Lulu's Latin on Bowman Curve

My husband and I finally made it to Lulu's Latin Rotisserie and Grill a few weeks ago.  It is delicious!  I hope you will make time to support a local restaurant with real food.  

You can eat in or carry out.

We shared a 1/2 a rotisserie chicken that comes with 3 different - wonderful - sauces.  For our sides, we chose sautéed veggies and a small bowl of beans and rice (for $10.50).  My husband got a small side salad that came with feta, avocado, and house made dressing (for $4).  Yes, we ate dinner for under $20!

Check them out!

Lulu's Latin Rotisserie & Grill

315 N. Bowman Rd.

Little Rock, AR 72211

(501) 228-5564

Free Pizza at New Pizza Joint

Hey Little Rock foodies!  There's a new pizza place in town.  Blaze Pizza opened Thursday (yesterday) in Pleasant Ridge and is offering free pizza today (Friday 10am-10pm) to anyone who follows them on social media and can prove it on their phone.

Blaze Pizza boasts of made from scratch dough, artisanal ingredients, and fast-fired for 180 seconds.  Check it out!

Pâté from Butcher and Public

One of the many things I have learned from Dr. Price's work with people untouched by ill-effects of modern food is the importance of eating organ meats.  Organ meats are some of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet.

Knowing I should eat liver and actually eating liver are two different things.

I've tried to hide liver in enchiladas (my taste buds found it.)  I have a beef tongue in my freezer wanting to try this recipe because I've heard that tongue is quite palatable if you can get over the fact that you're preparing a tongue.  Also in my freezer is a beef heart and too many packages of liver.

Nutrition in my freezer does nothing for my body unless I eat it.

So -- what's a girl to do?

Buy ice cream and pâté.  Seriously.

Ice cream is the reward for eating organ meat.  

What is pâté?  

In simple terms, pâté is cooked ground meat with a high concentration of fat.  Usually it is a combination of meat which includes a portion of liver as well as other organ meats.  Other names it goes by: liverwurst or braunschweiger. 

I decided to leave the preparation to Butcher & Public in Argenta.  [Travis, the butcher, uses locally grown *clean* animals for his meats *awesome*.]  The day I was in the store, they offered two varieties of pâté.  Upon my request, they were eager to offer samples of each type.  In the end I bought some of both.

The variety on the left, above, was composed of liver, kidney and maybe one other organ.  Its texture was similar to bologna; firmer than the pâté on the left.  It was flavorful in a delightful smoked meat kind of way.

The pâté on the right had a higher concentration of liver, which caused it to taste more liver-y.  The texture was creamy, more like a meat mousse, which means it probably also had more fat in it, too.

They both were definitely palatable.  I might go so far to say the one on the left was delicious.

Once home, I toasted slices of a baguette and added honey mustard just as they'd done in the store.  (I make honey mustard with equal parts of ...wait for it...honey and mustard.)

As you may guess, just because I liked the taste of something in the store does not mean it will pass the taste test from the pickiest of my tribe.

 For the gluten-free eaters in my house, I prepared it on slices of cucumber.

What did my family think?

I was shocked.  My most adventurous child couldn't be persuaded to eat more than the thank you portion.  The pickiest eater said, "I could eat this for an after school snack...everyday."  This is saying something.

Here's the kicker: we had pizza for dinner.  The picky child, who always calls me out for even the slightest change in a recipe, had eaten so much pâté that he only ate one piece of pizza -- when he usually eats 3 or 4.  He had eaten more pâté than everyone combined.  This is huge.

The morals from my story:

1.  Buy pâté from Butcher & Public.  Hillcrest Artisan Meats also makes it.  I haven't tried it at HAM but have drooled from their Instagram feed.  

2.  Eat it. (Because it doesn't do the body good just sitting in the fridge.)

3.  Bribe your family with ice cream.  The Clean Plate Club has its rewards.  By the way, when I passed around the initial samples of pâté, I didn't mention ice cream.  I wanted to see what my people would do without a sweet promise.  Ice cream was mentioned after pizza. 

Other articles

How to Eat More Organ Meats by Chris Kessler (great article + recipes)
Health Benefits of Eating Organ Meats by Dr. Mercola
Why Everyone Should Be Eating Organ Meat by The Paleo Mom

Pssst -- Interested in learning about butchering a whole hog?  Travis from Butcher & Public is teaching a class March 21.  Check out the details here.

-Julie

Restaurant Recommendation:: Table 28

I think I tasted a bit of heaven.

The next time you want to take you special someone out for delicious food, let me recommend Table 28.  My husband and I went recently and it was hands down the best food we have eaten in a long time.

Below is a picture of my first course: bone marrow.  Divine, I tell you.  Words cannot describe.

Once home, I started texting all my foodie friends and telling them they had to make plans ASAP to go, if they haven't already experienced Table 28.

On Instagram, I posted:

Went on a hottt date with my man tonight at Table 28 - we ate the most amazing food.  The lighting was dark, I mean, romantic so my food pictures are less than stellar.  If you like seriously delicious cuisine, check it out.  We wanted to try many different things so we ate mostly from the "small" plate (appetizers).  Pictured is bone marrow with a house made pepper sauce and Rock Town whisky glaze (it was heavenly!).  I also had melt-in-my-mouth foie gras that didn't have a hint of liver.  We shared a side of the most incredible Brussel sprouts, made with smoked bacon and pecans.  I could have eaten my weight in that stuff.  John had a side of olives (he loves them) then a fancy kale salad heavy with Parmesan and their popular quail lollipops (think boneless buffalo wings on a stick).  I think I've run out of adjectives to describe the loveliness.

Often when we eat out I am disappointed, knowing I can create better tasting and more nutritious food at home.  We would go back next week if we could afford it.  John agreed that this is the best food we have eaten in a restaurant.  Save up and go, people!

Julie

PS - I'm not the only one who thinks this is a fab restaurant.  Steve, of Little Rock Foodcast, said Chef Scott Rains from Table 28 was the best of the year.  Read his review here.

New Real Food Restaurant Opens in NLR

On Main Street in Argenta is a new real food restaurant for the health conscious.   Good Food by Ferneau (next door to Mugs Cafe) is housed in the space formerly occupied by the Argenta Market --not be confused with what is across the street on Saturdays: the Argenta Farmers Market.  Good Food by Ferneau has remodeled and it looks quite trendy.  

Whew, now that you know where to go, let me tell you what good food you'll find.

Fresh, mostly local and organic offerings are on the menu.  The food is perfect for the person who works downtown and wants a healthy, quick lunch but they are also open late on Friday and Saturday.  Inside the deli case are several pre-packaged, to go options.  Prepackaged but not processed.  Those with gluten sensitivities have plenty of options too.

At the far right of the counter (above) Butcher & Public provides an in-house butcher shop with a passion for local farms and humanely raised meats.  The meat comes from names you'll recognize: Falling Sky Farms, Freckle Face Farm, Farm Girl, among others.  Take home some brats, sausages, cheese, or pate.

The weekday my husband and I stopped for lunch, I ordered a meatball sandwich that had fresh mint sprinkled on top, garnished with house made pickles.  My husband wasn't terribly hungry and had a bowl of butternut squash soup.  Most of the other diners were taking their food to-go.

Please support this local good food restaurant.  Try something new this week.  :)

HOURS -- Good Food by Ferneau 

Mon - Thu: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Fri: 10:00 am - 1:00 am

Sat: 6:00 pm - 12:00 am

521 Main Street, North Little Rock  (501) 725-4219

--Julie

Local Eats: Terri-Lynn's

Super close to my house is Terri-Lynn's, a yummy barbecue place on Rodney Parham.  I'm a bit ashamed to admit that it wasn't until we moved into the neighborhood a few years ago that I had my first sandwich from Terri-Lynn's.  If you haven't been there, put it on your list of places to eat.  They've been dishing up lunches for over 51 years.

Recently I sat down with owners Aaron and Kristin Hether and grilled them about their restaurant.  To be more precise, we sat on a swing in their back yard and laughed at their chickens while talking food stuff.  The Hethers live in my neighborhood and are close enough to walk to their restaurant.  Our kids play together at the neighborhood pool.  Good people, I tell ya.

 

Of all the things on the Terri-Lynn's menu, when I asked culinary-trained Aaron his favorite, he said, "Oh probably one of the deli sandwiches."

What?!  And not the in-house smoked BBQ?!  I was shocked.  Because I love their beef BBQ sandwiches, with house made baked beans and potato salad.  

Aaron explained, "Most people (especially in the south) have a certain expectation of barbecue --texture and taste.  If they're in the restaurant for the first time I want them to have an original sandwich.  If they try the BBQ and it isn't what they expect in BBQ, they might not come back.  If they try one of the other sandwiches, they're sure to be back."   

Makes sense to me.

So what is his favorite? The "Lu Lu" which is new to the menu --sliced smoked brisket steamed with pepper jack cheese and onions served on toasted French bread with ranch dressing and a side of hot au jus...and the au jus is made in house.  My mouth is watering just typing that out.

One of the healthy things I learned about Terri-Lynn's is that Aaron uses tallow (traditionally rendered-in-house beef fat) in their tamales, instead of the industrial garbage called shortening.  

When extended family comes into town and I don't feel like cooking, I swing in Terri-Lynn's and get a couple pounds of chopped beef BBQ and pulled pork. It's my favorite BBQ in town, hands down.  If you are looking to impress at your next tailgating party, call ahead and order your people some Terri-Lynn's.  You're sure to be the life of the party.

Oh and dessert? Splurge at lease once and try the chocolate chess pie or the double chocolate brownies.  Or heck, try them both.  Tell them Julie sent ya.

You can read the full menu here.  They also have a fun commercial here.

Dempsey Bakery

This is me with Paula Dempsey.  She's the mastermind behind the famed gluten-free bakery here in town.  I met her the first time tonight and just love her.  I could have talked with her all night.

She told me a story about a little boy coming into the bakery.  The boy had such severe reactions to peanuts that he had to have a service dog with him at all times (to sniff out peanut particles even in the air.)  He came over to her with big tears in his eyes and said, "Thank you for having a bakery where I can eat a cupcake." **sniff!!**  I was crying as she told me the story.  She said, "Every child should get to eat a cupcake."  And that is one reason Dempsey Bakery exists.

From the Dempsey Bakery website:

In 2008 the first member of the Dempsey family was diagnosed with health issues that required a Gluten-Free diet. We learned it was a genetic disorder, and one-by-one three generations of Dempseys discovered that although they had different symptoms, the common denominator was gluten. 

Not wanting to face a lifetime loss of pretty birthday cakes and special treats for the grandchildren, Paula Dempsey put her considerable energy to work on her dream - finding a Gluten-Free baker and starting a bakery that serves her family and yours.

Here are some pictures of her family:

And would you believe the bakery has support FUN groups for kids?

Because I don't have to eat gluten-free, I've not sought out this bakery in their 2.5 year existence.  And because it is a bakery, I didn't realize they also serve lunch.  (Have I just been living under a rock?  Don't answer that.)

Let me just tell y'all - their stuff is YUMMY.  Like, really good.  Go visit.  Taste for yourself.

I was over-the-moon impressed when Paula told me that not only do they bake without gluten, but also without soy or nuts.  Impressive.  Or maybe I should say, "that's nuts!"

Go and taste some of their goods at the Gluten & Allergen Free Event (Saturday 10am-3pm) or find them downtown Tuesday through Saturdays at 4th and Cross Street.

-Julie

Chipotle in Little Rock

Today's an exciting day.  Chipotle Mexican restaurant opens today on Highway 10 (next to Chick-fil-a, near Panera.)

Chipotle is one of my all time favorite chain restaurants.  Their specialty is burritos - really fresh and delicious burritos.  Oh and the guacamole, you gotta try it.

Because they provide real food options at fast food prices, I recommend this restaurant.

-Julie

The Root Cafe

One of my husband’s, chief complaints about me is that I’m impossible to take out for dinner. It’s a legitimate complaint. I’m just flat picky. I find myself sitting in front of my food wondering how far it traveled and what kind of atrocities it went through to get to my plate. Then I start thinking “I could make this so much better myself. I bet with a little broth, some real vegetables, real cheese, butter, etc. I could make it actually taste good.”

When my family recently ate at a restaurant in Branson, I asked the waiter where the beef came from. We had passed a lot of cattle grazing in the fields on the way to Branson, so I was naively waiting to hear that it was grass-fed beef from down the road. No, this beef was corn-fed in Nebraska, of course. My husband instructed me to “behave” before I was able to ask additional questions about the food. I guess sometimes it can be embarrassing to be married to an activist.

But like every other homemaker, I do occasionally walk into the kitchen and want to say, “I’m just too tired to make dinner tonight; let’s go out.” But the trouble is deciding where I want to go. When I get to pick, I try to find a place that serves some fresh local food, like Za Za’s, but the choices (especially ones that fit our budget) are limited. So I usually just choose to throw something together. Some “clean-out-the-refrigerator” soup or grass-fed beef tacos are quick standbys when I haven’t planned ahead.

Because of my “food issues,” you might imagine my joy when I heard about Jack Sundell’s and Corri Bristow-Sundell’s plans for a truly local food restaurant, the Root Café. While Jack and Corrie have been working through the restaurant planning phase, they have hosted numerous workshops and special events – giving us a preview of the kind of tasty local food we can expect from them. You have to admire people who take time to plan well. I’ve been watching the Root Café’s careful progress with anticipation and am very excited to report some major steps that have been taken forward this winter.

The Root Café is now offering a beautiful breakfast of fresh baked goods and coffee at Arkansas Sustainability Network's Food Club on Saturday mornings, complete with Café tables so you can stop and visit with friends (or make some new ones). They have also obtained a building downtown on the corner of Main and 15th which will hopefully be ready to open for business in the spring, and they have “gone live” with their website.

I encourage you to check out the Root Café’ website and learn more. It will help you catch the vision of a truly local restaurant. You won’t find any GMO corn-fed beef from Nebraska in this establishment. Read the list of Arkansas farmers who are supplying the ingredients. I’m sure you’ll recognize many of them. Here’s the Root Café mission statement:

Simply put, our mission is to build community through local food. We seek to foster a sense of connectedness among the individuals, families, organizations, and businesses of central Arkansas by offering a focal point for sustainable activities in the area. We have delicious sandwiches, soups, salads, burgers, and homemade pies that feature fresh seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers, as well as locally roasted coffees and the best of Arkansas beer and wine. We also host a range of activities from workshops, classes, and speakers, to music events and art openings. Through food, education, and community, the Root is striving to make Little Rock a better place to live by creating a just, sustainable and delicious food system for central Arkansas.

We’ll let you know when the doors open!
Lisa

Ya Ya's Euro Bistro

There are blessings and curses of eating real food.

Over the last ten years I've taken baby steps of eating better, living healthier.  Since changing my diet, I have been blessed with fewer sick days.  Most notable and praiseworthy is the fact that I got pregnant after many years of infertility; I think it is partly because of a real food diet.

Those are two blessings.

But there are curses, too.

Want me to tell you how I'm cursed?  If you're just beginning a real food journey, you'll probably want to know the dark side, the pitfalls, the curses.

Ready?

Eating out isn't fun anymore. 

No longer can I whip in a drive-through and feel good about it.  And I'm not just talking about a matter of conscience.  Usually when I eat fast food it makes me sick.  Real sick.  So sick that I'd rather go hungry than eat cheap food.

I'm cursed, y'all.

That's why I get so excited when I find a real food restaurant.  I've told you about ZaZa's, Brave New, and Opal Mae's (in Russellville).

Another real food restaurant in Little Rock that buys from local farmers is Ya Ya's Euro Bistro.  Not only is the plate presentation pleasing, the atmosphere is quaint.  Best of all, I don't get sick when I eat there. Because it is more upscale (read: not cheap) I've only eaten there a handful of times.  Everything tastes delicious!

camera phone photo

Once seated, you are served a super yummy traditional Arab dish, baba ghanoush. I've been told the secret ingredient is yogurt.

The restaurant gets bonus points from me for serving complimentary filtered water. (Another curse of mine, since drinking reverse osmosis water at home, is that I can taste the chlorine in tap water and I'm too frugal to pay for bottled water when I go out.)

When possible, Ya Ya's buys local meat and produce.  The day my husband and I had lunch there he had a chicken Caesar salad with chicken from Falling Sky Farm.  I didn't ask, but am quite sure the dressing was made at the restaurant.

My burger was one of the best burgers I've ever eaten.

The next time you're looking for a quality real food restaurant, pick Ya Ya's.

Julie

Opal Mae's in Russellville

After leaving Cove Creek Acres in Clarksville, we stuffed our sweaty bodies into cars then headed an hour southeast to Russellville. Our group had plans of eating at Opal Mae's.

The restaurant is named for the owner's mother.  That blessed woman had seventeen children.  Dennis, the owner, is "somewhere in the middle."  He uses her recipes.  Dennis buys from farmers markets and uses local food when he can.

The day I called, looking for a REAL FOOD restaurant, Dennis answered.  He told me he was "pulling chicken off the bones, making broth, and getting ready for his lunch special: chicken and dumplins." He had me at "making broth." My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Our group had a grand time.  Dessert was the highlight: homemade ice cream and pies.

So if you find yourself on I-40, east of Little Rock and near Russellville, make sure to stop and eat at Opal Mae's.  Tell Dennis you're looking for Real Food.

Be Brave: Try Something New

HB and I went on a "girl date." Translation: no husbands or kids. Well, kids that could talk - my two-month-old sweetie stayed in the infant carrier.  When HB and I go out, it's usually after the kids are in bed, or at least on the way to bed.  This time we met at 7pm and decided on dessert at Brave New Restaurant.

It was my first time to go there and I'm ready to go back for dinner.  HB was familiar with the place. Back in the day, she used to babysit the chef/owner's kids.  HB tells me that Brave New was serving fresh and local before fresh and local was hip.

The night wasn't too hot; we asked to sit on the patio...

...and stare at downtown and the Arkansas River.  Once seated we were served warm sourdough bread from Boulevard Bread Company.  Yum.

The name of my dessert fails me, but it was delicious!  It was some sort of baked peach (from Arkansas, of course) on a puff pastry with whipped cream and homemade vanilla ice cream all served over a cream anglaise.

HB ordered her favorite: chocolate creme brulee.  Both were wonderful.

My mom will sometimes order dessert first at a restaurant.  Her theory is, "If I'm still hungry after dessert, I'll order a salad."  Trying a new restaurant isn't all that risky if you try dessert first.  Be brave.  Try something new.

I recommend Brave New Restaurant.

Eating Local: ZaZa's

"Where would you like to go for dinner tonight?"  Oh the dreaded question.

Let me give you a new fun option: ZaZa's Fine Salad and Wood Oven Pizza Company, in the Heights.  When possible, they use locally grown ingredients.

Be forewarned: the pizza is not American style - fluffy crust with pounds of cheap cheese.  Their pizza is delicious and more of an authentic Italian wood oven pizza.  On the menu, as their name implies, are also fine salads.

So the next time you're looking for a place for dinner, try ZaZa's.

And they have gelato.  Need I say more?