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Rosie’s Pot & Kettle is a new breakfast and lunch spot located on the eastern edge of downtown Little Rock. It is just a few blocks from the East Village District, the revamped, now popular area filled with a variety of eateries (including Fidel & Co.). It tugs at my heartstrings just a bit to see this area’s revitalization. And the addition of Rosie’s helps fill a massive void left by the closure of nearby Sandy’s Homeplace Café. After three decades, the ever-popular institution which continually attracted white and blue-collar lunchtime diners recently closed for good. The cafe’s namesake announced her well-earned retirement.
Whether Rosie’s Pot & Kettle can carry Sandy’s torch remains to be seen, but my visit did nothing to dissuade me from thinking it can. The menu is small. This is not a knock, just an observation. I prefer a smaller, more concentrated menu with a focus on executing a limited number of items well. For Rosie’s, that includes a lean towards stick-to-your-ribs Southern delights. A daily lunch special with proteins like hamburger steak, salmon croquettes, and meatloaf will likely help build a clientele of regulars. But so will the vegetable plate. Folks have a choice of four side dishes from a rotating mix of items, including pinto beans, purple hull peas, mashed potatoes, turnip greens, corn, and mac & cheese. On Fridays, you can even celebrate the upcoming weekend with a chili cheese dog and tater tots.
Rosie’s Cheeseburger is also on the menu, and it is quite tasty. The burger is a touch sloppy in appearance, but what it lacks in looks, it certainly makes up for in taste. The highlight is the thick beef patty, cooked to a perfect medium, then covered in American cheese and topped with a leaf of Romaine. Pickles, red onion, tomato, mayonnaise, and mustard also come along for the ride. The $9 handheld also includes a side of tater tots with a fry job so good, you will probably need an extra order to split with a tablemate. The smashed potatoes and Northern beans were two other standouts from my lunch. One thing I quickly gathered about Rosie’s is the ladies who run this restaurant know their way around a potato. In the case of the smashed potatoes, a heavy hand of butter, and then more butter did the trick.
In-house desserts are also a big draw for the restaurant. A slice of blueberry custard pie proved enjoyable, as did a piece of coconut cream pie. The latter needed a few more minutes in the refrigerator, as I prefer mine a little colder than what hit the table.
Service was warm and friendly, as you might expect from a smaller restaurant embracing comfort food and Southern hospitality. I hope Rosie’s Pot & Kettle continues to be adopted by locals. By most, if not all accounts, reviews have been positive. Consistency will be the key. If they churn out quality, consistent food, then I could see Rosie’s doing well for years to come.
Did You Know?
Rosie’s offers a 10-menu item breakfast on Monday-Friday from 6 a.m.-10:30 a.m., with dishes like a breakfast burrito, breakfast sandwich, and a 2-egg breakfast (with ham, bacon, sausage, hash brown patty, and toast or biscuit).
Rosie’s Pot & Kettle Cafe
423 Bond Avenue (Little Rock)
Phone: (501) 747-1456
Hours: Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-2 p.m.
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