Eat Arkansas

How sad! It was an absolutely lovely restaurant with some amazing food. I'd have eaten there more often if I were a millionare marathon runner.
Other sad news in the LR food world, James Hale and Lee Richardson, semi-finalists for the James Beard award for Best Chef South, are not finalists.

A total and complete travesty. Chef Rosenblum was really a standout. He was unlike every other chef in this town, even the trendy Hillcrest chefs with a loyal following. Guess everyone would rather endure the 175-hour wait and the pretentious (for no reason) hostesses for some random fish dish with some random sauce and a random assortment of vegetables or starch at Bonefish. So boring and generic it makes my head want to explode.

It's sad and pathetic that Little Rock ultimately couldn't support a chef with a real vision for creative cuisine who ALSO supported our local farmers.

I've had food at Imagine that was so unbelievable; it has literally almost brought me to tears. Chef Rosenblum not only had the talent, but the soul for food. And that is really, really rare. Especially for Little Rock.

JenJens, I completely agree. Imagine is such a gem and it's such a shame that Little Rock is losing such a great restaurant. I was always scared that Imagine's location would be its downfall, and I'm sure it had something to do with it. I always thought the dishes were superb and truly imaginative (no pun intended), and our service was always attentive. It will be missed :(

JenRob

It's nice to hear that others appreciate Imagine for it's unique properties and spot-on food. I always also wondered if its location would be detrimental to its success, but on the flip side, I also really have to question whether or not it would have had more business in an area like The Heights or Hillcrest? Are the food-lovers in Little Rock so isolated that they can only flock to Kavanaugh? That seems so. cliché. Or something.

I just don't think the city was ready for Chef Rosenblum's departure from the typical restaurant fare that saturates this city. Even in more sophisticated circles- and I use that term loosely- places like Ferneau, Brave New, Acadia and the like, people still weren't ready to embrace his flair with food. Restaurateurs who step "outside" of the box do so very gingerly. People like to play it safe here. Safe, boring, redundant, repeat, repeat, repeat. Little Rock restaurants get old and they get old fast.

I think Chef Rosenblum made a big enough impact and a lot of people "got it." That will hopefully aid him in his transition into the catering business.

That sure is a high horse you ride JenJens.

Hm, Hog.

If by "horse" you mean having an opinion, then you are absolutely correct. I have a really high opinion of Imagine and people who try to bring a completely different angle to the food scene in Little Rock.

Do YOU have an opinion about oh, I don't know, what's this blog about again? Oh yeah, food.

I will miss Imagine's blackened brussel sprouts most of all. I don't even like brussel sprouts, but theirs are magical. I heard Crew might be closing too, so perhaps the location has been tough on both restaurants. But Little Rockers will seek out great food if they want it. Brave New isn't easily found but it's always rocking. But it took several years at an easily found location to solidify its reputation and allowed it to move to a gorgeous, if remote, location.

I'm not sure that losing Crew will be a huge loss. On my first visit (a few months after they opened) my werver couldn't tell me if there was sugar in the mashed sweet potatoes (there was), my double-cut pork chop was served Medium RARE.....purple, cool in the middle, pork. When I pointed that out, I got a lame "well, that's just the way we serve it, unless you ask".

Some friends and I ducked in to have a few drinks one Saturday afternoon and had to get up from our seats to flag down someone for additional wine/mixed drinks and finally for our check. I get that we were there during their "down time", but everyone was working VERY hard to ignore us.

I happen to love brussel sprouts conformandbedull, but you are so right about Imagine's. They really were spectacular.

I hadn't heard the rumor about Crew and while I sort of liked it at first, I have to agree w/ EY. The food is okay, the service is okay. It's all just okay. Bad service is hard to overlook. I've also had some grossly undercooked Tuna at Crew which is also unacceptable. If I wanted it raw, I would have gone out for sushi.

I wonder if a new restaurant will replace Imagine or just another shopping venue that I can't afford???

I completely forgot about those brussel sprouts, they were amazing! I remember after having them, my husband and I got into a brussel-sprout cooking kick. Now my favorite way of cooking them is caramelizing the bottom ... yum.

We're a little on the broke side right now but I'm trying to scrounge up enough money to go to Imagine one last time ...

Never having darkened the door of Imagine, I have no experience with the brussel sprouts, but have perfected them in my own humble kitchen. Clean and remove any damaged outter leaves, then cut off the base and split longitudinally. Toss in a bit of olive oil with salt and pepper. Place them on a roasting pan cut side down in a 400 degree oven. Check after about 20 minutes, usually a bit longer. Turn when they show some nice color and cook just a bit longer.

I've served these to people who HATE brussel sprouts and they almost always love them. The sulfur taste is gone to be replaced by nutty goodness. Your kitchen will smell a bit of sulfur when you're cooking, but what the hell.

Imagine was a quality restaurant, though no moreso than So or Ferneau. It's a loss but I have no doubt the issue at hand is location. If you recall, they had initially chosen to locate at Midtowne and backed out. I think they would've fared better there. Visibility at Pleasant Ridge was low. If I were starting a high end restaurant I would go downtown and try to locate on the River Market fringe. Vermillion fared better than far West LR. The only issue is finding a spot with ample, easy parking.

JenRob

Hope you can make it one last time. My boyfriend and I went for a Food and Wine 101 on Tuesday, hosted by Lee Edwards Wine Distributing. There are no words except amazing, unbelievable and impeccable. 4 courses, 4 wines, $40. Now THAT is a deal you can't beat. Too bad it was the last one.

Will post menu later.

I personally think that Chef Rosenblum pushed the envelope quite a bit more than either of the chefs at Ferneau or So. He certainly made an effort to change the menu more often.

For those who are interested: Here is the menu from the final Food and Wine 101 at Imagine.

First

Tempura shrimp/ homemade bacon and a preserved lemon spinach salad. The plate was also brushed with what Chef Rosenblum called an "herbaceous Princess dressing."

Served w/ Calera, "Le Petit" Chardonnay, Mt. Harlan, CA.

The shrimp were perfectly cooked and the dressing was creamy, sweet and earthy. The acidic lemon salad provided a really nice balance to the entire dish. The diced homemade bacon satiated any need for salt.

The Calera Chardonnay had a gorgeous, buttery nose and notes of citric fruits. It was smooth, elegant and absolutely bursting with a crisp flavor.

Second

Seared scallop w/ goat cheese and macerated strawberries.

Domaine Mardon, Loire, France.

If you ever thought that a seared scallop couldn't possibly taste as sweet and lovely as a dessert, think again. The goat cheese wasn't overpowering, as it was combined with celeriac to play it down. The scallops were again, cooked perfectly.

Our wine hosts explained that this Sauvignon Blanc was particularly "brine-y" as the Loire Valley was once underwater. The soil is literally rich with tiny fragments of shells. I'm no wine expert, but it matched the dish beautifully- most particularly with the luscious goat cheese.

Third

Hudson Valley duck breast w/ Gouda Yukon gratin and raspberry sauce.

Phillipe Alliet, Chinon, France, 04.

Okay. All I can say is that I almost fell out of my chair after trying the Gouda potato gratin. It was unlike anything I have ever tasted in my life. And secondly, the raspberry sauce was infused with chocolate. Need I say more?

Fourth
"Steak and Eggs."

Les Garrigues, Cotes du Rhone, Rhone, France, 06'.

First of all, this wasn't your run-of- the-mill T-bone steak. Oh, no. It was a lamb T-bone steak. The egg was fried, sunny-side up, so you can imagine how the richness of the yolk only bolstered the flavor of the (also perfectly cooked) steak. It was served with a beet salad.

I apologize for not having better notes on the final two wines, although I am sure one was a Cab Franc. I can say that the entire meal, from start to finish, was perfectly proportioned (what a bonus, that rarely happens) and as melodious they come. Everyone attending the dinner was grinning from ear to ear and the Chef was very appropriately applauded at the end of the 4th course. It was seriously awesome.

Sounds awesome, JenJens. I didn't get the chance to experience exacty what you did, but the 2 times I ate there, I had the same kind of wonderful experience. I did have their home made bacon once and it was dreamy.

I've known the folks at Imagine since they opened - they're wonderful! It's too bad that they are closing - I've enjoyed a number so fine meals there. I wish them all the best and hope they are sucessful in thier next venture.

We've used them as an inspiration for our restaurant in Conway.

In as far as who will be coming to replace them - Panera Bread company is what I've heard.

Wow, can't understand this one! I dined there twice, very pretentious service and atmosphere on the first visit. I went back at a differenent time of day and I got the same treatment. I had another friend ask the owner for an in-kind donation for a local organization and he put his nose up to her and declined to support her cause. No need to do business at a place who doesn't want to help local organizations. I guess it was so hard to let go of a gift certificate for a silent auction, WOW!

I'm surprised that everyone is so surprised at this closing. Location is everything, people... Location is key to a restaurant's survival. You're right about the hipsters in hillcrest/heights--they're not traveling outside their comfort zone.

And, hello, check out the people in that area, building their McMansions next to McTrailerHomes. Do you really think those people are going to support a local restaurant catering to a slow-food movement. I'm not even sure if any of those people would know slow-food from fast-food.

If the chefs at Imagine are looking for a community to support their restaurant's unique cuisine and concept, they should look into storefronts in Argenta.

Raven,
Have you ever owned your own "small" business? If not, I seriously doubt you realize how many times per week you would be asked for a donation. I own my own business and I am asked at least ten times per week for a donation. Granted, 90% are for a good cause, but you cannot financially afford to donate to everyone that comes through your door asking for a donation. You shouldn't criticize someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes.

TheHog,

There is a way to say no respectfully and from what I heard the situation wasn't handled correctly. I understand the extreme pressures and demands a business owner must be under, but I believe especially in the restaurant business you need to make customers feel comfortable and happy to be dining in your establishment. This is just my take on what I experienced at Imagine. I did enjoy the creative menu options and the food we ordered was prepared and presented excellently. The food had great flavor and taste!

As a Restaurant Owner, I can assure you that the margins are tight. Supporting those in the Community that supports us is the right thing to do. At times the number of requests for support have been overwhelming. I am personally disappointed that Imagine (which got a very high rating by the Times) has not been able to make a go it. Given the location of the restaurant, it should have generated a large following. Unfortunately, it would appear that Bonefish may have in the end been to much for Imagine to overcome.

Haven't checked this blog in a while, and wasn't aware that Imagine closed. How sad. We could only afford to eat there a couple of times; however it was heavenly each time. The brussel sprouts were AMAZING (as many of you have said). It was innovative and unique. I'll miss it!!