Eat Arkansas: May 2008 Archives

« April 2008 | Main | June 2008 »

Saturday, May 31, 2008 - 21:20:49

Za! Za!

Za Za, the pizza-salad-gelato creation of Scott McGehee and John Beachboard on the back side of the Heights Theater shops, is an early smash -- and a bit of a victim of its somewhat hard-to-cipher self-serve setup. But there's not a thing lacking in food quality and they are humping to refine the system to make it more user friendly in the face of opening days hordes. (John said they expected to sell six gallons of home-made gelato a day; it's more like 24.)

We went for a third visit Saturday to try one of the entrees -- a Tuscan-style 38-ounce ribeye. Alas, the wood-fired pizza oven is too slammed with pizzas nonstop to follow through for now on the idea to cook the steaks on cast-iron pans in the oven. So no steak.

But they are serving shrimp Za Za ($32), a lip-smacking pile of jumbo shrimp, cooked sweet and tender, with fresh lemon, olive oil, garlic and salt, heaped on a bed of pizza crust strips, fresh basil and cherry tomatoes, which soak up all the wonderful juice. There were maybe 30 shrimp in our order. Some folks next to us -- party of four -- split the shrimp and two pizzas and that's a mighty fine meal for a reasonable price for quality this high.

Then you finish with gelato, a selection of which is shown below. Some day, they won't be sold out of chocolate-hazelnut. Ours: chocolate and coconut. Molto bene.

Posted by Max Brantley at 09:20 PM | Permalink | Comments [10]

Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 13:09:06

The real thing

Kat Robinson at Tie Dye Travels says this barbecue -- at Old Post Bar-BQ in Russellville, is how barbecue is supposed to taste.

Posted by Max Brantley at 01:09 PM | Permalink | Comments [2]

Monday, May 26, 2008 - 14:48:15

Gumbo project

Don't know why, but I've had gumbo on my mind. So, with a day off, I'm at work on it.

There's a good bit of prep time, chopping vegetables (onions, green pepper, garlic, green onions, parsley); peeling shrimp, and chopping up a couple of links of andouille sausage. I let a packer pick the crabmeat.

Now comes the hard part -- making the right roux. I have a jar of pre-made roux in reserve, just in case I fail, but it seems like scratch is the only way to go. I"m following a recipe from Richard and Rima Collins' "New Orleans Cookbook," which has never failed me. But there's a little patience and technique required here for the crucial first step.

Wish me luck.

UPDATE: The finished product is below. Mighty good. I'd have liked a little more thickening and if I had any file powder I'd be set.

Posted by Max Brantley at 02:48 PM | Permalink | Comments [8]

Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 14:47:44

Starving Artist to Argenta

Starving Artist Cafe, where you can watch people paint while you eat, will quit its Seventh Street location at the end of July to prepare for its Aug. 15 opening in a new garret at 411 Main St. in North Little Rock. Paula Morrell, who owns Starving Artist with husband and chef Jason Morell, said everything will move — artists, musicians, menu — into the historic storefront, located between the Thea Foundation and Ristorante Capeo and on the trolley line. The new Starving Artist will be able to serve 80, nearly doubling its current seating capacity, and will include al fresco dining in a “New Orleans-style courtyard” in the back. Also new: A full bar, with a tapas menu. The restaurant will serve lunch Tuesday through Friday, brunch Saturday and Sunday and dinner Thursday through Saturday nights. Morell said she expects the hours will grow as the Enclave and other residential developments in Argenta fill up.

Posted by Lindsey Millar at 02:47 PM | Permalink | Comments [0]

Monday, May 19, 2008 - 12:15:26

All the ribs that are fit to eat

Is this Eat Arkansas-worthy news, I was asked by Jane Dennis. You betcha.

I don't know if this "fits" as far as criteria for the Eat Arkansas blog or elsewhere for Arkansas Times, but wanted to let you know that a Little Rock barbecue team, called Here for the Beer, made the Top 3 (placing third) for their Ribs in the Patio Porkers (nonprofessional) division of the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest this past weekend in Memphis. They were competing with 36 other teams in their division.

Here's a photo of Here for the Beer's entry, just before it was whisked off to the judge's tent for a blind taste test.

Team members: Pat James, Matt House, Jack Fink, Alan Gardner, Richard Phelps and Robert Dennis.

Posted by Max Brantley at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments [4]

Friday, May 16, 2008 - 07:51:46

Do you know what it means ....

A frequent Eat Arkansas visitor brags about her recent trip to New Orleans, particularly her dinner at Jacques Imo's and its updated take on classic Creole foods.

We went right around 5 (to be sure and get a table without the gigantic wait that can accumulate) and were part of only the few there at such an early supper time.

The atmosphere at Jacques Imo's is, of course, fun with a huge splash of what is felt throughout most of New Orleans --- resoluteness (made sure that was a word before I typed it. ha!). The pictures/art in Jacques' covers bright, fun jazz-inspired pieces to pictures of devastation of the city the government all but forgot to scenes from eras past. It's fun to just stroll through... that is until you get a sniff of the alligator cheesecake!

Ok.. enough with the dribble-drabble... on with the food! Wish I could say I got a picture of our appetizers; however we dove right in. To start we had a party of three, so we ordered two pieces of alligator cheesecakes (made with the finest white meat) and some fried oysters in garlic sauce (mouthwatering!).

After looking around and coming to our senses we noticed we had devoured the first course and were ready for the main! I had the privilege of having the "Oh No Tokyo" Godzilla soft-shelled crab (above) with mashed sweet potatoes and red beans and rice. Possibly the best meal I've had in a while! Hubby had ... well... duck. (below) I cannot remember the exact name. To accompany this he had mashed potatoes and corn maquechoux. It was tender and oh-so-good! The friend that was joining us had the grilled Mahi in a curry tomato sauce and a few steamers (mussels) with the side items of corn maquechoux and smothered cabbage. All as mouthwatering as it sounds!

Posted by Max Brantley at 07:51 AM | Permalink | Comments [14]

Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 14:41:06

Needed: boiled crawfish

A reader seeks help at finding a restaurant with good boiled crawfish in Central Arkansas. Can you help?

UPDATE: Pine Bluff Commercial Editor Larry Fugate nominates Cooney's Cajun Cuisine, 8400 Dollarway Road in White Hall, 247-6990. "Mud puppies are pretty decent," he reports.

Posted by Max Brantley at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments [7]