Downtown Little Rock has undergone a major transformation in the last ten years, with a bustling entertainment district along President Clinton Avenue known as the River Market District, as well as new hotels and condominiums. I found it interesting to discover that there is ample free parking downtown at night, something that Memphis should take note of. Even on a Tuesday night, there was a significant number of people in the district.
Around the corner from Big Orange Burger Company, I happened to notice this new frozen yogurt place on Cantrell Road, Pay-by-weight yogurt places are another current boom, and Little Rock has an incredible number of them, but Loganberry proved to be rather good. http://www.loganberryfroyo.com/
Big Orange Burger Company is Little Rock’s answer to the current trend of upscale burger boutiques with bars and wine lists, and it doesn’t disappoint, although its extreme West Little Rock location on Chenal Parkway makes it a little hard to find. The burger I tried, topped with cheese, bacon and an egg was extremely good, and cooked to order, and the freshly-cut french fries were also impressive. Although it’s quite a ways from Little Rock proper, it’s worth the drive out west. Visit them here: http://bigorangeburger.com/
The rap-rock-country hybrid group Rehab had a show in Little Rock on March 6, and I drove over to help with their in-store appearance at Arkansas Record Exchange in North Little Rock.
Ugly Mike’s Records on West 12th in Little Rock is a neighborhood institution. The old building is full of hundreds of rap, blues, soul and gospel CD’s, many of them out of print, as well as old vinyl records. There is a vast selection of local Arkansas rappers, and posters from local artists adorn the walls.
Last Saturday, a lot of my friends from college gathered at Pearl’s Oyster Bar in downtown Memphis for a get together and chargrilled oysters.
The rapper No Soda put in some promo work last Saturday at the Sophisticated Divas jamboree in South Memphis
Last Friday, March 2, the Double J Smokehouse and Saloon opened in the former Cafe Beignet location on G. E. Patterson Avenue in the South Main Arts District of Memphis. The restaurant has a complete menu of steaks, barbecue and hamburgers, and the food is quite good.
