RESTAURANT TRANSITIONS: Bone's Chophouse changes name, Little Rock location closes temporarily for 'restructuring'

Tacos Atilano adds a truck in Sherwood

What used to be Bone's Chophouse on Rahling Road in Little Rock is now JB Chophouse and has temporarily closed for "restructuring." (Democrat-Gazette file photo/Eric E. Harrison)
What used to be Bone's Chophouse on Rahling Road in Little Rock is now JB Chophouse and has temporarily closed for "restructuring." (Democrat-Gazette file photo/Eric E. Harrison)

Bone's Chophouse has changed its name to JB ChopHouse — both locations, the original at 3920 Central Ave., Hot Springs, and the restaurant that moved into the former location of Arthur's, 27 Rahling Circle, Little Rock, after Arthur's moved "east" into a former auto dealership on Chenal Parkway.

The reason for the change is still a little obscure — check out the website (boneschophouse.com) and you'll find this playful message: "stick around, and we just might tell you what 'JB' means!" At an educated guess, it could reflect the names of the gentlemen who run them — Dean Jennings ("J") and Lee Beasley ("B") — but we've been unable to confirm. (Jennings has not returned several voicemail messages.)

Meanwhile, the Little Rock location posted Sept. 3 on its Facebook page (facebook.com/BonesChophouseLR) that it is "temporarily closing [its] doors and going through a restructuring phase .... We will release the future date we plan to reopen and cannot wait to see you again." The phone number is (501) 821-5800.

Hours for the Hot Springs location are 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, 4-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The phone number there: (501) 520-5900.

Tacos Atilano has added a third food truck in Sherwood, with a sheltered indoor-outdoor dining spot, to the trucks parked on Baseline Road in Little Rock and this one, parked on Pike Avenue in North Little Rock. (Democrat-Gazette file photo/Eric E. Harrison)
Tacos Atilano has added a third food truck in Sherwood, with a sheltered indoor-outdoor dining spot, to the trucks parked on Baseline Road in Little Rock and this one, parked on Pike Avenue in North Little Rock. (Democrat-Gazette file photo/Eric E. Harrison)

Taco truck operation Tacos Atilano has opened a third location at 8213 Arkansas 107, Sherwood, next to U.S. Pizza; this one has a building "attached" so customers can get tacos from the truck and dine indoors or outdoors. Hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. The other two food trucks are parked, more or less permanently, at 8703 Geyer Springs Road, Little Rock, and 3501 Pike Ave., in North Little Rock's Levy neighborhood. The phone number is (870) 877-1152.

Four Central Arkansas Kum & Go stores — 1501 W. Main St., Jacksonville; 15617 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock; 3220 Springhill Drive, North Little Rock; and 5216 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock — are test-marketing a new made-to-order fresh food menu, including grain bowls; sandwiches featuring premium meat and vegetables on fresh-baked bread; and blended smoothies and cold-brew frappes. The aim, according to a news release, is "to significantly elevate convenience store food with a menu that's more on par with fast casual restaurants."

Snag-A-Salad is reopening, according to its Facebook page (facebook.com/SnagASalad), on Monday in a new location, in the Village Center at 813 Oak St., Conway. (The strip center, we're told, shares a parking lot with CVS.) We have neither hours nor any other details.

Join The Venture Center, noon-1 p.m. Friday, in person — 417 Main St., Little Rock — or virtually for the #VCLifttheRock panel on how the Food Truck Festival — set this year for Oct. 2 — helps revitalize downtown and Main Street Little Rock. Panel members are Anne Laidlaw, director of the state Department of Transformation and Shared Services Division of Building Authority; Sally Mengel, co-founder and co-owner of Loblolly Creamery; Chellie Longstreth, director of events, Downtown Little Rock Partnership; and Brad McCray, owner of Brewski's Pub & Grub — and get lunch and Loblolly ice cream. To attend in-person, register at bit.ly/3830GOu. To attend virtually, register at venturecenter.co/event/foodtrucks.

■ ■ ■

The Little Rock Zoo this weekend is holding its Wild Wines 2021 fundraiser, with libations provided by O'Looney's Wine & Liquor:

◼️ 7 p.m. Friday, $85, $175 VIP (which gets you premium wines and food, live music and and a higher-end, take-home souvenir wine glass). Animals from the Zoo's Animal Ambassador program will make special up-close appearances.

◼️ Lanyards for the VIP event also include admission to the Saturday night "Mane" event, 7 p.m. Saturday (otherwise $85), includes food from several area restaurants, four live music areas and more than 200 wines to sample, plus a souvenir wine glass.

You must be at least 21 to attend (provide ID) and wear comfortable shoes. All proceeds benefit the Arkansas Zoological Foundation. Visit wildwines2021.eventbrite.com.

■ ■ ■

Rusty Tractor Vineyards and Fassler Hall are teaming up for an Oktoberfest, noon-6 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Sunset Lodge at Rusty Tractor Vineyards, 10 Rusty Tractor Lane, Little Rock, featuring German wine flights, Oktoberfest beer flights, Fassler Hall sausage and pretzels, a costume contest, live music and a stein-hoisting competition. Call (501) 916-2294 or visit rustytractorvineyards.com.

And we're compiling a list of Central Arkansas places that serve weekend brunch; visit it at tinyurl.com/3h5wk2y. If your restaurant is not yet on the list, or if you are a patron of a place that you think should be listed, fill out and submit the form on the page or email us at the address listed below.

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. Send email to: eharrison@adgnewsroom.com

Upcoming Events