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Thursday, October 29, 2009 - 09:07:26

One astute reader responded to yesterday's Facebook lunch suggestion with one of his own. Wes Holden suggested I check out Morrilton's Blue Diamond Drive-In, and since I was headed that general direction I decided to take him up on it.
Good suggestion, Wes.
The menu contains a lot of what you might expect from a drive-in -- lots of burgers, hot dogs, fries. But it also contains things like Pat's Patty Meltdown -- a patty melt with a heaping pile of grilled onions instead of bread -- and The Shaner, a club sandwich that apparently rivals The Stoby for its three meats, two cheeses, and all the fixings. I went for the daily special and more... on the jump.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - 08:49:34

On the suggestion of a reader, an open line talking about something pretty urbane... Halloween treat offerings. The ghouls and goblins (and undoubtably the Scream masked and Hannah-Montana garbed) will be hitting the streets Saturday night looking for goodies to fill their bags. Here at our place, we hand out individual bags of microwave popcorn and Playdoh; the neighbors tend to look at us as eccentrics, but that goes far beyond October 31st.
There was once a time, even within my lifetime, when you could ring a doorbell and be treated to a homemade popcorn ball or caramel apple. The fear of razor blades and hypodermic needles ended that, even bringing some parents to taking their kids Halloween booty to the nearest ER for an X-ray before meagerly doling out sweets to the young'uns.
I've been on the giving-out side of Halloween ever since my little brother got to the 'tweens and thought it was uncool to do the door-to-door thing any more (much less dressing up -- his loss). Now that I have a child of my own, it'll be interesting to see what turns up in those goody bags -- which reminds me, there's still Boo at the Zoo (which Hunter very much enjoyed).
So here's your chance. Want to talk about what you're giving out? How about what you wish was still allowable? And admit it, you've likely snuck a piece of candy out of your kid's overloaded bag -- what's your favorite? Have fun, and remember to wear your reflective clothing.
Monday, October 26, 2009 - 13:40:15
Amazing, the number of people who turned out for the opening of Big Rock Bistro at Pulaski Technical College's Main Campus in North Little Rock. Sure, there were oodles of students waiting for a bite for lunch... but there were also scores of others lured in by the chance to try out the new eatery for free. Good reviews all around -- yes, it was a frenzy, but the crowds were all fed, and the food was great. More on the jump.
Thursday, October 22, 2009 - 09:26:11

For those seeking the solace of an autumnal flavor, a handy guide to places where pumpkin is the perfect selection... from ravioli to pie to mousse to latte... including these scrumptuous Maple Pumpkin cupcakes from Brown Sugar Bakeshop. Check it out at Tie Dye Travels.

Celebrate Arkansas' microbrewed and homebrewed bounty at LittleRocktoberfest, Saturday 6-10pm at Dickey-Stephens Park. Fine examples of ales, stouts, porters and more from Bosto's, Vino's, and local heavyweight Diamond Bear will be offered, along with new beer varietals by New Belgian and Boulevard. Homebrewers will also be sharing. Enjoy bratwurst and hot dogs and all the accoutrements, along with live music. Tickets are $25 and are available at Fermentables or at the door. Call (501) 758-6261 or check out the website.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 09:19:25

Quiche. Stuffed Bell Peppers. Tabouleh. Hand-thrown pizzas. Squab. Crawfish Etouffee. Chicken Fried Steak. Bread Pudding. Fried Broccoli and Cheese.
That’s a pretty wide menu with some pretty crazy items on it. Chances are, you’d expect to pay quite a bit for a restaurant with this sort of variety.
Would you believe me if I told you the chicken fried steak plate above cost just $6? Find out where, after the jump.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - 09:12:38

There are many Central Arkansas folks who swear by Red Lobster. Over the years I've attributed that to good advertising, habit, even the presence of cheddar biscuits. But what I think it comes down to is that the menu is accessible and people know what they'll get... seafood (or some resemblance of it) in a combination that's comfortable to them.
Yet, there is a restaurant around these parts that's doing seafood better than the old chain... with more choices and with a better drink selection menu. I give you... Mickie's Bluefish Grill in Conway.
Those lovely Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms ($7.99) you see there were full of hot (almost too hot -- directly from the oven) piping romano and parmesan cheese and sweet crab meat, and served up with a daily Twitter special -- a $1 mimosa. Beat that, fancy pants chains.
More on the jump.