Transitions

By Eric E. Harrison (Contact)

LITTLE ROCK — ZaZa Fine Salad and Wood Oven Pizza Co., in the former Lucchesi’s space in the old Heights Theater, 5600 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, has been expanding its opening hours, starting with lunch and now, this week, open for dinner. Menu offerings, as the name implies, consist of custom-made salads (with choice of nearly three dozen fruits and vegetables, eight meats and fishes, crunchies, cheeses and dressings), pizzas from wood-fired ovens and a couple of monster dinner entrees-for-two. Hours are 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon-7 p.m. Sunday. The telephone number is (501) 661-9292 (ZAZA).

Chi’s, 6 Shackleford Drive,Little Rock, overlooking the intersection of West Markham Street and Shackleford Road, which founder Lulu Chi retook from the family to whom she had rented it out, will reopen sometime in the next two weeks as Chi Dimsum & Bistro. The place has extensively remodeled, physically and menu-wise - the latter divides between dim sum and Asian-fusion. Hours will be 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The telephone number is (501) 225-8878.

Manager Lance Smith says he was expecting the Pasta Patch Italian Cafe to open Wednesday - assuming all the inspections were on time and in order - in the former Fazoli’s, 12318 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock. The fastcasual Italian menu is similarto Fazoli’s, except “we’re going to have real plates and silverware,” Smith says. Dine-in hours are 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily; the take-out department and drivethrough window will remain open until 10 p.m. It’s the second outlet for the family owned-andoperated establishment; the first one is in Jonesboro. The telephone number is (501) 227-4920.

Copeland’s Famous New Orleans Restaurant and Bar is hiring in advance of the opening of its first Little Rock outlet, in the Shackleford Crossings Shopping Center, 2602 S. Shackleford Road. No word yet on just when that opening will be. Information lists the telephone number as (501) 312-1616 but nobody returned our call by deadline. We’ll keep you posted.

Casa Mexicana, in Indian HillsShopping Center, 6929 John F. Kennedy Blvd., at the North Little Rock/Sherwood frontier, will be moving in August, but not far, just a few yards away across the parking lot to the extensively renovated building formerly occupied by a Chinese buffet place. The restaurant’s phone number is (501) 835-7876.

Down the street a ways, at 5504 JFK Blvd., Platinum Wings has opened in the mostly drivethrough space that has housed at least a half-dozen restaurants, most recently a northern branch of Cotija’s Mexican Grill. Hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. The telephone number is (501) 753-4005.

The Afterthought, 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, next door to Vieux Carre, will host a wine tasting, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, featuring six Saurus Select wines - sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir - from the Familia Schroeder winery in Patagonia, Argentina, and a visit with importer Julio Suarez. Cost is $10 per person for wine and snacks. Reservations aren’t required, but it’s not a bad idea - call (501) 663-1196.

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. Call (501) 399-3667 or (501) 378-3513, or send a note to Restaurants, Weekend Section, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Send e-mail to:

eharrison@arkansasonline.com

Weekend, Pages 95 on 05/30/2008