Hot chicken from chains on horizon
Opening, reopening boost vegan options
In case you missed John Magsam’s excellent story in Sunday’s paper, Morgan Food Groups has entered into a development deal with the Pasadena, Calif.-based Dave’s Hot Chicken chain to open five locations in Arkansas and two in Missouri. Nick Morgan, who heads Morgan Food Groups, says plans are for two in the Little Rock area, one each in Fort Smith, Fayetteville and somewhere in the Springdale/Rogers area; the timeline is dependent on finding sites, which he’s currently scouting. The menu offers chicken tenders and sliders via four combos at seven levels of heat. (The group also operates seven Jersey Mike’s locations and three Marco’s Pizza operations.)
And speaking of hot chicken, we have an update on plans to open Arkansas outlets of Springfield, Va.-based chain/franchise operation Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken & Wings. According to a spokeswoman, expect to see one by the end of the year next-door to the Jersey Mike’s at 290 S. Rockwood Drive in Cabot, plus two in Jonesboro, one by the end of the year and the other in early 2025, and two in early 2025 in metro Little Rock, all at locations awaiting disclosure, we’re told, from the franchisee pending the signing of leases. We had reported that a reader spotted a billboard suggesting an outlet could be pending in Sherwood; the website (hangryjoes.com) still lists coming-soon locations in “AZ — Benson, Little Rock, Greenwood, Bentonville.” (AZ is the postal abbreviation for Arizona but it frequently shows up in error, along with AK, the postal abbreviation for Alaska, as representing Arkansas, for which the postal abbreviation is AR. And we’re still guessing that “Benson” probably is “Benton.”)
Blue Sage Vegan Bistro recently reopened in its new spot in the River Market’s Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock, in the northwest corner kiosk formerly occupied by Jay’s Pizza. Owner-manager Phoebe Glass says they were closed for about six months to spend time with a son who has been attending the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Training school in South Carolina, and they’ll be temporarily closed this week to attend his graduation, reopening Monday. She says, in recognition of the kiosk’s former occupants, she’ll be adding vegan pizza (and also vegan doughnuts) to the menu. Hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Saturday. (501) 5543388.
And speaking of vegan restaurants, H.O.M.E. (House
of Mental Eatery) opened last month at 1523 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Little Rock. Owner/chef Elnora Wesley describes her menu, which includes cauliflower “wings,” vegan meatloaf and pot roast, greens and vegan macaroni and cheese, as “the best grandma-style vegan soul food in the city.” Hours are 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. (501) 454-1493; facebook.com/TheHouseofMental.
★★★
Hogg’s Meat Market & Catering, 3901 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock, is now open for Sunday brunch, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Manager Cody Hogg says the bill of fare blends Hogg’s current breakfast and lunch menus and adds a few specialty items, including, on the opening weekend, chicken and waffles, eggs Benedict and a tomato-basil-avocado toast. (501) 758-7700; hoggsmeatmarket.com;
facebook.com/hoggsmeatmarket.
Rising Star Boba Co. opened last weekend in the Outlets of Little Rock, 11201 Bass Pro Parkway. Hours are 11:30 a.m.7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. We still lack a phone number.
Leslie’s legendary Serenity Farm Bread announced Feb. 29 via Facebook (facebook.com/Serenityfarmbread) that it’s expanding from its current spot — 33 years in an old bank-turned-post office building on Main Street — into the adjacent property, the former Simmons Bank building (“old banks make great bakeries!”) and consolidating its operations, including the pastry shop on U.S. 65 just south of Leslie that opened in 2003, and with a new woodfired brick oven, into one large building. The post cites “a bad run of luck with collisions between our building and semis over the last few years (3 to be exact),” which spurred a change in the traffic flow at the corner, the junction of U.S. 65 and Arkansas 66. Both locations will continue normal operations while work proceeds.
The North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau hosts a North Little Rock Food Truck Permitting Day on March 14 in a downtown North Little Rock location to be announced. They’re urging “all mobile food vendors that would like to operate in North Little Rock in 2024 ... to sign up for an appointment.” Visit tinyurl.com/25tvvdyn.
The 2024 Little Rock Farmers Market opens May 4 at the River Market Pavilions, behind the Ottenheimer Market Hall, 400 President Clinton Ave. in Little Rock’s River Market District. This year’s season theme is “Back to Our Roots,” according to Farmers Market Manager Elizabeth Rush. The market will open 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays through Sept. 7. Visit littlerock.com/river-market/farmers-market/.
And Bouakhanh Greene, executive chef at the University of Michigan, is the Midwestern regional winner and Chad McDonald, senior executive chef at the University of Houston, is the Southern regional winner of the National Association of College & University Food Services 2024 Culinary Challenge, held Monday at the Little Rock Marriott. Greene’s winning dish was pan-seared branzino with Laotian fish essence, shrimp crispy balls, bulgur, mung bean, crushed peanuts and savoy cabbage wrap, topped with tiger sauce. McDonald’s winner was fruit de mer. They’ll vie with the winners of four other regions at the national level competition July 17-20 in Louisville, Ky. Has a restaurant opened — or closed — near you in the last week or so? Does your favorite eatery have a new menu? Is there a new chef in charge? Drop us a line. Send email to: