Capi Peck and Brent Peterson of Trio's Restaurant in Little Rock have entered the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame as the 2022 Proprietors of the Year.
The hall's class of 2022 also includes three now officially distinguished restaurants: Colonial Steak House in Pine Bluff, Dairy King in Portia and Neal's Cafe in Springdale.
The World Championship Duck Gumbo Cookoff in Stuttgart was the top choice for Food-Themed Event. And Hot Springs' late Coy's Steak House took the "Gone But Not Forgotten" category.
The People's Choice winner, chosen by popular ballot: the Jefferson County-based La Casa de Mi Abuelita food truck.
The winners were announced Monday at a hybrid ceremony at Central Arkansas Library System's Ron Robinson Theater in downtown Little Rock. A committee of Arkansas historians, chefs, foodies and food authors chose the winners from 15 finalists, winnowed down from 2,000 submissions from all 75 Arkansas counties. Visit www.ArkFoodHOF.com.
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Shorty Small's, 11100 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, is moving, according to managing partner David Rackley, who posted a letter-slash-press release Tuesday on the restaurant's Facebook page (facebook.com/ShortysmallsWestLR) citing "42 incredible years at the corner of Rodney Parham and Shackleford" and that "Shorty Small's is currently securing a new location in the Little Rock metro area and has begun talks for a new place in Branson, Mo." Details are pending.
Rocky's on Country Club in Sherwood is closing its doors Saturday. (Democrat-Gazette file photo/Eric E. Harrison)
Saturday will be the last day of operation for Rocky's on Country Club, 117 Country Club Road, Sherwood, per this Facebook post (facebook.com/Rockysoncountryclub): "We had a good run, especially with covid and the many changing factors in the industry. ... We will miss all of you, but as of now we need to focus on our mental health and see some of the world while we still have the chance. Don't take this as a good-bye. Think of it more as see you later. Because you never know, we may see you sooner than later." That's from Joel Dunlap, son of Kristine and Patrick Dunlap, Philadelphia ex-pats who ran the original Rocky's Pub in the nearby Indian Hills Shopping Center from 2006-2014, at the time just about the only place in the area to get an authentic Philly cheesesteak.
And speaking of sandwiches, we have an update on our report last week on pending outlets of Jersey Mike's. The one at 3901 Warden Road, North Little Rock, is going up in the parking lot of the Other Center, in proximity to Target and the Texas Roadhouse and close to the pending Chicken Salad Chick. And checking back along our tracks to the website jerseymikes.com/locations/coming-soon?state_id=10000, we found a second Fayetteville location "opening soon" at 160 E. Joyce Blvd. You will recall last week we mentioned the ones coming to the Shoppes at Chenal, 24100 Chenal Parkway at Cantrell Road, Little Rock, and 3071 College Ave., Fayetteville. The chain also has outlets in Benton and Conway.
Grill Pollo, 14810 Cantrell Road at Taylor Loop, Little Rock, is opening a second location in a long-vacant former Hardee's, 2006 N. Reynolds Road, Bryant, according to Shelli Poole's "My Saline" page. A manager at the Little Rock restaurant told her they hope to get the new outlet open in late spring or early summer. The menu, which you can check out at grillpollo.com, is a fusion of grilled Southern and Latin. The phone number is (501) 673-4033; the Facebook page with the most recent postings: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057654600848.
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