Browning’s Mexican Grill, the Heights institution that’s been closed for almost exactly a year and under renovation since last October, opened to the public Monday. Early visitors would be wise to call ahead. Monday, the restaurant said it would open at 4 p.m. on its Facebook page, but didn’t open until 5:15 p.m.
For at least a week, according to the Facebook page, it will open for dinner only and serve a limited menu. The phone number is 663-9956, the address is 5805 Kavanaugh Blvd. and the website is browningsmexicangrill.com.
A new restaurant called Redbone’s Downtown hopes to open this week in the River Market in the space that previously housed Flying Burrito and, briefly, Harry and Jorges. Southern comfort food with a Cajun influence will be the specialty, according to Kenneth Briggs, who along with his son Jacob Briggs and Wade Davis, co-owns the restaurant. Daniel Bryant, who has the lease on the building and co-owned both Flying Burrito and Harry and Jorge’s, is involved, too, but in the background.
Briggs said he and his partners are still tweaking the menu, but he said they plan to offer dishes like shrimp creole, alligator sauce piquante, chicken fried chicken, bacon cheeseburger meatloaf, blackened Cajun dumplings and a number of po-boy options (shrimp, oyster, “debris” roast beef, chicken fried chicken with gravy). For appetizers, look for the likes of Oyster Bienville stuffed mushrooms. For dessert, Bananas Foster bread pudding will be the specialty.
There’ll be a set menu with daily entree, sides and dessert specials, Briggs said. And, of course, a full bar.
Briggs has been in and out of the restaurant business since the early ’80s. He and his family ran Hungry’s Cafe in Little Rock from 1984-93 and more recently he opened Riverside Kitchen in Gilbert, Ark. Jacob Briggs and Wade Davis have recently run the kitchen at The Diner in Cabot.
Redbone’s will be open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday to Tuesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 11 a.m. until midnight (with the kitchen typically closing around 10 p.m.) Friday and Saturday. The address is 300 President Clinton Ave. The restaurant didn’t have a phone number at press time.
Chipotle Mexican Grill, the popular Denver-based fast-casual chain, will open Aug. 16 in the Pleasant Ridge Shopping Center, according to developer Lou Schickel.