Lunch at the Packet House...

Di and Daughter had lunch today at the new and remodelled The Packet House on Cantrell Road overlooking the Arkansas River. Lots of hits and misses...
Misses include:
Cold Butternut Squash Soup...brrrrr!
Only slightly heated grilled bread for the Grilled Pimento Cheese
Fried Green Tomatoes and House Fries desperately needed seasoning
No salt and pepper shakers on the table (we get the gist here, but you need to season properly)

Hits include:

Excellent server (also, retrieved the salt/pepper shakers in a flash)
Beautiful modern decor
Great tasting House Fries with truffle oil
Nicely seasoned House Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette and sweetened rosemary seasoned walnuts
Delicious creamy pimento cheese filling on a very tasty bread for the Grilled Pimento Cheese 

Light and delicious Sweet Potato Chips
Scrumptious Italian Cream Cake

The hits did outnumber the misses and we will return because it just wouldn't be right if we didn't give this wonderful old establishment another shot...

Forty Two at the Clinton Presidential Center

Lunch overlooking the beautiful Arkansas River with the famous Bridge to the 21st Century towering overhead on another sun bursting day in the 60s was very special today at the Little Rock restaurant, Forty Two located in the basement of the Clinton Presidential Center. What more could you ask for...well, a darn good meal (and a lot less Democrats) for one two things and that's just what Arkansas chef, Stephen Burrow gave us, a darn good meal!

For starters we had the French Onion Soup which was the best I have ever had in the Natural State. So simple to make however, lots of others (not Chef Burrow) tend to annihilate this classic, elegant appetizer. Rich beef broth with earthy bread, lots of cheese and onions, and I especially loved the serving bowl with a tidy little round indention on the side to properly hold your cute little soup spoon.  So presidential. And, the Wedge of Romaine was simply delicious. The huge (every thing is BIG here) salad had lots of blue cheese crumbles, ripe grape tomatoes, sweet red onions (sweetened in a fabulous way) fresh Romaine lettuce, a light vinaigrette, and hunky, porky monster ham/bacon chunks. Out of the ball park! Also, the Shrimp Wrap with Homemade Potato Chips was nothing to sneeze at. Not teeny, tiny shrimp you have to look for in a sea of mayo but BIG, nicely seasoned shrimp with the freshest of greenery and spices in a tasty honey wheat wrap. Nothing was over done, just quality ingredients in a down home Southern kitchen with a lot of  presidential like stuff all around. Service and greeters were exceptionally delightful...well, what do you expect in the Natural State. Serving lunch only, check the link above for all sorts of other important info about the fabulous Forty Two!