News
Popular family restaurant All Aboard on Cantrell Road is planning to open a second location in Saline County. A manager at the restaurant told me the new spot would be in The Shoppes of Benton, which is currently under development just west of Alcoa Road at Interstate 30. The second location will have an identical theme and menu to the first. If you’ve never eaten at All Aboard, the restaurant is designed with children (and the young at heart) in mind. Automated model trains run on tracks overhead and deliver food to your table. If all goes well, All Aboard hopes to open its new location in September 2017.
A stop by the former Good Food by Ferneau and Argenta Market shows the latest restaurant isn’t getting very far, at least by appearances. The owners of Kiyen’s Seafood, Steak and Sushi in West Little Rock hoped to open Kamikaito in the space by the beginning of November. However, very little work has been done to the space in the past month, with the Good Food logos still up, no dining room furniture in place and a wrapped palette of supplies still sitting in the front entryway. We will continue to keep an eye on the space and let you know when things change.
Thanksgiving is only eight days away, and there are plenty of local restaurants in town offering to help you with the cooking this year. However, if you haven’t placed your order yet, you need to get moving on that now. Because while you can wait until Tuesday to make an order at South on Main for a smoked turkey or some pecan chess pie, places like Honey Pies are already down to their last few availabilities. Other options for Thanksgiving take-out include Franke’s Cafeteria, Forty Two, The Pantry and The Pantry Crest, Loblolly Creamery, and of course Burge’s in the Heights.
Yes, we still have Thanksgiving to come, but it’s never too early to plan for December activities, like the Historic Arkansas Museum Nog-Off on December 9. Rock City Eats is the defending champions of the competition, which will be entering its twelfth year next month. For the second straight year, the Nog-Off will accompany a special art exhibit. This year’s art gallery is entitled Eclectic Color: Diverse Color for a Diverse World by Rex Deloney.
We mentioned this in our Growlers feature on Monday, but Taco Beer Burrito, the downtown Tex-Mex restaurant from Blue Canoe Brewing Company, is now open for lunch seven days a week. The place is also open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday. The brewery itself will remain closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Conway’s Blue Sail Coffee is hosting a fun event that it’s calling a “latte throwdown.” Baristas from all over Arkansas will be showing off their latte art skills in a creative competition to claim the crown of best coffee artist. Even if you can’t make a latte (or have no idea what it is), you can still come to Blue Sail Coffee on December 3 and watch the action. Blue Sail will have prizes from Lost Forty Brewing and food will be provided by Streetside Creperie.
Supporting local breweries is one of the things we at Rock City Eats are most passionate about, and now UALR is also joining in that effort. We found out the school has expanded its craft beer offerings at basketball games this season.
There’s nothing I’m more excited for in Arkansas’ future than the prospect of sake brewing starting in the Natural State. We spoke with Ben Bell about his big plans to make it all happen.
Next time you are heading west on Interstate 30, consider making a pit stop in Malvern for lunch. We found a classic Arkansas restaurant tucked away in a grocery store in this week’s Around Arkansas.
Events
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Specials
kBird is posting a dinner special this week called khao soi gai, which is chiangmai curried noodles with chicken.
Yellow Rocket Concepts has released its lineup of specials for the month of November:
- Zaza: Salad of Moon Drop Grapes, Bosc Pears, Dried Fruit and Yogurt-Poppy Dressing
- Big Orange: Cherry Cheesecake Milkshake and French Onion Burger with Gruyere and Steak Sauce
- Local Lime: Butternut Squash Carnitas Enchiladas
Ristorante’s Capeo special risotto this week is mushroom.
