and desserts, and, according to a spokesman, family meals, "take & bake" dishes, craft cocktails, growlers, beer, wine and date-night specials. The phone number is (501) 319-7675; it hadn't shown up by deadline but expect a button on the website, petitandkeet.com, for online orders for curbside pickup only.
Table 28, in the Burgundy Hotel, 1501 Merrill Drive, reopened its doors about a week earlier for curbside pickup and delivery within a 5-mile radius. Chef Scott Rains has come up with a limited menu of high-end items, ranging from Ralston's Purple Rice Risotto ($14) to a $30 prime beef filet designed to be finished at home (but they'll cook it through for you on request). Hours are 3-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday; the phone number is (501) 224-2828 and the website is table28lr.com.
And Dizzy's Bistro, 200 River Market Ave., reopened Tuesday, offering close to its full pre-covid-19 menu plus a section of family-style packages, for curbside pickup and immediate-area delivery, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. The phone number is (501) 375-3500; the website, dizzyslr.com; and the Facebook page, facebook.com/DizzysBistro.
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Catfish City & BBQ Grill, 1817 S. University Ave., Little Rock, announced Monday via its Facebook page (facebook.com/catfishcity) that its building has been sold and it will be closing after more than 36 years of serving catfish and barbecue. "We have 30 days to vacate," the post explained. "Because of this, we will be closing in the next week or two and will keep you posted as to when our last day of business will be. ... We are desperately trying to find a restaurant with a drive-thru and a possible investor, or possibly collaborate with an existing restaurant that may need a partner." The restaurant phone number is (501) 663-7224; the website is catfishcityandbbqgrill.com.
You will recall the absolute frenzy that accompanied the announcement at the end of January 2019 of the partnership between Arkansas native Perry J. Smith's Minute Man AR Mgmt LLC and "Minute Man Restaurant of El Dorado, Ark., solely owned and operated by Linda McGoogan," to revive the "legendary brand." Ace business reporter Stephen Steed now reports that Smith said Tuesday he's planning to open his first Minute Man restaurant at 140 John Hardin Drive in Jacksonville, which until March 2019 housed a Fuzzy's Taco Shop. Renovations inside the 4,800-square-foot building have already started and exterior construction, which will include construction of a second drive-thru window, will start in 10 to 12 days, Smith says. He expects to open in July for curbside delivery and drive-thru; limited indoor seating, if covid-19 restrictions are eased or lifted, could start in the fall. Wes T. Hall founded Minute Man, a favorite for its charcoal-grilled burgers and RadaRange fruit pies, in Little Rock in 1948; at its height, it had 57 locations, about 20 in Arkansas, the rest in Tennessee and Louisiana. The only remaining "heritage" location is in El Dorado; Smith, in a Tuesday news release, says that location will also update its menu.
And speaking of burgers, the Hot Springs Sentinel-Record reports that Michael Dampier, known as the "Burger Chef," who competed in the 2019 World Food Championships as a sous chef, is now entering the 2020 competition, being held in Dallas in the fall, as the head chef at Hot Springs' Ohio Club. Dampier got his "golden ticket" into the competition by winning the Arkansas Taste of America Challenge earlier this month with a "fried green tomato, pimento cheese, bacon burger."
And the Lebanon, Tenn.-based Cracker Barrel Old Country Store chain is partnering with DoorDash for third-party home delivery. For the first 1,000 folks who order through DoorDash starting today, the chain is offering half-off its Family Meal Baskets To-Go plus "$0 delivery fees" (use the promo code FAMILY; other fees, including service fee, taxes and gratuity still apply; for more small print, see dasherhelp.doordash.com/offer-terms-conditions).
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@adgnewsroom.com
Weekend on 04/30/2020