Put mid-June on your calendar for the opening of Soul Fish in the former home of Dundee’s at 306 Main St., next door to the forthcoming Bruno’s Deli. Soul Fish is owned by Memphis restaurateurs Tiger Bryant and Raymond Williams, former University of Tennessee roommates who opened their first restaurant in midtown Memphis.
Everything is prepared fresh in Soul Fish kitchens, and diners can expect to be served within 10 minutes of their order hitting the kitchen, Bryant said. On the menu: Fried catfish and hushpuppies, hickory-smoked chicken and pork chops, po’boys made with Gambino bread from New Orleans, fresh vegetables, fried pickles and green tomatoes, dinner-sized salads, shrimp, burgers … even tacos. The restaurant will be family-friendly, with “fairly healthy” options for kids, Bryant said.
When the Memphis native started looking at Little Rock to open a fourth Soul Fish, realtors suggested West Little Rock. But Bryant had seen the rejuvenation of his hometown’s downtown and he liked what he saw on our Main Street. Too, he and Williams like to “repurpose” old sites — all Soul Fish restaurants in Memphis are — and will keep the Dundee window and some of the old fixtures indoors.
Soul Fish will be open daily, probably around 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., depending on demand, Bryant said. He caters in Memphis, but will test the waters here to see what the Little Rock market wants. He expects there will be demand for take-out, as there is in Memphis. Soul Fish will also serve beer and wine.