Congratulations to Petit and Keet for being the only Arkansas restaurant named to Wine Enthusiast’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants list for 2019. The two-year-old restaurant was recognized for its focus on French and American wines and for showcasing wines that had previously been unavailable in the state. Petit and Keet sommelier Susie Long is quoted as saying “Little Rock is an amazing hidden gem of a food city. We have a very passionate base of food and beverage professionals who are constantly driving to improve the restaurant community here.” On its Facebook page, Petit and Keet says it will be holding some celebratory events to mark the occasion and will be announcing those soon.
Little Rock’s excellent Rock Town Distillery will celebrate its ninth birthday this weekend with a series of Saturday events. The parking lot will be closed for a cocktail booth, tasting booth and barbecue to enjoy outside. Inside, Rock Town will be holding free distillery tours on the hour between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Then at 6:30 p.m., lead distiller Phil Brandon will present a special barrelhouse masterclass tour and tasting, featuring tastings of four special whiskeys. And finally, Rock Town’s anniversary release will be the state’s first ever single malt whiskey, a three-year-old distilled from 100% malted barley and finished in a cognac cask. The single malt goes on sale Saturday for $69.99 for a 750 mL bottle. Rock Town Distillery has won numerous national and international honors in its nine years, including being named best U.S. Micro Distillery Whisky in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible in 2015.
Longtime Little Rock dive legend Pizza D’s has unveiled its first full menu since reopening last month … and what can I say but it looks like the place is trying. The new kitchen manager is Lawrence Pickard who formerly held similar positions at Town Pump and Midtown Billiards. Pickard knows his audience well and has kept most of the pizza menu intact. There are also salads, hoagie sandwiches and burgers, including “angry burgers” on request. Honestly, the menu looks good; the biggest hindrance for most people is going to be the fact that it is still a smoking establishment (nonsmoking during lunch). Pizza D’s is open seven days week starting at 11 a.m.
Eggshells Kitchen Company has a slate of cooking classes for the rest of June and early July that you will want to check out. On Thursday, June 27, Low Ivy Catering’s Amanda Ivy will host a hands-on class called Southern Glam Lunch that explores modern takes on Southern cooking. Then on July 3, Table 28 chef Scott Rains hosts Seasonal Dining with Scott, which will explore cooking that uses the freshest possible ingredients. Then on July 15, Mindy Mitchell explores Italian cooking with a complete meal from start to finish. Be sure to check out all the classes available on Eggshells’ website.
Conway is getting a major upgrade to its food and drink scene. We spoke to Rebel Kettle’s John Lee about what led to the company’s decision to expand to Faulkner County.
Little Rock now has a food truck specializing in crepes. We chatted with Brett of A Little Crepesy about her menu and found several delicious crepe dishes to enjoy.
RIP Damgoode Pies
November 20, 2023
