My thoughts on five recent dining experiences from around Little Rock…

Taking My Bro to Heights Taco & Tamale Co.

My brother came to town last week, and we decided to kick off his culinary tour of Little Rock with a visit to HTT. I explained to him about our fascination with cheese dip here in these parts and how HTT makes some of the best. Their version, pretty thin in consistency and served in a cute, mini cast iron skillet, didn’t disappoint. Neither did my frozen mojito or my Ensalada de Sol, a delicious salad comprised of sliced mango and jalapeno, grilled shrimp, avocado and a tomato vinaigrette. I loved the salad, especially those perfectly grilled shrimp and forkfuls of ripe avocado. All of the ingredients balance each other out so well. It should also be noted that I routinely give HTT a lot of crap for their acoustics. It’s often loud in the restaurant, but, for what it’s worth, I found it to be quite pleasant on this Thursday at 11:30 a.m.

Lunch at Franke’s

Not much new to report here. I love Franke’s and barring some crazy turn of events, I will always adore this restaurant. Sure, some days are better than others, but, for the most part, the cafeteria seems to routinely churn out some quality comfort food. My recent Veggie Plate of mashed potatoes with cream gravy (brown gravy is for monsters), fried okra, and eggplant casserole was met with favorable results. The casserole was a little denser than norm, and although it’s one of the uglier side dishes you’ll come across, the taste is always delicious. And just look at that fried okra below. Does it get any better?

Veggie Plate

Been Too Long Since My Last Ramen

Until last Friday, I think it had been at least a month or two since I last popped into Arkansas Heart Hospital for a bowl of ramen. Truth be told, I wasn’t overly enthused to try out their bowl of Buffalo Chicken Ramen, but damn if it wasn’t fantastic. Strips of breaded white meat, along with pickled jalapeno and onion, cabbage, tomatoes, and scallions paired wonderfully with the noodles and rich, spicy broth.

Ramen Time

David’s Burgers are Still Salty

I love almost everything about David’s Burgers. I love the endless fries and bottomless soft drinks. I love the complimentary ice cream for the kids and the friendly service throughout the meal. I especially love the greasy cheeseburgers and that includes the grilled chicken sandwich. Heck, I even don’t mind how they scream as you walk through the door. But please, please give it a rest on the salt shaker. I know this short paragraph won’t change a darn thing, but maybe someone with the growing, successful company will read this paragraph and implement some changes. A boy can dream.

Chicken Sandwich

A Lively Time at Flyway

It’s no secret how much I enjoy hanging out at Flyway. The beer is great and the food is just as good, however, we did catch a little bit of bad luck on Friday evening, as a trolley full of loud beer goers hit the neighborhood watering hole about 5 minutes before our arrival. Long story short, seating was at a premium and the noise level was at a maximum. That said, the beer and food came out within a few minutes of ordering and the service throughout the meal was excellent. The Duck Confit Nachos and Marinated Tofu Banh Mi didn’t disappoint and have pretty much become must-orders on each visit. The cheese fries, while fully loaded with melted cheddar, green onion, and bacon, could have used 2-3 more minutes in the deep fryer, as the fresh cut fries were limp and undercooked. All and all though, Friday night at Flyway was an enjoyable experience.

Cheese Fries at Flyway