RESTAURANT TRANSITIONS: Flint Flenoy plans buffet near Village; Frankfurters coming to ex-chicken outlet

Flint Flenoy closed Flint’s at the Regions at the end of December and expects to open Flint's Southern Spoon, a buffet restaurant, in a few weeks on Arkansas 7 North outside Hot Springs Village. (Democrat-Gazette file photo/Jerry McLeod)
Flint Flenoy closed Flint’s at the Regions at the end of December and expects to open Flint's Southern Spoon, a buffet restaurant, in a few weeks on Arkansas 7 North outside Hot Springs Village. (Democrat-Gazette file photo/Jerry McLeod)


Flint Flenoy, who closed Flint's at the Regions, in the former Sack-It Grill space on the ground floor of the Regions Building, 400 W. Capitol Ave., Little Rock, Dec. 31, is expecting to open a new restaurant in about three weeks on Arkansas 7 North outside Hot Springs Village. Flint's Southern Spoon will be a traditional family buffet, Flenoy says, open 3-8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. for buffet brunch on Sunday. Wednesday's buffet will feature meatloaf and herb-baked chicken; on Thursday, look for spaghetti and Flenoy's signature fried chicken; on Fridays, catfish and a seafood boil. Saturday you can order steaks (not from the buffet) and prime rib or something similar from a carving station. There will be a salad bar. If you don't want the buffet you can order off an eight-item menu. Cost of the buffet is $14. The phone number is (501) 226-0416. Flenoy, meanwhile, continues to operate Flint's at the Flight Deck in the Central Flying Service flight training facility, 2301 Crisp Drive, Little Rock. (501) 975-9315.

Google reports the Sharks outlet next to the Exxon station at 8922 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock, as "temporarily closed." One of our eagle-eyed readers, however, spotted a sign in the window saying "this location has closed permanently." The listed phone number, (501) 570-7877, returns a scratchy recording that it has been "disconnected or is no longer in service."

A reader reports that something called Frank's Hot Dogs has opened in the former Church's Chicken, 2511 McCain Blvd., North Little Rock. Soon as we unearth any additional details, we'll let you know.

And yet another reader reports the approach of a Hibachi Express in the one-time Mel's Diner, 603 Airport Road, Hot Springs. No, we don't know yet if it is related in any way to the half-dozen (or more) places in Central Arkansas of which "Hibachi Express" is part of the name. Interestingly: only a few blocks away, at 1370 Airport Road, is a restaurant called Jojo Hibachi Sushi Express.

And the division of Arkansas Heritage hands out the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame honors on Monday with a hybrid (in-person and online) ceremony 5:30 p.m. at the Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave., Little Rock. To attend online, visit fb.me/e/280cKioIHz.

Ahead of that is the dedication of a new food-themed mural at 11 a.m. at the Ben E. Keith Main Street Pocket Park, 711 Main St., Little Rock. The 24-foot by 3.5-foot mural depicts a long table set with plates featuring Food Hall of Fame winners from the inception of the awards in 2017. Each plate was designed by a different artist — the list includes Allison Tucker, Wilson Whitlock, Emma Chambers, Lacey Olson, Sunny Jenkins, Tommy Tropical and Jeremy Couch — with room to add additional winners as they are announced.

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. Send email to: [email protected]


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