Top 10 Dishes in June

At the end of each month, I look back at all the wonderful things eaten over the past 30 days. Here are my Top 10 Dishes in June.

 

The Kickin’ Wing at Low Ivy Catering

Chef Ivy continues to churn out wildly creative dishes like The Kickin’ Wing, a thin, crispy chicken sandwich with pork belly, Swiss, sriracha mayo, pineapple chow chow, and hoisin, all on a house-made bun. What a melding of flavors, and as with any memorable dish, the greatness rests in the details. There are no shortcuts with this one or with anything she does for that matter.

 

Wings at Lost Forty Brewing

Did you know that Lost Forty serves wings? If you didn’t, now you do. And they are truly some of the better ones in town, mainly because they’ve smoked then deep fried these bad boys. The result is a slightly smokey, extra crispy wing that is ready for a ranch or bleu cheese bath. Mine came with the Buffalo Way Sauce, but Sweet & Spicy-Q and Smoked Reaper are also available. 

 

Lasagna Al Forno at The Pantry Crest

Special thanks to my youngest daughter who let me sneak a few bites of her Lasagna Al Forno at The Pantry Crest so I could include the dish on this list. This over-the-top version of an Italian classic is laced with bolognese, gooey cheese, and house-made noodles. Oh, and then there’s the bechamel, because bechamel makes just about everything better. 

 

Blackened Redfish at Table 28

If you enjoy redfish, like me, make sure to get over to Table 28 for this blackened version. The mild-flavored fish with medium firmness and slight flakiness pairs just right with Chef Rains’ pile of fried Brussels sprouts. The fish is topped off with a heaping pat of smoked chili butter. Chow chow also resides atop the fish, giving it a nice pop of acidity and moisture. 

 

Pad Thai at Khao Gang

If you need a quick pad Thai fix, I suggest seeking out the Khao Gang food truck. While I’ve had better versions in the past, I really enjoyed the combination of sweet noodles and crunchy crushed peanuts. Order it with either chicken or pork and tell the cashier your preferred spice level. I went with a 3 (out of 5). 

 

 

Pickled Shrimp with Cauliflower and Quinoa at Ciao Baci

I hate putting dishes from special events on posts like this one, but Ciao Baci’s Pickled Shrimp with Cauliflower and Quinoa was just too good not to mention. What a light and refreshing summer dish and an ideal course #1 for a multicourse dinner. 

 

 

Orange Chicken at A.W. Lin’s (Downtown)

Sweet and tangy pieces of fried chicken doused in an orange sauce lands A.W. Lin’s dish on this list. I love great Chinese food and a recent lunch has me debating whether the downtown location is producing some of Little Rock’s best. Maybe so, but more research is needed on my part.

 

 

Filet at Allsopp & Chapple

Every now and then I get the hankering for a good restaurant steak, as was the case a few weeks ago during an impromptu date night at Allsopp’s bar. Well, well, well … the fine folks in the kitchen dropped the hammer with this 8-ounce medium-rare beauty. Just look at those grill marks. 

 

 

 

Dill & Parmesan Wings at Certified Pies

The staff at Certified Pies has mastered fried chicken wings, and their new creation, a creative combination of dill and Parmesan, is another winner. These wings are marinated, deep fried, then dusted with a powder. While they don’t surpass the Truth Sauce wings for me, I still enjoyed the new take. 

 

 

Hurricane Shrimp and Street Corn at Roots Restaurant (Jonesboro)

A quick trip up to Jonesboro to finally check out downtown’s Roots Restaurant for lunch was met with favorable results, in part because of the Hurricane Shrimp and Street Corn. This beautiful appetizer, highlighted by sweet cream corn, grilled shrimp, and a little queso fresco, proved to showcase the kitchen’s creativity.  

 

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