Eat Arkansas

Two things:

1. Buying a house and then a restaurant with your trust fund money does not qualify you as a real-estate developer.

2. If you are going to open a restaurant, learn to spell omelet.

LR can sorely use some good breakfast places--especially ones that are welcoming and without the attitude of Satellite or Ozark Smokehouse.

And anyone looking for a quiet, comfortable place for an afternoon cup of coffee in Hillcrest surely has to miss Laughing Moon.

But fried potatoes and not grits with home-style breakfasts? And if they're going to do a dish featuring grits, why shrimp and grits and not the more typical (for this region) grillades and grits?

And why do no places in AR serving dishes like huevos rancheros ever offer migas?

And "house-made"? The minute I see that silly neologism for the much more homely (and appropriate) "homemade," I want to run the other way. Right or wrong, I suspect a pretense that fights with authentic food, when I see "house-made" on a menu.

If local foods are featured, why not some good Petit Jean ham--and ham biscuits?

Being from the Delta, I grew up on shrimp and grits, and have never heard of "grillades and grits." I think it's great that they're including this great southern classic and wish I could get it elsewhere in LR other than as an occasional special of the day. (I just hope its also on the lunch and dinner menus.)

As for the "house made" versus "homemade," I imagine it's a play on words referencing the fact that the name of the restaurant is "The House." I thought it was mildly clever.

In this context, I think house refers to a business and home refers to a person's actual residence. Homemade jelly, house made dressing. In-house counsel, in-home estimate.

East Ark Delta, I didn't say I thought the shrimp and grits dish was a bad idea.

I just suggested that since it's less regional (being a SC lowcountry dish) than grillades and grits (a Creole dish), it makes more sense to include the latter.

I think house-made is a fancy neologism that began to crop up in the late 1990s. To me, it's of the same ilk as writing restaurant reviews in first-person plural or talking about a drinkable little wine.

Justicefornone

Your another example of false outrage or fake outrage..you damn well know what they mean when referring to house made..homemade is incorrect in the context of a restaurant menu..home-style is a better fit. By the way..When were a chef?

Thanks for letting me know what I meant, golf43.

Homemade is incorrect in the context of a restaurant menu? That's news to me. As the Merriam Webster dictionary says, since 1659, it's been used to refer to something made "on the premises." House-made is a silly neologism to try to make something sound ordinary sound chi-chi.

When were a chef? Sorry, I don't know what that sentence means.

"House-made is a silly neologism to try to make something sound ordinary sound chi-chi" should read, "House-made is a silly neologism to try to make something ordinary sound chi-chi."

On "housemade" vs. "homemade," see the link. I'm with the blogger Lissa who states, "'Housemade' just sounds pretentious to my ear. Like the waiter is going to be coming around to grind pepper on my food because I couldn't possibly be trusted to use a complicated device like a pepper grinder and to put the correct amount on the food."

In my experience, restaurants that exceed in pretension fall short when it comes to cooking good, honest, well-made food. In my experience as well, too many restaurateurs count on us in Little Rock not to know the difference between good and bad food, and to be dazzled by $$$$ when it comes to the latter.

Homemade ... housemade. The only thing that matters is ... is it made from scratch or is it delivered in a ready-to-heat sealed plastic bag from Sysco? Is it made from the most fresh, most local ingredients available? Are the fresh ingredients in season (or were they grown in South America and shipped to Arkansas? Get a grip, folks! Who cares what word you use -- get to the heart of the matter.

PS if the wife of a chef is commenting ... it seems like competitive jealousy ... or just mean-spirited. Let the food speak for itself.

PSS It seems ironic that someone who calls themselves JusticeforAll is pre-judging. I for one ... look forward to seeing a new restaurant in the house where Sufficient Grounds lived. I loved the casual, welcoming atmosphere there. It's hard to imagine a pretentious, unwelcoming restaurant in that old house. The writeup says the food will be affordable, why not give them the benefit of the doubt instead of jumping to conclusions? And if the menu lives up to its promise -- I could not be more excited!!!!!

BTW, anyone who uses the word neologism and pretentious in the same post ... needs to practice what they preach.

Words matter. They define our world. They frame how we see our world.

In the area of commerce (e.g., restaurant business), they are often used to disguise reality, to make something appear to be other than what it actually is. To cause us to buy unwisely.

In the area of food writing and restaurant reviews and menu spinning, there's tremendous pretension. Much food writing is hype, dreck, verbal snobbery designed to make people distrust their intuitions and experiences about good food. To make them spend money unwisely.

As someone who eats in restaurants, I have a right to make my views about these matters known when a new restaurant is about to open. What kind of business that wants to succeed waltzes into a place and tells us its standards are the only possible standards, and if we don't like them, we'd better lump them?

As a citizen of Little Rock who eats in restaurants, I have a vested interest in encouraging the restaurants I frequent to serve good, authentic, well-prepared food, and to cut the hype and the attempts to make me spend more for what is not worth the price. Little Rock has far too many overhyped top-end restaurants whose quality is frankly mediocre.

As a citizen of Little Rock, I also have a vested interest in urging restaurants that claim to be cooking local or regional dishes to know something about local or regional food.

If those who have objected to these suggestions on this thread are representing or have a vested interest in this new restaurant, then I'd definitely have second thoughts about going there--though I had intended to give the place a try when it opens, and have high hopes for it.

Part of what keeps us small and backwards in the Rock is our unwillingness to entertain valid criticism and make changes based on that criticism. We don't do customer service very well in many of our restaurants--and that's all the more true, the more our pretensions grow, and outpace our knowledge of what good food (and good customer service) is all about.

Amazing how some of y'all are trashing a restaurant before it's even opened.

I don't think pretentious is the vibe they're going for when they describe it as "funky". If they make their own dressings or desserts or whatever, I want to know it and I don't care how they state it.

"BTW, anyone who uses the word neologism and pretentious in the same post ... needs to practice what they preach."

Well, perhaps. If you mean, however, that whenever a restaurant waves around a word like "house-made," I'm supposed to bow and scrape and not ask questions, then you're asking me to 1) play dumb and pretend that chi-chi restaurateurs are here to wow and educate me, and 2) turn off my critical faculties when I set food into a restaurant that tells me it's sophisticated and I'm not.

Personally, I believe that we would have better, more authentic, restaurants if we demanded more of them. And I don't think that dumbing down our conversation about them or about local food helps us to secure good local restaurants.

Sorry, but I can't worship blindly at the altar of marketing and commerce in the area of food, just as I can't in other areas of my life. We won't get better in the Rock until we demand better, and demanding means making our views and expectations known, discussing these issues openly, and educating ourselves--even if that means learning a few new words in the process.

To those who think responding to this restaurant's online opening announcement and pre-advertising is "trashing" the restaurant, I have to ask:

1. Should restaurants announce plans to open and put their menu online without expecting folks to offer critiques and suggestions?

2. Does any business excel if we give it the benefit of the doubt and withhold questions, suggestions, and criticisms when THEY THEMSELVES place descriptions and plans online?

3. Why would they form a Facebook group and place all this information online if they don't want feedback? If it's all about advertising without willingness to hear feedback, then what does that say about how a restaurant plans to do business and how it regards its customers?

4. "If they make their own dressings or desserts or whatever, I want to know it and I don't care how they state it." Sorry, but I fail to understand how I can "know" that they make their own dressings or desserts or whatever, without caring how they state it. I normally receive information about how food is prepared in a restaurant from the menu and the waiter, not through divine revelation that pops right into my head without words.

Hey Everyone,

This is Nick from The House Restaurant. Please continue the debate, but let me dispel a few misconceptions and clarify a few things:

1. EVERYTHING offered on the menu will be made on site, in the restaurant. That includes bread, sausage, dressings, etc. Nothing will come from a Sysco truck.

2. When it is not made on site, we will CLEARLY state that on the menu. (ie. We may use Petit Jean bacon instead of making our own due to the amount of labor required. If this is the case, we will say so on the menu.)

3. We will not be the least bit pretentious about our food, and all offerings will be in the $5-$9 range. We want to retain the casual Hillcrest/Stiff Station atmosphere and have our food priced so that people can afford to eat at The House multiple times a week.

4. We never claimed we will be offering "regional" food. We hope to use as much regional produce as possible, but in terms of our menu offerings, we hope to do the "classic breakfast" well. And by "well", we simply mean "from scratch".

5. Lastly, the quality and the price of the food will speak for itself. Come try it out. Unlike many other restaurants that offer food primarily out of a package, our food will be priced so you can try it without a huge financial commitment.

Thanks, and I appreciate the debate.

Nick Coffin, Co-Owner of The House

This is Nick again from The House.

We are open to any suggestions and criticism; that is indeed the reason for posting our menu. However, do keep in mind that this is a rough version of the menu.

I agree that the wording on the menu is of utmost importance in defining what will actually be offered. "Housemade" and "Homemade" are slippery words, as they have been misused and abused in the restaurant community. It is essential that we do use the words that best convey what we will actually be offering: Food made from scratch, on site. We are open to suggestions/guidance on the wording on our menu...

All of you people need to get a life.

I find it unsettling how many people seem disappointed that the former Sufficient Grounds building has been purchased by locals who clearly care about providing the community with a cozy place to socialize and have an inexpensive meal. The building could have been bought and purged of all kitchen equipment, and turned into yet another Hillcrest home interior store. What these young men are doing takes a significant amount of dedication and drive. I, for one, am pleased that we will have another restaurant option in Hillcrest...and with such a great menu, no matter how rough the draft.

Hey, JusticeforAll, Not trying to stifle discussion. Discussion is always healthy but I would be more comfortable talking about what we -- restaurant consumers mean/expect when someone tells us food is homemade/housemade -- rather than focusing on which is the correct word?

Personally, I want quality food made from scratch on site with the best ingredients available at an affordable/fair price in a fun, welcoming, unpretentious place -- and I hope these newcomers will deliver!

I hope this is a place where I can enjoy a good beer (or two) with smoked cheddar grits or bacon and eggs with home fries at 3 in the afternoon and not feel rushed (preferably sitting on the deck with the sun shining, no humidity and 80 degrees). And I really don't care what they put on top of the grits -- shrimp, grillade (whatever the hell that is) or eggs over easy. In fact, I hope I can order smoked cheddar grits as a side ... anytime of the day ... makes my mouth water.

Here's hoping ...

Nick,

I appreciate what appears to be some vegan options (tofu scramble). Sometimes it gets pretty lonely in Little Rock being a vegan. I live around the corner so I will definitely come check everything out.

Radfemhedonist, I think another important question has gone overlooked:
Is the tortilla vegan and can they sub the tofu scramble for the normal eggy contents of the breakfast burrito? This would probably make my week.

Substituting tofu for eggs will an option across the menu. As for vegan tortillas, I hope this can be an option, but i do not want to guarantee anything without the consultation of the chef, although I would certainly like to move that direction. The lunch/dinner menu will also have at least one vegan option too.

Nick, I appreciate your response to the discussion very much.

I'm certainly looking forward to the new restaurant, and have contributed to the discussion with the sole purpose of hoping to see the best possible restaurant on the site. I probably have a selfish interest in this new restaurant, since I live nearby and spent many happy hours at the old Sufficient Grounds and its successor Laughing Moon.

In fact, I grew up in the neighborhood and even remember trick or treating at that very house, as a little boy.

Thanks for listening to suggestions and responding on this thread. I will certainly be in the line when you open. Little Rock has all too few good breakfast places, and after Laughing Moon closed, Hillcrest has been like a wasteland in the afternoon for those of us who enjoy a cup of coffee and bit of pastry with friends.

mcbsmith,

Most flour tortillas are vegan since they generally contain flour, vegetable shortening, water and baking powder. They aren't if they use butter or lard in place of vegetable shortening. And corn tortillas are almost always vegan since they are just masa, water and salt or at least the good ones are made from just those three ingredients.

If I see the word chipotle on a menu one more time I'm going to vomit. Chipotles are what sundried tomatoes were for the 90s. Create a new food trend, people.

BTW, House-made sums up this menu, as it is bland and lacks any creativity. I'm a little surprised a chef coming from the New England Culinary Institute would produce such a run-of-the-mill menu. YES, Little Rock needs a good breakfast place... but I can name several restaurants whose breakfast menus offer healthier, more unique food than this.

Also, EastArkDelta... You can get shrimp and grits at Boscos, So and a number of other restaurants in town. If you haven't heard of grillades, that's because you haven't expanded your southern culinary palette.

About the issue of shrimp and grits vs. grillades and grits: the latter strike me as more in line with our regional heritage for a number of reasons.

First, we're geographically closer to New Orleans than to Charleston.

Second, quite a few Arkansans have ties of one sort or another to Louisiana and its culture(s). Though many of us do have SC roots, those roots are usually pretty far back in the past, and are more likely to be in the upcountry than the lowcountry.

Third, Arkansas was at one time part of the French territory running through the middle of the nation, with even stronger ties in that period to New Orleans and Natchitoches (and St. Louis) and French culture. John Gould Fletcher says in his history of AR that some people celebrated Mardi Gras in Little Rock up into his own lifetime.

Fourth, a testament to our cultural ties to south LA is that LR has restaurants (like Faded Rose) that have long featured Cajun and Creole dishes.

I like shrimp and grits. I think for a restaurant focusing on regional dishes and local products, grillades and grits makes a lot more sense, though.

And I'd be inclined to ditch fried potatoes altogether for grits as an accompaniment to eggs, because fried potatoes (rather than grits) as a breakfast food are more typically Midwestern and Western than Southern.

I will grant, though, that finding well-cooked grits that aren't an insipid watery puddle is a challenge in Little Rock. Waffle House in the Riverdale area is one of the few places that seems to know how to cook them.

Jeez, didn't Nick's post say they weren't doing a regional menu and that the menu would be high-quality "classics" made from scratch? Do you people not read?

BTW, what self-respecting chef would want his wife trashing his competitors before they even open? Seems like a confident chef would say "let the people decide."

If the chef is looking for feedback, I have to agree with Radfemhedonist about chipotle. How about a tomatillo sauce or a green chile sauce on the Breakfast Burrito? But keep the Mexican potato cake topped with black beans with the Huevos Rancheros -- sounds yummy!

You might make traditionalists from both the South and other regions happy if you offer your customers a choice between smoked cheddar grits and home fries with egg orders!

Just a thought!

Green chile sauce sounds great to me, eyeorpolemic. Hard to find in Little Rock, but delicious when it's well-made. And I agree re: chipotle. Show me a menu dominated by chipotle or sun-dried tomatoes or, some years ago, kiwi, and I want to run the other direction.

I'd settle for a choice between grits and home fries. Personally, I'm not big on smoked cheddar, because 1) the smoke often overwhelms all other tastes, and 2) smoked cheese is sometimes not high quality cheese to begin with. Now grits with a good sharp cheddar in them, and a bit of crushed garlic, that's close to heaven.

If I see one more culinary groupie I'm going to vomit.

As for current trends, I don't believe having a chipotle oil ancho really stands in the same light as an egg on top of your pizza, with a side of foam. Coming from Texas I don't see anything wrong with having chipotle with Huevos Rancheros; that seems perfectly fine and tasty.

As for these particular restaurants who offer better options, to foods that have not been tasted yet, your husband wouldn't work at them by any chance would he?

I'm incredibly excited about the affordability, drinks, new (well revamped old) hang out, and (more than likely) tasty food.

Everyone working on opening this place back up is so excited and putting in so much work. If someone does have a trust fund, so what if they want to give back to their friends and open up a restaurant. I would rather go to a restaurant owned by my friends and be able to offer criticism straight to them rather than complaining about something to a waitress at Boscos.

I did the logo, lets critique that instead of the food no one has tasted! haha

Wow! When I first read this post, I had no idea it would inspire such a spirited debate...great to see! And so many newcomers! Welcome!

Personally, I'm willing to give any restaurant that offers fresh, homemade/housemade/homestyle (or whatever you want to call it) food a shot. Little Rock has been severely lacking a good, non-chain breakfast spot.

I'll reserve any negative comments (if any) after I actually eat there.

Not that it is of any significance, but I just can't stand to let it go. On the debate of "shrimp and grits" vs. "grillades and grits," it seems to me that if you ask anyone from our region of the South, be it Memphis, Oxford, Helena, Birmingham, ect., shrimp and grits would just be viewed as "southern" rather than native to South Carolina. Contrarily, a quick google of "grillades and grits" shows that it is decidedly a New Orleans dish, and is described as such in recipes, menus, and articles. I'm also willing to bet that of all those posting on this blog, many have never heard of grillades and grits, but all have heard of shrimp and grits. My apologies to ChefsWife for not "expanding my Southern culinary palette."

eyorepolemic...

That would be the type of chef who doesn't control his wife, and allows her to do or say what she pleases. What a concept... a woman with her own opinions!

"Contrarily, a quick google of 'grillades and grits' shows that it is decidedly a New Orleans dish, and is described as such in recipes, menus, and articles."

Well, the same holds true for shrimp and grits, EastARDelta. See the link, and check all the other hits you'll find on google, the vast majority of which state explicitly that this is a dish from the SC lowcountry.

As I've said, I'm all for BOTH dishes on any local breakfast menu. But it makes more sense to me to call grillades and grits regional than it does shrimp and grits. Our local cuisine has many more ties to Louisiana cookery than to lowcountry SC cookery.

ChefsWife, I also am a woman with my own opinions. But out of respect for my spouse, I would never dream of interjecting my opinions into his career, just as I expect him to stay out of my career.

Back to the heart of the matter ... why would you emasculate your husband if you have confidence in his skills and abilities ... why don't you let the people decide what restaurant to support (or not) -- and stay out of his business? Live your own life!

While I'm pleased to see some locals finally stepping up to fill the void of a legitimate place to eat breakfast, it disappoints me that the task has been taken on by a group of people who lack any experience in running a restaurant. Sure they boast about their chef has recently completed culinary school, but all that really means in this day and age is that the kid's parents have money and were desperate to see their son have some sort of degree. Believe me, I know, I was this exact person 11 years ago.

As an experienced chef, I have found it easier to put my trust in a restaurant by how much experience the management has in solely running restaurants. I've seen too many successful business people in this town try to open a restaurant and fail because a restaurant is just a different type of beast. One can look at the House's previous tenant for such an example. These kids have only proven that they can take a well-established bar and continue operating it at the same level. Starting any business from scratch, let alone a restaurant, takes a lot more than money, as they will soon find out.

I will give props to the menu but that may be due to the fact I wrote an almost identical one 9 months ago. Probably wasn't the smartest thing on my part to show it to the Laughing Moon's listing agent. But you boys may want to reconsider offering your pancakes in an 8 count, it may not be the best thing to have your bathrooms smelling of maple-scented vomit.

I wish the boys luck in their endeavor and look forward to seeing how well they can execute this fabulous concept.

Mordy, speaking for myself, I, too, am pleased to see a lively discussion of a new restaurant--a restaurant I welcome and am looking forward to trying. I'm glad to contribute to this and other discussions of restaurants on the blog.

It does perplex (and amuse) me, though, to find folks logging in to lambast others for wasting their time on blogs (as if they aren't blogging themselves?), or slamming "foodies"--on a blog devoted to discussion of restaurants and food!

Somebody sure sounds a little bitter. "Boys"..."Kids"...ect? ChefsWife leading out the discussion on such a positive note?

I certainly hope there is some reason for this other than just being douchebags.

I look forward to the promise of a casual restaurant with a well-executed classic breakfast menu. It also gives me hope to see three young, energetic entrepreneurs launching a new venture in this economy. They represent the can-do spirit that our founding fathers expected.

I started and have run a successful private business for many years. It troubles me (for Little Rock and our economy) that a veteran chef and a chef's wife would attack these young entrepreneurs. The attacks seem particularly mean-spirited and vicious.

In my industry, we try to mentor young talent and we encourage new entrants into the marketplace. Young blood keeps us on our toes and keeps us innovative and competitive.

While I don't know the restaurant business, it seems to me that the real competition is not a new, funky Hillcrest restaurant -- it's the chain restaurants in WLR and an economy that is causing more people to eat at home. It seems like Hillcrest restaurants would do well to partner together to promote their independence and uniqueness to attract more people to dine in the neighborhood. A rising tide raises all boats.

I would not be in business today if my family had not invested in my business and my education. They believed in my talent. My father always said to me, "there is nothing new under the sun" so do what you do well.

Since there is nothing new under the sun, how is it possible that this young chef at this new restaurant could steal a "classic" menu of pancakes, eggs, sausage, grits, a breakfast burrito?

Will it be easy to start a new restaurant? Of course not. No business is easy to start. Does experience help? Of course, but how did those of us who have been in business for years start our first businesses? It's good that one of the young men has some hands-on experience running a business.

We ought to be singing the accolades of every young person who has the gumption and vision to start a new business these days instead of insulting them before they even open.

It is unprofessional and an insult to the dining out public to treat new entrants into the restaurant business in such a disrespectful manner, and shameful to hide behind a screen name. Where there is dirty laundry -- why would anyone sully their own industry in the public eye?

I say its high time for all the veteran chefs of Little Rock to step up to the plate and offer constructive advice and counsel to these and every other young risk-taking entrepreneur with the will to blaze their own path.

And to these young entrepreneurs, I say "there is nothing new under the sun" -- do whatever you do well. Hold your head up high. Don't let the naysayers discourage you. Use their pettiness to fuel your determination. And give us the best breakfast place in Little Rock. I for one will be standing in line on your opening day, wishing you the best.

Changing the subject ...

Nick,
When are you going to let us know what 8 beers you will have on tap? When will we see the next version of the breakfast menu? Are you going to recommend breakfast and beer pairings? Can you give us a progress update on the renovations and when we might for for the opening? How do I get an invite to the soft opening? Just curious .... :)

Dear Nick,

Scott McGehee here from Boulevard Bread Co. and Za Za pizza.

I am EXTREMELY excited about your project!

I am a huge advocate of supporting local business, and local people. especially those who in turn support local farmers and local people themselves!

I have learned through trial and error many of the pitfalls of operating restaurants in Little Rock. Especially ones that create everything in house and with food from local sources! I also have very good contacts, from service technicians to farmers, that may yield superior products, service, and savings, (savings you may depend on to stay open!).

Please consider me a friend and a partner in the community. I am available and 100% at your service if you run out of napkins, need change when the banks are closed, CO2 for your beer on a busy Saturday night, resources, staffing, cross marketing, etc.!

I very much look forward to meeting you, and if you desire, I will do anything that I can to be a tiny part of your success, (at the very least eating your delicious food!).

Kindest regards,

Scott McGehee
scottychef@aol.com

I think Scott just used up the world's supply of exclamation points.

I am enthusiastic!! What can I say!!!
People make fun of me all the time for that.
-Scott

I'm excited too, Scott...

Nick, I'm looking forward to June...

This is Nick, from The House.

Scott, thank you for your kind response, and I hope to forge a mutually beneficial relationship in near future; Tera has already proven to be immensely helpful.

Thank you to everyone else for providing constructive criticism. I will not deny that we are young, as both Nathan (the chef) and I are both in our mid-twenties. However, we have both been in the restaurant industry since the age of fifteen and have worked our way up from bussers and dishwashers to managerial positions. We have been fortunate to pair with an investor who has done well for himself and is interested in investing in what I believe has historically been an institution of Little Rock. We want nothing more than to devote ourselves fully to reviving the location, and what better time to do it then while we are young, full of energy, and have the countless hours necessary to execute the venture successfully.

If you are interested in the progress of the renovations and aesthetic alterations, or just want to say "hello", please stop by The House any day of the week 9am-9pm; we will be here working. The door is always open- literally.

Thanks again for the contributions.

Nick, Co-owner of The House

This might be a bit of topic, but when I saw that Scott McGhee posted I immediately though of being penetrated with a studded carrot.

Is that weird?

I really enjoyed hanging out at the original Sufficient Grounds long before I moved to Little Rock, and I'm as excited for anything like that opening up as I am for another reliably good non-chain breakfast spot. The food doesn't have to be something groundbreaking or trendy (today's trend could be tomorrow's fad, anyway). As long as it's consistently made with good quality and care, with customer service to match, people should be willing to come back for more. There's more to a successful restaurant, to be certain, but it can't be successful without it.

I'd also suggest that Twitter might be good for publicizing daily specials, upcoming events and the like.

The negative banter above is precisely what is keeping our city from being as great as we all profess we want it to be. From our local art and music scene to the food scene, there seems to be a general lack of support within the community. There may be a few folks smattered here and there that understand how to engage in friendly competition yet still manage to genuinely support one another when push comes to shove. I really appreciate Scott stepping in. He is a fine example of what it is going to take to turn Little Rock into a really exciting city. We all know it's a nice place to live but it can be great. It's going to take the entrepreneurial and creative spirit embodied in folks like Scott, Nick, Nathan (everybody else involved in the House endeavor), and a few nameless others in this town to make it great. So shame on you people with all the sarcastic negativity. You're not helping. It is an extremely selfish attitude you have. You're holding us back. As an artist, food lover, and citizen who enjoys progress, I say "Peace OUT!" You are expendable. Move away to New Orleans or New England or North Carolina or wherever you can get your grits your way and let us get a move on. We're ready to roll. I'm ready to see folks in this town support each other across the board. We will never reach our highest potential if we cannot celebrate each other's successes.

P.S.- For all the grammatically hyper-critical: I recognize New England is not a state nor a city and should not have been tossed in with NC and New Orleans...
My point was just that Arkansas tends to export a lot of great talent and I think it's great that young, spirited folks want to stay here, embark upon something that's not on the easy road, and attempt to make their city better. I think constructive criticism is fantastic and necessary. It's great that there is discourse, but there is a way to be critical without tearing one another down. The majority of the critique here is relatively redundant and in some cases completely irrelevant. In any case, I'm confident the negativity isn't phasing The House gang and it's energy. It is only making the nay-sayers sound jealous and bitter. Ultimately, those of us who truly want to see Little Rock reach it's highest potential, will continue to work together to bridge the gaps and those who don't care will just continue to do what they do...