It looks like we’re just weeks away from Three Sams BBQ Joint opening back up. Owner Annette Jones tells me the final construction step is to glaze the concrete floors in the dining room. After that, the inspectors will give the green light and Jones can start moving in all equipment and furniture. Jones tells me she’s already put up a lot of the decoration in the dining room to try to make the place feel like it used to. Three Sams has been closed for almost a year and a half after burning down in a fire that started in one of the restaurant’s smokers. It is still open for lunch from a concession trailer in the parking lot every Wednesday through Friday, where you can pick up your barbecue and (of course) some peanut butter pie.
Popular West Little Rock Asian restaurant A.W. Lin’s has confirmed it will open a second location in downtown. The new A.W. Lin’s location will open on the 400 block of Main St., across from Bruno’s Little Italy and next door to the under-construction Ira’s. We don’t know much about the new spot, but we do know A.W. Lin’s is targeting an opening in January of next year. While Little Rock has many Asian restaurants, most of those don’t go out of their way to present the “authentic Chinese menu” that A.W. Lin’s provides in additional to its classical Chinese-American lineup. We’ll make sure to keep an eye on this one and update you on the restaurant’s progress.
Big Orange and Big Orange Midtown are holding a week-long event to help fight against childhood hunger. End Hunger Week at Big Orange starts Monday, Sept. 11 and goes through Friday the 15th. During this week, both Big Orange locations will donate 50 percent of sales of three menu items to the Arkansas Foodbank. Those items are:
- Ratatouille Burger – Turkey burger with eggplant, squash and peppers
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Velvet Orange – Signature frozen cocktail made with Rock Town Distillery vodka
Make sure to stop by for some great food that goes to help a most important cause.
Petit and Keet is rolling out a new game day menu as well as earlier hours on Saturdays for the football crowd. Starting this Saturday they will open up the bar area and patio at 11 and will serve drinks along with a limited game day menu. The new menu items include Korean Beef Tenderloin Tacos, Chickpea & Soybean Hummus, & Roasted Hatch Chile Queso. The full dinner menu will start at 5p.m. as usual.
And this is your final reminder to please make plans to attend Monday’s Friends and Ben event at The Capital Hotel to help raise money for Ben Edwards. Edwards was the hotel’s beverage director when he was paralyzed from the chest down in a diving accident. The Little Rock food industry is coming together for the Friends and Ben fundraiser event to serve up a special dinner with drinks. Guests will also get to participate in a silent auction event. Doctors have cleared Ben to attend the event, so you’ll get to say hi in person. Proceeds will go to help pay for Ben’s medical bills. Tickets are $100 each.
Food festival season kicks off Saturday with the Black Food Festival at Philander Smith College. We took a look at why this festival is so important to the Little Rock food scene.
South on Main has many fantastic dishes on the menu, but if you ask chef Matt Bell, the signature dish is the Hot Chicken Sandwich. We examined how Bell makes it and what makes it so delicious.
Events
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Specials
Yellow Rocket Concepts has unveiled its specials for the month of September:
- Big Orange: Hatch Burger with hatch green chiles and bacon, and Bananas Foster Milkshake
- Local Lime: Spicy Hatch Green Chile Queso Flameado
- Zaza: Muffuletta Pizza and Pear and Prosciutto Salad with pecans and blue cheese
Ristorante Capeo’s weekly special is a fresh fish entree. The risotto of the week is made with calamari, shrimp and scallops.
