The Foodie Guide 2022

Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

THE FOODIE GUIDE

EVER GO TO A RESTAURANT AND SAY, “WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?” WELL, HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO SEE WHAT SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS’ CHEFS AND OWNERS LOVE TO EAT FROM THEIR OWN MENU!

ESIDENT CLINTON AVE. | LITTLE ROCK | CACHELITTLEROCK.COM

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PAYNE HARDING CHEF | CACHE RESTAURANT Chef Payne Harding, a Little Rock native, owns and operates Cache with his father. A modern restaurant located in the downtown River market, Cache opened in 2013.

Harding’s passion for fine dining developed at a young age working as a line cook for local restaurants, launching a career path to success. At the University of Central Arkansas, Chef Payne was a student athlete participating in basketball while earning a bachelors degree in science with an emphasis in nutrition. After graduating in 2010, Harding enrolled at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America located in Hyde Park, New York. During his time there, Harding completed an internship at the famous Le Cirque in Manhattan. Harding graduated in the winter of 2012 with an Associates degree in culinary arts.

In Chef Harding’s previous positions, he has worked for local chefs such as: Mike Selig at the Vermillion Water Grille; Jerry Barakat at Amalfis, and Tim Morton at 1620. During Chef Hardings tenure at Cache, he consulted for years with award winning James Beard nominated chef Lee Richardson. It was around this time when Chef Harding became an advocate for New American cuisine celebrating Southern Soul Food, Cajun-Creole, and French-Italian.

When Chef Harding isn’t in the kitchen, he is usually with his wife, Leah and his daughter, Mila. Chef Payne enjoys boating at the lake, watching sports, and riding his bike on the famous river trails Little Rock has to offer.

CACHE RESTAURANT | 501-850-0265 | 425 PRESIDENT CLINTON AVE. | LITTLE ROCK | CACHELITTLEROCK.COM Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

KATHERINE ELDRIDGE, OWNER | CHEF DAVID

THE PORTERHOUSE

DOE’S EAT PLACE

Easy to find at the corner of Ringo and West Markham in downtown Little Rock, Doe’s Eat Place offers convenient curbside parking and your choice of inside or outside dining. It is a down-toearth, no frills southern atmosphere, where great food and casual dining have made this one of the most favored and talked about restaurants here in the delta. A longtime regional favorite, Doe’s rose to national prominence during the 1992 presidential election campaign, when Clinton staffers made it their hangout. When then-candidate Clinton was interviewed by Rolling Stone magazine for the September cover story, Doe’s was the setting. Throughout the vagaries of political fame & fortune, however, Doe’s has maintained its down-to-earth atmosphere.

We have got your favorite steak and all the fixings. Enjoy a scrumptious T-bone, Porterhouse, or Sirloin. Doe’s Eat Place also offers big servings of hot tamales with chili, succulent broiled shrimp, tasty grilled salmon, mouth watering hamburgers, cheeseburgers and more - all at a reasonably WORLD FAMOUS HOT TAMALES good price.

1023 W. MARKHAM | DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK | 501-376-1195 | DOESEATPLACELR.COM

OPENING THIS SUMMER!

17200 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock | kemurirestaurant.com Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

RED OAK STEAKHOUSE JOSEPH COLEMAN (LEFT) EXECUTIVE CHEF

KEN LIPSMEYER (RIGHT) WINE DIRECTOR The Red Oak Steakhouse at Saracen Casino Resort made its culinary reputation as one of only 38 restaurants in the United States serving the incredibly tender Japanese Kobe beef.

Now, executive chef Joseph Coleman is introducing wild game to the menu with two different cuts of elk paired with a beautiful Spanish wine from Rioja. Chef prepares an osso buccostyle elk thigh, shredded and presented in a ‘bowl’ of butter-poached white onion. The second cut is a tenderloin cooked sous vide, then seared and served with a cherry demi-glace poured tableside.

“This is what drives the wine guy crazy,” wine director Ken Lipsmeyer said with a laugh.

“These are two very different cuts of elk cooked two different ways and served on the same plate.

Finding the perfect wine is a challenge, but we have done it.”

Lipsmeyer, a candidate for the prestigious Student of the Institute of Masters of Wine, recommends a 12 year-old Gran Reserva Faustino which has seen years of aging in American oak barrels..

“The bright red fruit flavor of this wine with its cherry and plum notes works perfectly with the sous vide prepared tenderloin,” Lipsmeyer said.

“The 12 years spent in oak casks gives the Faustino dark chocolate and butterscotch developmental characters, which work wonderfully with the elk osso bucco.”

You owe yourself a visit to Red Oak Restaurant, one of the finest restaurants in the South and located at the exciting Saracen Casino and Resort in Pine Bluff.”

ELK TENDERLOIN ELK CONFIT, SOUS VIDE ONION BOWL, CHIPOTLE BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE, BLACK GARLIC EMULSION, BABY VEGETABLES, TAPIOCA TUILE, CHERRY JUS DE VEAU. SERVED WITH 12 YEAR-OLD GRAN RESERVA FAUSTINO.

RED OAK STEAKHOUSE | 1 SARACEN RESORT DR | PINE BLUFF | RESERVATIONS: 870-686-9001 Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

BAJA

HEATHER BABER-ROE & CRAIG ROE THE TACO SOCIETY | OWNERS Ever heard of them? It’s the official name of Craig and Heather Baber-Roe’s string of restaurants: Baja Grill (In the Heights and Benton), Valhalla (Benton) and coming soon Rōber.

I am sure you HAVE heard of those names since they are multiple-award winners (we’re talking over 13 wins) in last year’s Arkansas Times Readers Choice Awards alone.

Their awards include Best Overall in Benton/ Bryant, Best Tacos, Best Chips, Best Mexican, Best Gluten Free, Best Soup, Best Vegetarian, Best ToGo Cocktail Mix, Best Cheese Dip, Best Salad, Best Pizza and Best Outdoor Dining, to name a few.

So we know the restaurants and their dishes are great, but we want to give you the inside scoop on what the creators, Craig and Heather, like the best.

Here’s what they had to say:

Heather: Smoked Chicken Nachos. I love the chunks of chicken breast, the queso and the fact it also tastes good if you sub out the chicken for fajita steak. Craig: Mushroom & Goat Cheese Burrito. The unique flavor combination of the mushrooms and the goat cheese is addicting.

VALHALLA

Heather: All the wings are so good, but my favorite are the Cajun Dry Rub. I’m borderline addicted to these wings. Craig: The Valhalla Club. The bread, the raspberry mayo, along with all the meats; it’s a really good sandwich.

ROBER

Heather: My favorite is actually the Braised Short Rib (no photos yet) or the Gorgonzola Gnocchi. I love the soft gnocchi paired with the creamy gorgonzola. Craig: The Shrimp + Roasted Scratch Grits. This is a long story, but wasn’t our original recipe. At 11 p.m. one night, Heather whipped these up and I told her, “These are magical. You have to put these on the menu instead of the other way.”

EATBAJAGRILL.COM | VALHALLABENTON.COM | EATROBER.COM Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

OAKLAWN RACING CASINO RESORT

KEN BREDESON | EXECUTIVE CHEFF Not to take anything away from the fabled corned beef sandwich at Oaklawn Race Track, but it is a new culinary day at what has become Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs. With two upscale dining options, a food court, the award-winning Silks Bar & Grill, and multiple concession stands, Oaklawn dining offers something for everyone.

Recently, Oaklawn recruited Executive Chef Ken Bredeson to oversee its’ two newest upscale venues; The Bugler and The OAK room & bar.

The Bugler, located in the hotel concourse, is bright and airy with floor to ceiling windows, historic Oaklawn photos, and an outdoor dining area overlooking the legendary racetrack. The menu features amazing steak options and succulent lobster mac & cheese, but if you are a fan of great seafood, don’t miss the sea bass, served with pan-seared bok choy and jasmine rice.

The OAK room & bar is a throwback to classic upscale dining with dark polished wood, red marble and locally-sourced crystal centerpieces on each table. Chef Ken recommends the smoked half duck with a cranberry reduction and Gruyere bread pudding. The bar, in an adjoining room, creates a romantic, intimate, quiet setting.

“Oaklawn is excited to showcase Chef Ken’s culinary experience to all of our guests,” said Wayne Smith, General Manager. “His passion for cooking and extensive food and beverage background will provide our patrons with a whole new level of dining. We can’t wait for everyone to experience it.”

Today’s Oaklawn is so much more than just racing. It is a beautiful, luxury hotel, a fun and exciting casino, a worldclass spa, a multi-purpose event center, and now two of the best restaurants in the state. It’s time for a road trip to Hot Springs and Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort!

THE OAK ROOM & BAR SMOKED HALF DUCK & CRANBERRY REDUCTION WITH GRUYERE BREAD PUDDING & FIELD GREEN SALAD, HONEY ROSEMARY DRESSING, TOASTED MACADAMIA NUTS

THE BUGLER MISO GLAZED SEABASS & MIRIN SHITAKE MUSHROOMS WITH PAN SEARED BOK CHOY AND JASMINE RICE

OAKLAWN RACING CASINO RESORT | 2705 CENTRAL AVE. | HOT SPRINGS | RESERVATIONS: 501-623-4411 Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times

PETER BRAVE CHEF | BRAVE NEW RESTAURANT Summertime is farm-to-table time at Brave New Restaurant.

Chef and owner Peter Brave has been talking to local farmers all spring, lining up locally sourced heirloom tomatoes, squash, cantaloupes, watermelons, microgreens and more.

Mid-month look for the return of Brave New’s Heirloom Tomato Caprice Salad with a variety of heirloom tomatoes, corn relish and Burrata Cheese. Peter’s famous heirloom tomato BLT will be back on the menu as well.

Over the decades Peter has cultivated strong connections with local farmers. The Melon and Prosciutto Salad, with seasonably available cantaloupes, mixed greens, watermelons and prosciutto is the fruit of those relationships. And they don’t stop at the Arkansas border. Brave New is perhaps best known for its many iterations of Walleye from Lake Michigan.

“Walleye will be the fish in my obit” he jokes.

Peter has used the same Great Lakes supplier for 32 years and thanks to strong conservation efforts, wild caught Walleye is totally sustainable.

And don’t overlook the scallops and lobster.

The next time you visit Brave New Restaurant, try the twice smoked lobster tail over lobster risotto and asparagus with a watermelon reduction. The smoked lobster tail is wonderful but the magic is in the lobster risotto sauce. It is just amazing.

The Arkansas Times Reader Choice Awards have named Brave New the Best Overall Restaurant in the state and Peter Brave as Best Chef many times over the decades. This summer is the time for you to find out why!

THE MELON AND PROSCIUTTO SALAD

TWICE SMOKED LOBSTER TAIL

BRAVE NEW RESTAURANT | 2300 COTTONDALE LANE #105 | LITTLE ROCK | RESERVATIONS 501-663-2677 Special Advertising Supplement of the Arkansas Times