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The end of another delicious week here at Eat Arkansas. This week we shared some stories about exciting new developments around central Arkansas, such as the arrival of Pizzeria Santa Lucia (I’ll certainly be checking them out again at the next SoMa Food Truck event), Michael’s detailed look into one of the most luxurious burgers in existence at HAM, and a promising new breakfast café in Argenta. Conversely, the news that Jeffery Palsa’s The Food Truck will be leaving our midst is truly a crushing blow to our burgeoning food truck fleet. We can only hope that Chef Palsa returns to the Little Rock dining scene invigorated, enthusiastic, and prepared to serve this community again in some new spectacular new way.

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What else is on the horizon for the central Arkansas foodscape? Diners looking for a genuine taste of Tex-Mex are looking forward to the coming of Chuy’s to West Little Rock. The Texas transplant famous for their “Big As Yo’ Face” burritos and smothered enchiladas is scheduled to set up shop in the Chenal Pkwy Kroger parking lot on May 7th. Many of you know, or have guessed by now, that I spent a number of years in Texas. I quickly got burned out on the Tex-Mex restaurants in town, but now, after an extended Tex-Mex hiatus, I’m oddly excited about the promise of a smothered cheese enchilada, and even welcome the classic Texan addition of the ground beef “chili con carne” topping so frequently found at restaurants across the Lone Star State. But enough, about Texas…I’m sure Michael is just crawling in his skin about now.

West Little Rock will also be graced with central Arkansas’s first location of Mellow Mushroom. I’ve never personally eaten at the place, but they’ve got a beautifully done website, and their “gourmet white” pie with sun-dried tomatoes, provolone, feta, and Roma tomatoes sounds particularly promising. Anyone out there tried this place and would care to share an opinion?

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We’ve previously reported the coming of Slim Chickens to Markham Street, near the UAMS campus, slated to arrive sometime this spring. Of course, the Midtown location of Big Orange is currently under construction. We are all anticipating the opening of Matthew Bell’s Oxford American restaurant which we may only hope to expect sometime between “soon” and “at least by spring.” The resurrection of Bruno’s Little Italy is expected on Main Street. And of course, there’s always Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, just aching to clog the coronary arteries of Arkansans in the near future. If there’s not something here to get you excited about the future of central Arkansas food, you may have no soul.

Now it’s your turn. Food Feedback Friday is your opportunity to share some of your recent successes and failures within our growing dining scene. Who won your favor this week and who needs to get back to the drawing board? Got any juicy tidbits regarding future developments around town? We’d be more than happy to hear them. Go forth and feedback!

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