Looking to take your Valentine out to dinner on Feb. 14? Take a look at our survey of what some of Little Rock’s finest restaurants plan to serve.
Acadia This Hillcrest fine-dining favorite offers several options in a three-course meal, price fixed at $50.75. Among the options: spinach artichoke bisque, smoked gouda mac and cheese, roast beef tenderloin and housemade bread pudding or cobbler. 3000 Kavanaugh Blvd. 603-9630.
Ashley’s On Monday, only two reservations were still available for regular hours. If you didn’t act quickly enough, drool over this sampling of the dishes from this $95 price-fixed, six-course meal: butternut squash soup with Granny Smith apples, pabo and cinnamon cream; prime beef tenderloin (or the veggie option, roasted cauliflower steak) and a chocolate and hazelnut cream tart. Wine pairings are available. Late seatings may still be available. 111 W. Markham St. 374-7474.
Boulevard On the menu: a special four-course surf and turf dinner. A take-out option is available as well. Reservations not required but seating is limited. 1920 N. Grant St. 663-5951.
Brave New RestaurantThis perennial favorite won’t announce Valentine’s specials until Feb. 13. Reservations recommended. 2300 Cottondale Lane. 663-2677.
Bravo! Cucina Italiana Reservations are highly recommended for this upscale Italian chain in West Little Rock. In fact, a restaurant employee told us reservations typically fill up the weekend before. No special menu for Feb. 14. 17815 Chenal Pkwy. 821-2485.
Cafe Bossa Nova When we spoke with this Brazilian eatery located in the heart of Hillcrest early in the week, they were still considering throwing in a Valentine’s Day special or two to accompany their regular menu. Reservations are required for parties of five or more. 5510 Kavanaugh Blvd. 614-6682.
Cafe Prego Preparations are still underway for this popular Italian restaurant on Kavanaugh, but you can expect festive variations on some of its regular items like orange roughy with a cherry cream sauce. Although Prego will accept walk-ins, reservations are strongly encouraged. 5510 Kavanaugh Blvd. 663-5355.
Cajun’s Wharf Look for a few specials, including at least one lamb entree, along with the regular menu here. In the bar, find special Valentine’s Day drinks and an acoustic trio. Reservations required for parties of eight or more. 2400 Cantrell Road. 375-5351.
Capers This West Little Rock favorite plans to offer a number of specials. For an appetizer, it will have hot crab au gratin with Kalmata olive bread, roasted red bell pepper soup with toasted corn and salad. Main course options include pan seared snapper with roasted yellow pepper grits and fried crawfish tails, a macadamia-crusted grouper with coconut shrimp and mango salsa with cranberry and apricot basmati rice, and a bacon-wrapped filet mignon with bacon-wrapped shrimp finished with a crawfish and cream sauce and goat cheese. For dessert, a heart-shaped cake topped with warm chocolate sauce and two chocolate-dipped strawberries is made for sharing. Capers plans seatings at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. The 7 p.m. seating is full. 4502 Cantrell Road. 868-7600
Capriccio Grill On the menu of this upscale Italian restaurant inside The Peabody: an option of multiple appetizers including hand-fried scallops with roasted corn, tomato and banana puree or a wintergreen salad with arugula, walnut brittle, hearts of palm, goat cheese and a black truffle vinaigrette. For the main course choose from a pistachio-crusted Chilean sea bass or prime filet with lobster tail. A glass of champagne accompanies the meal and there’s something called the “Chocolate Sweetheart Bar” filled with cakes and fondue for the taking. The band Wine and Roses will perform in the lobby and free valet parking is available for restaurant guests. Reservations recommended. 3 Statehouse Plaza. 399-8000.
Ciao Typically closed on Tuesday evenings, this Italian cafe will be open for Valentine’s. It will offer a variety of specials, including prime beef tenderloin, scallops and duck breast with Fuji apples. The menu is available this weekend as well. Reservations required. 405 W. Seventh St. 372-0238.
Ciao Baci With the kitchen open until 1 a.m., this might be a good pick for night owls. Valentine’s Day specials were still in the works earlier this week. Expect a number of champagne specials and festive drinks. Reservations are recommended. 605 N. Beechwood St. 603-0238.
Copper Grill Numerous a la carte options will be on a special menu, including the cream of wild mushroom soup, bacon-wrapped grilled shrimp and chocolate-dipped long-stem strawberries with hibiscus meringues. Specials begin on Friday and continue until Tuesday. Reservations a few days in advance recommended. 300 E. Third St. 375-3333.
Ferneau Choose between several three-course options at this Hillcrest mainstay. The lobster tails with 4-ounce tenderloin is the chef’s favorite; it’s served with garlic mashed potatoes and Hollandaise sauce. A chocolate gnocche cake is among the dessert options. Prices range from 45.00 to 85.oo per person. Reservations are expected to fill up by Thursday. 2601 Kavanaugh Blvd. 603-9208.
Lulav Chef/owner J. Matt Lile III and company offer a special Valentine’s menu this week through Valentine’s Day. Choose between red snapper with fresh spinach leaves, tomatoes, Kalamata olives with basil butter sauce and handmade potato gnocchi or filet mignon with pinot noir sauce and potatoes au gratin with Asiago cheese. A strawberry velvet cake with strawberry butter cream frosting is for dessert. Each night leading up to Valentine’s Day includes special desserts, drinks and entertainment, including a private table serenade by jazz musician Michael Eubanks on Thursday, Feb. 9. More details at lulaveatery.com. Reservations required. 220 A W. 6th St. 374-5100.
The Pantry The special three-course menu starts with roasted fennel toast and choice of soup or salad, followed by choice of the pepper steak with potato croquets or domestic rainbow trout stuffed with mushrooms and spinach. A house-made lemon strawberry cheesecake will satisfy your sweet tooth. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins will be accepted. 11401 Rodney Parham Road. 353-1875.
SBiP’s You’ll find light jazz and a five-course meal at this newish restaurant in the Quapaw Tower. The fixed menu includes a citrus salad with blood orange vinaigrette, a chicken consomme and lemon sorbet. For an entree choose between the six-lobster-stuffed filet with bacon-wrapped au gratin potatoes or an andouille and apple-stuffed chicken breast with applejack sauce. A special desert menu is still in the works. Reservations are required; the restaurant is expected to fill up by the end of the week. 700 E. Ninth St. 372-7247.
So Restaurant A prix-fixe three-course menu is planned (pricing is still in the works). On the menu: soup or salad, lobster-stuffed steak and raspberry chocolate ganache. Reservations are required. 3610 Kavanaugh Blvd. 663-1464.
Sonny Williams Chef Clay Sipes is featuring a handful of Valentine’s Day options, including tomato bisque soup with basil oil and Parmesan crostini, an appetizer of boudin fritters and crawfish tails with remoulade and hot chili honey, and an entree of stout braised lamb shank with Gorgonzola and bacon polenta. Dessert will be a dark chocolate Frangelico cheesecake. Jim Dickerson performs at the piano bar and seating is by reservation only. 500 President Clinton Ave. 324-2999.
The Restaurant at Terry’s Finer Foods Here you’ll find starters such as tartine of foie gras with herb salad, blinis au saumon fume with caviar and creme fraiche, or asparagus, artichoke and fava bean salad with ricotta dressing. Entree offerings include lobster with white truffle risotto, morels and chives, a lamb noisette with rosemary and Picholine olives, pommes saute and asparagus or onglet of beef with shallot and Balsamic reduction, pomme puree and sauteed spinach. For desserts, there’s a frozen Belgian chocolate souffle, profiteroles with rose cream and fresh berries, or baba au rhum. Reservations required and going quickly. 5018 Kavanaugh Blvd. 663-4152.
Trio’s No entree specials, but look for a dessert menu (still in the works) with, we’re told, “chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate.” Reservations are required and typically fill up the weekend before. 8201 Cantrell Road. 221-3330.
Vesuvio There are several options to choose from on the restaurant’s $40 price-fixed Valentine’s menu. Appetizers include Putrocala salad, a combination of mixed greens with shrimp, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes tossed with homemade orange vinaigrette. Entree options include a lobster lasagna with bechamel cream sauce; the saltimbocca alla Romana, a scaloppini veal topped with prosciutto and sage with a white wine and butter sauce, or the swordfish Palermitana, a filet breaded in panko and grilled. Select dolces include Nutella cream puffs, gelato with wild berries in a homemade crepe and chocolate-covered strawberries. View the full Valentine’s menu at vesuviobistro.com. Reservations required. 1501 Merrill Drive. 225-0500.
Ya Ya’s Euro Bistro In addition to its regular menu Ya Ya’s will have several special a la carte items, including an appetizer called Oysters Two Ways, which is two oysters on the half shell and two lightly battered oysters with Champagne Minuet, frisee and horseradish mousse. Reservations are required. 17711 Chenal Parkway. 821-1144.