From pizza to pancakes: a look at the cuisine of Central Arkansas Restaurant Weeks

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Sunday began the home stretch of Central Arkansas Restaurant Weeks, which runs until Friday. The event, which is part of Hunger Action Month, showcases a wide variety of cuisines available in the area from pizza, hamburgers and ribs to pancakes, donuts and cheesecake.

At all participating restaurants, there are promotional items and even prix fixe meals available that provide proceeds to the Arkansas Foodbank to help fight hunger in central Arkansas.

“I am super pumped about Central Arkansas Restaurant Weeks,” Kevin Shalin, creator of food blog The Mighty Rib stated. “It provides a wonderful opportunity for folks to discover new restaurants or some of their old favorites, all while taking advantage of good deals throughout the area. And it’s a win/win situation because a portion of the proceeds of each sale goes to Arkansas Foodbank.”

With so many different choices, it can be difficult to decide where to start.

“I encourage diners to go down the list of participating restaurants and find a few deals and specials that work for them,” Shalin said.

For fans of breakfast, two places to look out for are Delicious Temptations , famous for their incredible pancakes and Rosie’s Pot and Kettle which has a delicious biscuits and gravy.

If you’re in the mood for brunch, Marty’s Place in Maumelle has a cranberry focaccia French toast and Risky Biscuits Brunch Company in Conway features a Chopped Cheese Biscuit which features ground chuck and ribeye, onions, cheese, peppers and baconaisse.

Several restaurants participating in the event have tasty lunch items including Capital Bar & Grill with their daily blue-plate specials as well as @ the Corner , which features a prix fixe meal consisting of brunch donuts, poutine and bread pudding.

Other lunch options include the pulled pork sandwich from Count Porkula , the Foodbank bundle at Fassler Hall that includes a pretzel, bratwurst and bread pudding, as well as a variety of catfish, chicken and shrimp specials at Eat My Catfish .

For the dinner menu, there are several prix fixe meals that offer incredible value.

“I’ve got my eye on a few, like the $22 special of queso and nachos at Baja Grill and the $65 prix fixe menu at Cypress Social , but honestly, so many have caught my eye,” Shalin admitted. “It’s really about what cuisine you’re in the mood to eat on a particular day. Because we have so many participating eateries, there are plenty of choices.”

One dinner option to consider is Doe’s Eat Place , which has a meal for $75 that includes a starter choice of hot tamales or salad, a T-bone steak for two and a large slice of Maggie’s famous homemade cake.

Burgers, Pies, & Fries also has a special for two that includes two burger combos, a fried pie and a shake. Cantina Laredo has a prix fixe meal that includes chili con queso, combination fajitas and Mexican apple pie and Leon’s Catfish and Shrimp has a massive seafood platter for $21.95.

If you are in the mood for something sweet, there are also plenty of ways to support the Arkansas Foodbank including Cheesecake on Point! ’s possum pie cheesecake. Shake’s Frozen Custard is offering up a choice of bopper sundae or crushed lemon cookie concrete and Sugar Llamas has a variety of sweet treats available including donuts, ice cream and mocktails.

Check out everything that Central Arkansas Restaurant Weeks has to offer at ArkansasFoodBank.org .

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