November 2018 – dub273.com

New To Me: Aji Ramen Bar

Can I get a R’amen!

Address: 301 N Shackleford Rd Suite F3 Little Rock, Arkansas / Phone: (501) 414-8433 / Hours: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM Mon-Fri; 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM Sat

Ramen blah blah blah, Japan blah blah blah, poor college student blah blah blah, authentic blah blah blah, Heart Hospital blah blah blah Little Rock. There! That’s out of the way let’s walk into Aji Ramen Bar and see if it delivers. (Spoiler: Yes.)

Aji’s footprint is itty bitty. Tables and countertops line every square inch of available space along the walls. Elbow to elbow with everyone in the room, there’s a sense of the lively bustle of a downtown Tokyo joint. Our first step into Aji’s confined spaces found us amidst a small throng of people packed around the front door.

Be ready to make lunch buddies with your fellow Ramen enthusiasts.

We stood among the entrance crowd for a few minutes. Do we “please seat ourselves” or do we “please wait to be seated”? Pro tip: just because there are empty seats does not mean you get to walk up and claim them. A host or hostess will eventually come along and put you where you need to be.

Not long after the hostess took our name, Spouse and I were seated at our table. We were glad we dressed warmly, ‘cuz our table was right near the entrance, with only a crowd of hungry diners standing between us and the chilly bluster outside. Suffice to say we felt every patron entering and leaving.

Our server asked if we wanted anything to drink, and really without thinking about it, I said “Sake”. I’m at a ramen bar and I’m going all in on the experience, right?

I expected a shot glass sized portion, or maybe a wine glass. What I didn’t expect was a small glazed carafe. Whoa. That’s more than I bargained for. Spouse doesn’t care for sake, so this was all me.

I really don’t know why I ordered sake. Sake, bitter and sour, is not my jam, and whatever brand they were slinging really didn’t change my mind. But it was warm, delivered a pleasant buzz, and kept me occupied while we waited for the food to arrive. I poured shot after shot after shot into the tiny glass and I kept thinking “Surely I’m near the bottom now”, but it just kept coming until I told myself “enough is enough”. Spouse, luckily, was driving today.

One of the eight Takayoki which made its way to our table.

Our server strongly hinted that we should try the Takoyaki appetizer. We’re terribly glad he did. These bite-sized appetizers were an experience of flavor and texture that surprised and delighted. For this app, octopus is pureed, fried, and served with a delightful cream sauce and thin slices of squid. The outside was crispy and well seasoned, while the interior was velvety and delicious, with a small chunk of octopus flesh to add to the texture. Spouse, not normally a fan of this kind of seafood, actually enjoyed it. The tidy portion size meant we could proceed to our ramen entrees without being over-stuffed.

And now the moment we’ve all been waiting for … the arrival of the ramen bowl!

I ordered the Cha-Siu Ramen (pork broth with pork belly, soft boiled egg, onion, black mushrooms, and chili hair) with an extra hit of egg and green onions. Spouse ordered the Chicken Ramen (same as above, except with marinated chicken instead of pork). If you want to see what else they have on the menu, I invite you to click here.

For whatever reason, my ramen bowl came out several minutes before hers. Well, when I say “mine” it was actually her chicken ramen; some kind of mix-up on the line led to our meats getting switched. I was several bites in before I got to the meat, and noticed “Hey! This isn’t pork belly!” and sure enough it wasn’t, but boy, that chicken was fabulous. By the time the other bowl arrived, we were able to swap out the meats and dine away happily.

The first issue I needed answers to was the broth. I dipped my large plastic soup spoon into a corner of the bowl and let it fill with nothing but. That first sip was confirmation that we were in for a treat. I tasted a rich, abundant pork flavor, bold yet delicate, and best of all, fresh. You could add just about any ingredient to this broth and make it sing. Spouse, still awaiting her (my) bowl, had a sample, and agreed that it was excellent. Just recalling that first taste of this broth makes me want to go back for more right now, except I have this stupid blog post to write.

Pictured above: Not what I ordered, but still amazing.

So how about them noodles, anyway? I fished out a string with my chopsticks and friends, there’s no going back to packaged ramen after this. The freshly made noodles still cling to the essence of whatever wheat flour they used, along with a subtle essence of things green and earthy, with the proper amount of firmness. Orthodox Pastafarians would declare, rightly, that they had been touched by His Noodly Appendage.

The boiled eggs, as well as the chicken and pork belly, are apparently marinated in a soy brine for some time before being cooked and included in the ramen bowl. They were all divine. The chicken was a real surprise; the chunks were nice and meaty and tender. Another surprise was the canned corn (fresh corn probably not being a thing found on the Japanese mainland?), but being a Midwestern boy, I was happy to eat it all up. The non-spicy chili hairs had a nice concentrated red pepper flavor, plus they looked purty.

When Spouse’s (my) bowl finally arrived with all its pork belly glory, I experienced an initial moment of “meh” of a dry, fleshy bit of the belly until I found several bits of roasty, fatty delight. I took a bite, and paused to close my eyes for a moment and just reflected on how awesome life is when something is just right. Like this bite of pork belly, bathed in that magnificent broth. Mm.

The slight snafu with our orders notwithstanding, the service at Aji Ramen Bar was top notch. The turnover was quick; the diners arrived hungry and left happy in record time. Our server was friendly, efficient, and quick to offer suggestions and information on the elements of our meal. Deft at navigating the crush of people, quick to deliver our European chopsticks (aka fork) to our table, he also gave us suggestions on the optimal time to arrive at Aji so as not to get lost in the crowd.

The most amusing moment came as we were paying our check. Our server checked the sake decanter and discovered I had not yet drunk all of the sake. (That was not by accident.) “One more!” and poured it into the tiny glass. Ugh. I took a slug, put the glass down. “One more!” he said again, emptying the contents, and I took my final drink of that stuff. Remember, going all in on the experience!

For my efforts, he rewarded me with a bright smile and a double high-five. Gods (Quob included), I love this place already.

As we walked out of Aji across the cold drizzly parking lot, our tummies sloshing with ramen and me wobbly from the sake, we agreed how satisfied we were. I promised myself I’d get out and try new places more often, but I may sneak back to Aji first.

The only question that’s on my mind now, given the obvious success of Aji Ramen Bar and the appeal of ramen to the city of Little Rock:

Franchise?

New To Me: Saffron Indian Cuisine

Some Misses, But Mostly Hits

Address: 12911 Cantrell Rd., Suite 18 Little Rock, Arkansas 72223 / Phone: (501) 313-5335 / Hours: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Anyone with a fondness for Indian grub knows that we already have a groovy scene going on here in Little Rock. Now Dogtown welcomes its newest option: Saffron Indian Cusine.

Located in one of the many strip malls that line western Cantrell Road, Saffron might be easy to overlook. Sort of a “you have to know it’s there, to know it’s there” kind of location. My fondness for my Indian food, combined with the fact that this place is New To Me, led me to lunch there one sunny afternoon to conquer its buffet.

Saffron Indian Cuisine’s interior is chic and cozy.

Having heard good things about the food, I looked forward to the business of stuffing my face. The wonderful aromas of India struck me the moment I stepped through the door, which made me optimistic. The interior of the restaurant is a bit compact for a buffet, but I was surprised at how well people were able to get to and from their tables to the line.

I was struck almost immediately that the buffet didn’t have the huge variety of choices available at other Indian buffets here in town, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. Quality over quantity, right? As I always do, I started with a rice base on my plate, which helps absorb the various curries and sauces, and piled on the offerings.

Presenting the buffet at Saffron Indian Cuisine, or at least part of it.

Among the highlghts and lowlights:

The buffet sported a rich red curry with paneer (Indian cheese); it had excellent flavor, but I only found one lone chunk of the cheese floating in the sauce. I’d have liked more.

I was anxious to try the Curried Goat, there was no meat in the sauce, just a lonely cinnamon stick swimming at the bottom. It was the same situation on my second trip through the line. By the time they finally got some actual goat out there, I was already paying my check.

The Saag (spinach) with Chicken was the highlight of this visit. Friends, I have to say, I’ve eaten saag dishes in numerous Indian joints. It’s one of the things I most look forward to when dining Indian. This might be my favorite I’ve ever had. Bursting with flavors and spices, rich, salty, and with a really hot kick to it, this saag was next level. I could eat this forever and ever, if I had to.

I was wary of the Sweet & Sour Veg that came in a toxic-looking bright orange sauce, so I only served myself a meager spoonful, but it was pleasantly tangy and tasted fresh. As a final note, “Sweet and sour” seemed a misnomer because there really was no “sweet” component.

The Chicken Tandoori was adequate. The seasoning and sauce were pleasant, but my palate likes the sauce to be brighter, more tangy. Also, the chicken didn’t convey the subtle smoky, charred taste of the tandoor oven, which for me is the whole point of tandoor preparation. But it was well-cooked and moist, so credit where due.

I sampled the agreeable pakoras and medu vada. I noted with interest that scattered amongst the pakoras were small, bright green leaves that I couldn’t identify.

The Sambar Soup, which is lightly curried lentils vegetables with hearty chunks of carrot, onion, and eggplant, wasn’t life-changing but it had a good hearty flavor. My only real issue with the soup is that they only offer these really teeny tiny bowls for you to serve it into. I was afraid these huge hunks of vegetables would come hurtling over the sides.

About midway through my first plate, the hostess apologized profusely for the tardiness of my basket of naan bread. I just sort of shrugged, because to me, a) naan is usually just kind of filler, and b) I never finish it and I feel like a big wasteful buffoon. But when that basket arrived, I understood. I really did. This naan was a great complement to the food. Crispy on the outside, bready on the inside, with a char that sets off the flour and the salt, I was very pleased. (I still didn’t finish it, though.)

The food was more positive than negative, by far. You know you’re eating real Indian food when you’re spitting out the occasional cardamom seed or chunk of star anise. Part of the experience, right? I’m curious to return to see what they will offer on different days of the week.

While I really really wanted to work the lyric “I’m just mad about Saffron” into this review, it’s hard to overlook glitches in the staffing and service I witnessed. The restaurant had one beleaguered staff member in charge of seating customers, ringing up the register, slinging naan baskets, filling and refilling water glasses, and who knows what else. The two other staff I saw seemed focused only on busing tables — and even then, the table to me went un-bused until another couple was seated there. More than one customer arrived at the front door. And stood there. And stood there. And stood there some more. Until finally they had to chase someone down to get seated. Then of course there was the Mystery of the Missing Goat and the Tale of the Tardy Naan. Perhaps Saffron was short staffed during this particular buffet, but I thought the whole dynamic was in need of serious fine-tuning.

Saffron definitely has their groove on with the food, so I feel it might be worth my time to get there during non-buffet hours to order off the menu. I’m crossing my fingers that the kinks I observed this visit were just an unfortunate off-day.

New To Me: Tacos 4 Life

Address: 2630 S Shackleford Rd Little Rock, AR 72205 / Phone: 501-404-0144

Reading all the various food blogs that cover our abundant restaurant scene in Little Rock, it occurred to me that there are far too many places that have been on my radar, that locals say this place is awesome, and that for whatever reason I haven’t visited. “Oh, I need to try that sometime” is something I say way too often to anyone who’ll listen. And also, “I haven’t written anything in a while! Let’s take care of that!” So today, I made it a point to get out to Tacos 4 Life, located in the Shackleford Crossings shopping center. And then write about it.

There’s a real, worthwhile, feel-good reason to visit this restaurant: Tacos 4 Life tackles hunger by donating a portion of each meal to Feed My Starving Children. But unicorns and rainbows could only carry the concept so far: customers are also going to want a decent meal to go along with their purchase. Can they expect one?

I’m happy to report that the meal was satisfying, and I’m looking forward to returning.

I arrived at the location around 11:30, which is usually when Little Rock is in full “get yer lunch on” mode. I noticed right away that the lot surrounding the building was full of vehicles, and counted myself lucky to find a parking spot toward the rear. The place is happening.

Lunch time at Tacos 4 Life was rather lively.

Having no preconceived notion of the franchise, I was expecting a kind of fast-casual experience like, say, Chipotle. I didn’t expect the dining room to be so cavernous! It was more like a funky cantina-style vibe, with a bright interior, strings of lights, and high wood-beamed ceilings. Definitely a great place to enjoy some tacos. Had the day been more agreeable, I would have chosen to sit out on the pleasant patio at the rear of the building. Maybe next spring.

The food process was pretty simple and expedient. I placed my order at the counter, received my number and a plastic cup full of Paradise Punch, and took my seat at a two-top near the side entrance. Quick side note: When I arrived I danced right up to the order-taker slash cashier with no wait, but the time I finished up and left, there was a line of maybe a dozen customers. This place is poppin’! Judge your arrival thusly.

“Paradise Punch? What the hell is Paradise Punch?” I hear you ask. It’s punch. Non-alcoholic, sweet, fruity … but with a touch of coconut. I’d just been on the treadmill for an hour, so this really hit the spot, but of course it undid my being on the treadmill for an hour. The straw comes with a small black phony mustache, which is a genius way to get people to take selfies with their beverages, thereby giving Tacos 4 Life a whole mess of free social media publicity.

Around ten minutes after I sat down, at typical fast-casual speed, my order arrived.

Behold! The Spicy Chorizo Taco Meal! With a side of Cilantro Pesto Rice!

The tacos were way larger than I expected. Local favorite Local Lime, who (still) slings my favorite tacos in town, uses much smaller tortillas. By comparison, these felt enormous. Not that I’m complaining! I’m just used to more … ahem … stingy sized tacos.

First, the chorizo. It was top notch. Not quite at the lofty level as Local Lime’s chorizo, but it comes awfully close. And it felt like a mountain of it had been stuffed into the tortilla. Very cumin-forward, dense yet crumbly, brimming with flavors of garlic and other spices. My first couple of bites I thought “ehhh, this isn’t really spicy” but as I progressed through the meal, there was a definite slow burn building. So, A+ to you, Tacos 4 Life, for getting the chorizo right.

The chorizo tacos come topped with Mexican corn, and cotija cheese, and fried jalapenos. The corn and cheese didn’t really contribute anything remarkable to the tacos. They were fine, but they were also like “whatever”. The real revelation was the fried jalapenos. I didn’t read the menu description beyond the word “chorizo” so I was expecting these to be pickled jalapenos. Imagine my surprise when I took a bite — and instead of a jalapeno, it was akin to eating a tiny chile relleno! Instead of a one-note pepper, there was a depth of fried goodness and well cooked chile. This was a really neat touch. Mind blown.

The rice was perfectly cooked, and the cilantro pesto was … for lack of a better word … interesting. Kind of bitter, and kind of earthy, I thought it could be brightened up a bit. I ended up liking it after adding a squeeze of lime and a dash of hot sauce, a variety of which is available abundantly by the fountain drink machine.

All in all, this was a happy little outing. I thought back to the moment when I’d just sat down at my table, and a server walked by with a platter of the Ultimate Nachos that another customer had ordered, and thought “those will be mine some day.” For now, my belly satisfied, and also my conscience, I knew I’d be returning.