The second location of Three Fold Noodles & Dumpling Co., what the Three Fold folks colloquially refer to as “Three Fold West”, is on the cusp of opening — as early as next week — in the former Panera Bread space in the Pleasant Ridge Town Center, 11525 Cantrell Road, Little Rock. The menu will be similar to the downtown original (noodle, dumpling, bao “sandwiches,” soups) at 611 Main St., but with a new breakfast component.
Hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday (serving breakfast until 11 a.m.). They’re shifting the phone number, (501) 500-2005, from the Three Fold Mobile food truck at 1509 Rebsamen Park Road in Little Rock’s Riverdale, which closed June 10 “so we can make the transition” for the west Little Rock opening, according to the Facebook page (facebook.com/eat3fold). The mobile unit had been operating on a vacant lot originally planned, but never developed, as a Three Fold production facility with a restaurant component, outdoor dining space, bar and sake brewery. The phone number downtown is (501) 372-1811; the website is eat3fold.com.
And speaking of the Pleasant Ridge Town Center, we’re trying to track down official word on the status of the Crumbl Cookies outlet that, last we’d heard, had an unmet April target opening date. A shopping center representative confirms that the store still hasn’t opened but would not supply either details on a new target nor contact information. However, from an employee of the outlet in Benton, 20770 Interstate 30 North, part of the same franchise from the Logan, Utah-based company, we get word to expect the opening around the end of July or the beginning of August.
The first Little Rock outlet of Crumbl Cookies originally had an April target to open in the in the Pleasant Ridge Town Center; now it could be late July or early August. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Eric E. Harrison)
We’re also seeking details on an opening date for El Sur Street Food, a food trailer establishing a restaurant in the former Esters, 1214 Main St. in Little Rock’s South Main neighborhood. But it’s getting closer. A June 21 posting on El Sur’s Facebook page (facebook.com/elsurstreetfoodco) indicates they’re hiring: “Our Cocina is almost ready!!! If you are or know a line cook looking for a job, please stop by or send them our way for a job application!” And co-owner Darren Strayhorn has filed an alcoholic beverage permit application with the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, which would enable a full bar. You will recall Strayhorn and co-owner Luis Vasquez, a native of Honduras, are looking in their new home to expand their menu of authentic Honduran and other Latin American items, which has focused on signature Baleadas, tacos and arepas; elsurstreetfoodco.com.
We also found permit ABC applications for several places we’re just finding out about for the first time:
◼️ To serve beer and wine at something called All In A Bowl, Suite 103A, 3000 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, apparently a “healthy” sandwich/coffee shop, judging from what appears to be its Facebook page: facebook.com/allinabowl.
◼️ To serve alcoholic beverages at Mi Paella, 1501 N. University Ave., Little Rock, which we gather will be the replacement in the ground-floor space vacated by Charlee’s Good Time Drinkery when it moved to the River Market.
◼️ To serve alcoholic beverages at Meechies Lounge & Restaurant, 2924 S. University Ave., Little Rock. The address is that of the former Frontier Grill.
We also found a beer-and-wine license application, apparently originally filed in August 2021, for Goku Ramen Bar, in the storefront at 1900 Club Manor Drive, Maumelle, that formerly housed The Pizza House. The applicant is Oki Sutanto, and if that name sounds familiar, it’s because he also operates Aji Ramen Bar at 301 N. Shackleford Road, Little Rock. The restaurant has signs in the window, so while we don’t yet have a timeline for when it’s to open, that, too, can’t be too far off.
And as we’re waiting for an opening date for the new location of Lea Lea’s Gourmet Dogs at 3408 S. University Ave., Little Rock, in what had been a hookah bar in the strip center a bit off the main drag, we found that owner Cherreyl Alexander has filed a wine-and-beer permit application. She is moving the operation from 215 Center St. downtown.
It took a couple more weeks than originally planned, but Big Bad Breakfast opened Tuesday in the former Arvest Bank building, 101 S. Bowman Road at West Markham Street, Little Rock. Hours for the first Arkansas franchise outlet of the Birmingham, Ala.-based chain are 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily. (501) 406-0195; bigbadbreakfast.com; facebook.com/bigbadbreakfastlittlerock.
The opening of Blackberry Market, a cafe and bakery at 315A Main St. in North Little Rock’s Argenta District, originally targeted for this past spring, has been delayed — now “hoping late summer,” according to a post on the Facebook page (facebook.com/blackberryar). In the meanwhile, co-owners Peter and Whitney Loibner are preparing and vending their recipes out of “a health dept approved kitchen in Argenta (just around the corner from our space) for the summer and bringing you snacks and meals available for pickup.” Find an order form at the Facebook page or email Whitney@blackberry.cafe. You will recall that Peter Loibner has 17 years at Starbucks under his belt; his sister operates two existing cafes in Illinois, serving breakfast and lunch in the Chicago suburbs of Glen Ellyn and La Grange; the Argenta menu will be similar (baked goods, a range of breakfast options, soups, salads and sides; visit blackberry.cafe).
Shelli Poole, who shepherds the invaluable website mysaline.com, reported last week that the former Brown’s Country Store and Restaurant, 18718 Interstate 30, Benton, was recently sold to a group of private investors who plan to renovate it and turn it into a Hispanic market, complete with panaderia (bakery) and carniceria (a custom butcher shop), with the possibility down the line for grab-and-go salads and quesadillas. Specifics and a timeline to open are still under wraps. Poole says the sale included the restaurant and parking lot, but not the next-door truck stop. Phillip and Cissy Brown announced in April 2020 that they were retiring after 47 years in the restaurant business and closing the place down.
And Little Rock’s Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St., Little Rock, hosts its inaugural Hop-Off, billed as “a friendly competition for the best historic home brew in town,” according to a news release, 5-8 p.m. July 8. Similar to the museum’s Nog-Off eggnog competition, home brewers will create original beers based on historic beer styles and recipes, including California Common, generally thought of as a Gold Rush beer, and Hefeweizen, which hark back to the beers of early Little Rock. A panel of experts from the Central Arkansas Fermenters will determine the winner of the Taster’s Choice Award; guests who sample the brews decide who wins the People’s Choice Award. Winners will be announced the following week. The event will also feature performances by Brian Nahlen and Nick Devlin. Admission is free. (501) 324-9351; historicarkansas.org.
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