FoodieCuisine.com

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

Big Orange is a burger/salad/shakes restaurant which opened very recently in the Promenade shopping center on Chenal Parkway in Little Rock, AR.  The owners of the restaurant also own Zaza’s Pizza in Little Rock, among other places, and indicates to me they plan to make Big Orange a chain (since Zaza’s is moving that direction.)  I have no problem with this as Zaza’s Pizza serves very tasty pizza!

I did not have time to dine in but opted for takeout for my family.  I ordered the burger with White Truffle & Pecorino Cheese ($12,) the Farmer Burger ($9.25,) and the Mushroom Melt Burger ($8.50).  I also ordered a couple of sides of Sweet Potato Fries ($3.50).

The fries come with a side of mango-curry ketchup which has a ton of flavor and may be a bit too strong for many people.  I enjoyed it but no one else in my household used it.  The fries themselves are heavily fried but have a good sweet potato flavor to them.

My burger was topped with White Truffle & Pecorino Cheese, Arugula, Fig Jam, and White Truffle, and Mayo.  The cheese was wonderful and the fig jam gave the burger a nice sweetness which I am not used to on a burger.  The truffle oil worked well with the arugula and overall I really enjoyed it.  My only complaint is the burger could have been ground better as it had a few pieces of gristle in it which made chewing difficult.  For a $12 burger I expect a better grind.

My wife really enjoyed the Mushroom melt which was topped with Havarti Cheese, American Cheese, Sautéed
Mushrooms, Caramelized Onion, and Aïoli.  She said it was wonderful although I did not get a chance to try it.

My son enjoyed his Farmer’s Burger which was topped with Havarti Cheese, Fried Egg, Petit Jean Bacon,
Butter Leaf Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, and Aïoli.  He finished it off as well and I did not have a chance to try it out.

Overall the food was great and I will be visiting Big Orange again in the future.  The restaurant has a very friendly modern interior and has a nice casual atmosphere.  I can easily see how Big Orange could become a chain around the country.

Sunday-Thursday: 10:30 am – 10:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 10:30 AM – 10:30 pm (Bar open til midnight)
BIG ORANGE | 17809 Chenal Pkwy, Ste.G-101, Little Rock, Arkansas 72223
Phone: (501) 821-1515 | Fax: (501) 821-3033

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

Several of the dinners I cook on a regular basis contain salmon.  I buy a “side” of salmon from Sam’s Club, marinate it for six hours, slice it into 2″ wide pieces, vacuum seal two pieces at a time with a Food Saver vacuum sealer, and freeze it for later.  This allows me to thaw two pieces, which is enough for 2-4 people, and cook it whenever I need it.  The photo on the right shows the salmon I made for a healthy chef salad.

Here’s how:

Ingredients (Marinade)

• One large piece of salmon from Sam’s Club (about 4 pounds)
• Four cups soy sauce (I buy a gallon at a time from Sam’s Club)
• A large roasting pan (large enough to hold the salmon)
• 2″ piece fresh ginger
• 4 Jalapeno peppers
• 6 cloves garlic (peeled)
• 1 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

Directions

Finely dice the ginger, garlic, and peppers (seeds included).

Combine all ingredients and place in roasting pan.

Place salmon, bottom side up, in roasting pan.

Fill pan with water until the salmon is floating just under the surface.

Spoon the peppers/garlic/ginger over the top of the salmon.

Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Rinse off.  Slice into 2″ pieces (about 1/2 pound each).  Pat dry.  Vacuum seal two pieces at a time.  Freeze.

Cooking

Remove from the freezer and thaw in the bag in a bowl of warm water.  It will take about 30 minutes.  When it is soft in the center, it is ready to be cooked.

Remove from the bag, pat dry, and place on a cookie sheet.

Set your oven to 450 degrees F, Broil.

Place the salmon in the oven and cook for 12 minutes.

At the 12 minute mark, drizzle honey over the top of the salmon and place back into the oven.

Cook for another 5 minutes or until the honey forms a glaze and the fish has a golden red color to it.

Serve with the following ideas:

1. Salmon over butter lettuce with chef salad ingredients
2. Salmon with jasmine rice, sided with bean sprouts
3. Salmon chopped and mixed into an omelet with light cream cheese and chives
4. Salmon chopped and served in soft flour tortillas as fish tacos (with slaw, avocado, peppers, salsa, etc.)

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

I am doing a lot of BBQ’ing for some friends coming over this weekend:

• 15 pound brisket
• 7 pound pork shoulder
• 24 chicken thighs
• 10 pounds of baby back ribs

I put a dry rub on the brisket and the ribs and a wet rub on the pork shoulder.  All sat overnight in the refrigerator.  A few minutes ago I put the brisket and pork shoulder in the smoker at 238 degrees F.  Should be ready to foil in a few hours. 🙂

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

I have already written about Cheer’s in Maumelle for lunch a couple of times and have had good results.  Regardless of a previously bad attempt at dinner, my wife and I gave it another try a couple of weekends ago and had a great time.

The restaurant in Maumelle is expanding by closing in the outdoor area and moving the bar.  The new area looks to be almost twice as big which should be welcome news to those who like to sit indoors where it is cool or warm depending on the time of year.

We started with the friend oysters which were a bit heavy on the batter, but had a really good flavor to them.  They used a decent amount of spice and the dipping sauce paired perfectly.  Overall they were good and something I may order again.

My wife ordered the Rib-eye with a Red Wine Reduction Sauce and I ordered the Filet Mignon with a Blue Cheese Sauce.  You are also given the choice of sides and I opted for a bowl of their chicken and dumplings instead of french fries.

The waiter did a great job of offering different items and even recommended against the fries.  I couldn’t agree more as I don’t see ordering a filet Mignon with french fries!

As it turns out, the waiters recommendation of another side was spot on.  My chicken and dumplings tasted great with plenty of flavor and smooth and creamy dumplings.  The spice level was high, which is what I like, and I had no complaints.

Our steaks arrived next and looked wonderful.  My filet had a layer of spice seared on the top and was bursting with flavor.  It was over-cooked a little (I asked for Medium Rare but received Medium) but it did not impact the flavor.

I was extremely pleased with the filet and the blue cheese sauce was perfect.  I don’t know what they put in the sauce but I’ve been craving it ever since I had it.  I can’t wait to go back and have the filet and blue cheese again.

My wife’s rib-eye looked quite good as well but I was too full to try it.  She says it was great and I’ll take her word for it.  If you are out for dinner, give Cheer’s in Maumelle a try.  They are on the expensive side of things but worth it.

Cheers In Maumelle
(501) 851-6200
1901 Club Manor Dr Ste C
Maumelle, AR 72113
http://www.cheersith.com

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

As I posted about this past weekend, the Arkansas Main Street Food Festival ran from 11am to 7pm Saturday and featured music, crafts, and of course, food trucks!

My wife and I showed up at 11:30am, which turned out to be the perfect time, as we were able to try out a few food trucks before the crowd formed.  Main street was blocked off with room for a live band, several arts and craft stands, and eight or so food trucks.  Who knew there were so many food trucks in the Little Rock area?

The first band was, well, not so great, but the second band to play had a good jazz sound and was quite enjoyable.  By the time we left at 1:30 the place was packed with lines snaking around the block for each truck.

So, how was the food?

Green Cuisine – A vegetarian food truck!  I did not know such things exist but the food was quite good.  I had the Philly Cheesesteak which was made with mushrooms instead of steak.  It was very flavorful, messy to eat, and overall tasted great.  The wait was insanely long though.  I guess they are not used to having many customers as it took nearly 15 minutes to receive my sandwich.

Mike’s Hot Dog Cart – The hot-dog may have tasted good but the Sam’s Club Cole-Slaw and bottled BBQ Sauce (Catleman’s,) overwhelmed the hot-dog.  I ate one bite and threw the rest away.  Granted, I am comparing to the dogs I get in Chicago..but still..

Grills on Wheels – By FAR the best food I tried at the festival.   Grills on Wheels has the best barbacoa and asada soft-corn tacos in the city.  They actually beat out my favorite place on 65th street and their barbacoa taco puts Chipotle to shame.  I am going to search this place out in the future.  Best tacos in the city.

Wishbones – I tried four of their sliders including the fried bologna, lean beef, and chicken varieties.  They were all cold, messy, and tasted like something from a school cafeteria.  The lady taking the order was very nice, and the crew was working feverishly in the back, but the food did not impress.

Le Pops gourmet Popcicles – A cart with homemade popsicles.  I had the salty caramel popsickle and it was divine.  Very creamy with a wonderful flavor.  I do not consider popsickles “food” per se but their fare was one of my favorite.

I wish I could have tried more of the trucks but by the time I received my food from the four, huge lines had formed at the other trucks.  It took almost two hours to try four vendors, which tells me they need to work on their speed of delivery.  Even with the wait I am happy to have found Green Cuisine and Grills on Wheels.  Now to figure out where they are parked during the week!

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

The Main Street Food Truck Festival is today from 11am to 7pm!  Head downtown to Main Street in Little Rock, AR and enjoy food from many food trucks.  While you are there expect to listen to local music and check out the arts and crafts.

It’s bound to be a fun time for adults and kids alike.  Be sure to bring cash for the $1 food and beer tickets as credit cards are not accepted.  See you there!

Their Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Main-Street-Food-Truck-Festival-Little-Rock-October-1/249158418447010

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

I made gnocchi tonight and it tasted wonderful (even my 11 year old liked it.)  The best part?  It was low-calorie and fit into my diet perfectly.

Ingredients

• 1 Package gnocchi (should be <660 calories for the entire box)
• 1/2 Red onion
• 1/2 Cup roasted garlic (from the deli section)
• 1/2 Tablespoon fresh basil, sliced thinly
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon butter
• 1 14Ounce can Roasted Tomatoes
• 1/2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 14 Ounce can Quartered Artichokes
• 1/2 Fresh Jalapeno
• Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Cooking

Cook the gnocchi according to the directions.

Slice the onion and jalapeno thinly.  Heat the olive oil over high in a skillet, add the onions and jalapeno.

Once the onions are translucent, add the quartered artichokes.  Let cook for 5 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Add the roasted tomatoes and let cook until reduced.  Add the red wine vinegar and cook down for 1 minute.

Turn the heat the low.  Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, the garlic, and half of the basil.

Once the gnocchi is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the boiling water.

Move the gnocchi to the sauce in the skillet.  Toss to cover the gnocchi with the sauce.

Serve with fresh basil on top and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

By Todd Barron @ FoodieCuisine.com

We made food for an Arkansas Razorbacks football game the other weekend and one item on the menu were cheeseburgers.  I cooked mine without cheese, dipped it in Hooter’s Hot Wing Sauce, and then topped it with blue cheese.  I had never tried Hooter’s Wing Sauce before and was very impressed.  I am not one to use pre-made sauces but was pleasantly surprised with the quality and flavor of the sauce.

Fast-forward to this last weekend and we made appetizers for yet another Razorbacks game.  This time we bought chicken wings from the local grocery store, already cooked, and added the sauce to them.  After 30 minutes in the oven the wings had a smooth glaze and tasted great.  I thought to myself, these would make great Buffalo Chicken Tenders and as it turns out, I was right!

I bought 2 pounds of chicken tenders and one jar of Hooter’s Hot Wing Sauce for the dinner.  For the sides I cooked the potatoes and broccoli from the Chicken Thighs dinner I made the other week.

Recipe

• 2 Pounds Chicken Thighs
• 1 Cup flour
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Teaspoon pepper
• 1 Jar Hooter’s Hot Wing Sauce
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 Eggs

Prep

Whisk the eggs in a bowl until fluffy.  Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

One at a time, dip a tender in the flour, then the egg wash, and back into the flour again.  As you finish each one, place it on a cookie sheet and do not let them stack.

Cooking

Heat a griddle, or large skillet, on medium high and add the olive oil.  Once the oil starts to smoke, add the chicken tenders.  Do not turn them until they are light brown on the bottom.  Once they are, turn them over and brown on the other side.  Once they are browned on both sides, remove back to the cookie sheet.

Once all of the tenders are completed, place them in a large baking dish.  As you complete a layer of tenders, cover them in the Hooter’s Wing Sauce.  Continue this until all of the tenders are in the dish (you should have 2-3 layers).  Pour the rest of the sauce over the tenders and place the dish in the oven.  Cook the tenders until they reach 165 degrees F (about 10 minutes.)

Remove and serve 3 tenders with a scoop of potatoes and a few florets of broccoli.  My family loves this dish and I plan on making it again next weekend.