Here are my current top dishes in the great town of Little Rock!
I’ve lived in Little Rock for exactly one year to the day. And speaking of days, what a crazy one it has been. A satirical piece involving yours truly went viral. My head is still spinning.
Did I ever think life’s journey would take me to the great state of Arkansas? No way. But I gotta say…Little Rock is a real hidden gem and I can’t imagine being happier living any place else.
It’s my goal to update my Top 10 Little Rock Dishes every six months. Here was version 1.0. This time around, I’ve decided to just list the dishes in no particular order. I figure there’s little sense in ranking them—if a dish is in the current Top 10, then it’s damn good, regardless of order. If you have a problem with the list, just let me know.
1. Stock Pot at The Pantry: Outside of Lennie’s Sub Shop, I’ve probably been to The Pantry more than any restaurant in LR. I’ve stood on the top of mountains screaming how much I love this place. And they do nothing better than the stock pot—sea bass resting in a warm, tasty broth, accompanied by fennel, garlic, and baby carrots. It’s easy to go with some of Pantry’s heavier options (like the lasagna or wiener schnitzel), but for my money, the stock pot is the way to go. Plus, the lightness of the dish leaves room for dessert.
2. Cuban Burrito at Baja Grill (food truck). I regularly drive 25 minutes down to Benton for the best tacos/burritos in the state. It’s a small price to pay for perfection. Like most of the restaurants on this list, everything is great at Baja Grill, but the real show-stopper is the Cuban burrito. This hefty burrito is stuffed with tender pulled pork, sweet and sour jicama slaw, avocado, and chipotle aioli. Oh, and least we not forget…it’s then drenched in queso. The only reason the burrito gets my vote over the taco is due to sheer size. At Baja Grill, bigger is better.
3. Mixed Grill at Brave New Restaurant. I’ve been to Brave one time. Honestly, this isn’t my kind of place. I didn’t care for the fine dining office building atmosphere, nor did I enjoy the slow service. But I have to give credit where credit’s due…that mixed grill plate was fantastic! At $26.50, it ain’t cheap, but boy is it good. For those who haven’t partaken in it yet, think “fancy barbeque plate.” The dish they place before you is filled with grilled pork tenderloin, medallions of beef, stuffed quail, and wild game sausage—all perfectly prepared.
4. Shrimp and Grits at Ashley’s. Technically, this dish is called Gulf shrimp with War Eagle Mill grits. It’s on the menu as a $14-appetizer and worth every, single penny. Yes, all awesome Little Rock restaurants serve up shrimp and grits, but this version is the best. There’s just something about an enormous, barely cooked through Gulf shrimp that puts a smile on my face.
5. Chicken Tenders at Franke’s. Some list, huh? We go from Ashley’s to Franke’s in just a few breaths. This thought pops into my brain about every 10 days: “Damn, I could sure go for some of those chicken tenders at Frankes.” Hell, the tenders make the list on craveability, alone. Is there a shit-ton of old people milling around in Franke’s all day long? Yes. Is the smell of impending death a little much to handle? Yes. But the tenders are worth routine visits…and so are the desserts!
6. Salsa Trios at Local Lime. There’s really no way of telling how many gallons of salsa I’ve consumed over my lifetime, but it’s hard to imagine any particular restaurant doing it better than Local Lime. Diners have six options: house tomato, mango papaya, verde tomatillo, tres chiles, zucchini, chipotle. I always go with the latter three and they never disappoint. The freshly fried tortilla chip strips accompany the beautiful salsa. Meals have never started so well. Advice: mix the warm chipotle with the cool zucchini…it’s magical.
7. Fried Chicken Sliders at Ciao Baci. First off, my one and only time at Ciao Baci was with a boisterous group of ten people. We were very loud and probably should have been asked to leave the restaurant. I say this, because like a douche, I then took to FB, passive-aggressively complaining about how one of our steaks came out way late. It did, but given the circumstances, I should have kept my keyboard yapper shut. Here’s the good news out of this: Ciao Baci REALLY knows how to fry a chicken. If you don’t want to commit to the $22-entrée, I suggest going with the $7 fried chicken slider appetizer.
8. Beef Chow Fun at Mr. Chen’s. This under-the-radar Chinese restaurant off University (near UALR) does have a few menu “misses.” The beef chow fun is not one of them. Tender chunks of beef rest on slightly greasy flat noodles which are swimming in green onions and sprouts. It’s possibly just as good with chicken or pork, but I’ve yet to find out, nor do I plan to. I typically order four dishes for the family during a Mr. Chen’s visit. The chow fun always ends up on the table.
9. Spicy Chicken and Dumplings from The Southern Gourmasian (food truck). One of only two dishes to make my original Top 10 list and now the current one. Truthfully, I’ve only had the c&d’s twice, but that’s only because I know how wonderful they are and I just want to try as many different places and dishes around Little Rock. Here’s how I described them before: “Don’t expect your mama’s c&d’s. It looks and tastes nothing like the traditional American version, but it’s sure to put a smile on your face like the original. Shredded chicken, slightly crispy/spongy mochi (rice) cakes, shiitake mushooms, and onions are all mixed together in this culinary fusion masterpiece. Expect a good amount, yet not overpowering heat from this dish.” I still stand by those words.
10. Rose’s Famous French Fries at The Faded. My second repeat dish to the list. I’ve only had these fries once (earlier this year), but that’s only because I’m really trying to get out there and cover some ground. I don’t mess with greatness, and until another dish can come along and knock these amazing potato wedges off the list…then stay they must and will!
14 Comments
It pleases me that I was with you to eat 5 out of these 10 dishes. We’ve found some goodun’s, ain’t we?
Biscuit-4-Lyf
It’s been quite a ride this year!
Kevin,
Great list! I’ve had 7 of the 10 so far. I would have Alley Oops chicken tenders on my list. Vesuvio’s Spaghetti Guitar made table side in the imported Parmesan wheel is one for my list as well. Overall you have a real solid list.
Thanks, John. I’ve decided to make this an ongoing list…it will be updated every six months. Still so many dishes I haven’t tried in LR. I’ve heard so much about Vesuvio’s spaghetti guitar…a dish like that will eventually probably creep onto the list.
Eggs Bahn Mi at The Root. If we go there for breakfast or brunch, I am incapable of ordering anything else.
Sauteed mushroom appetizer at The Pantry. We order it every time. When you open the crock it smells like Thanksgiving (I credit that to the sage).
Breakfast Sandwich at Boulevard. They have a new breakfast menu coming soon so it will be interesting to see if anything trumps this.
Zaza’s Heirloom Tomato Margarita Pizza. Its a special so they don’t always have it. The fresh AR tomatoes combined with fresh mozzarella is so delicious. One pizza can make a bad day turn into a great one.
That’s a start, I’ll keep thinking.
Kudos to Craig and Melissa Roe (The Baja Grill)…top-notch.
I do have to assume, since you don’t have any dishes listed from Ristorante Capeo, that you’ve not been there. Must.Eat.At.Capeo. That is all.
I’ve been to Capeo twice this year. Once good, once bad. Their pork chop was close to making this list…excellent dish. Whad do you rec from Capeo?
The Pesto alla Capeo is really good. Chestnut pasta tossed in fresh pesto with broccoli and potatoes. Strange sounding but so very good. Another vote for the duck too, I’ve ordered that there and it was properly prepared. The simplicity of the asparagus (steamed, served with a poached egg and Parmesan) is part of what makes it so good.
The beef tenderloin w/goat cheese is unmatched. I rank it higher than any filet in town. The duck is outstanding (along with the side vegetables), but believe it or not, their absolute best dish (and that’s saying something) is their lasagna. It is so far above any other lasagna, it’s ridiculous. If you don’t agree, I’ll reimburse you.
Thank you for your response!
OK…now that I think about it, I did have a bite of my wife’s lasagna at Capeo’s. And it was absolutely fantastic! But…I’d also have to throw Pantry’s lasagna into the mix for best in LR. The bottom line…both lasagnas (in my opinion) are special.
All that said…Italian food, in general, needs to get better in this town.
Agreed. Most people around here think The Olive Garden is really stepping out there lol…
I forgot to mention the Tomato and Gorgonzola Soup…it’s outstanding as well.
Saddened to see the duck is no longer on the menu at Ashley’s. 🙁
That was an impressive dish.
I agree with Erin the Pesto alla Capeo is fantastic. I’ve also had the beef tenderloin and goat cheese and it’s really good. Their Italian sausage is also made in house and some of the best I’ve had anywhere. I think Vesuvio is the best Italian in Little Rock hands down.
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