Ristorante Capeo, North Little Rock

Whit and Chloe in the hotel room playing "Cool Math"games.
These two were also the instigators for walking to the restaurant...
Martin and I both agreed that it's from our Walking School Bus...
Why ride when you can walk???  :)

Capeo was WONDERFUL!! And it's located
just over the bridge from downtown Little Rock

Good Lord, Martin ordered up this beer...it had a 10% alcohol
label and tasted like oil, I thought.  He said because it had a
devil on the label and was called the "sixth glass" that after
drinking it, you thought you just had your sixth beer...lol!

Chloe ordered up this Chocolate Mousse and finished the whole
thing...she's got quite the sweet tooth....

Big Dam Bridge 58 and 106 bike ride...we're missing Kara and Kyle
Bob & Polly Hardin, Beth Bradshaw, Cecilia Killough, Stan Bradshaw
and Martin....Jackie's there in the distance putting his air pump in the car

I'd guess there were about 5000 cyclists...

At the halfway point aid station at Mayflower, Ark
Me, Cecilia, Bob, Polly, Kara, Beth and Stan...little did we know
there were 6 hills coming and the 50 was actually 58...whew....

Friday, September 23, 2011

I tell you Kara can pick restaurants!  She suggested this one just over the river from downtown Little Rock where we were staying for the Big Dam Bridge bike ride.  It's always a good to carb up before a big day of exercise.  And I was mentally ready for the 50 mile bike ride, I had my sensor, energy jelly beans, Gatorade but lemme  tell you...that ride was 58 miles with 6 hills, 2 of which most of us got off and walked....it was a tough day and I have to confess that I was nearly in tears the last 2 miles when I was by myself and faced another hill!  But we all MADE IT!!

But, now to this fabulous find in North Little Rock.  We had a reservation at 5:30, early I know but we had the 4 kids in tow because we couldn't find a sitter, so Kara wanted to get dinner rolling so we could get the kids to bed.  We had a wonderful waitress Jessica, who got our drink orders rolling and told us about the specials.   I had the house Chianti and I loved it, I didn't write down the name but it was great.

For dinner, Jackie ordered one of the specials, as did Martin and Kara, the Cannelloni with beef tenderloin and Shitake mushrooms.  What an unusual dish with tenderloin and a rich, creamy white sauce, but let me say that it was divine.  It was just the right size too as all our entrees were.  There's nothing worse than being served a ginormous portion that could serve 3-4 people on a single plate.  The cannelloni was so good I'm still dreaming about it.  I ordered the Penne Alarabiatta featuring a spicy tomato sauce with Hot Red Peppers.  I loved it and shared it with Chloe event though she said it was too hot for her.  I loved it.  I should also mention the large squares of butter served with toasted, thin bread sticks in little packages that were on the table when we arrived.  The kids, and I, enjoyed dipping our sticks into a little dab of butter.  They also brought fresh french bread with our wine and beer, it was perfectly crusty.  (what a sentence...:))  My penne was $8.50 and Jackie's cannelloni was $12, that's amazing!

For dessert, Martin ordered chocolate creme brulee and Kara said it was wonderful.  Chloe ordered chocolate mousse and nearly licked her plate clean.  We loved Capeo, it's atmosphere and they were nice to put up with our 4 kids in tow.

I found this on the internet about Ristorante Capeo that opened in 2003:

Brian and Eric Isaac, who were raised in Batesville, Arkansas, go way back in the kitchen. As the result of a deal made with their mother when Eric was 13 and Brian 15, the boys were responsible for cooking the family meals. Eric had an affinity with cooking from the start: his first meal for the family: southern fried chicken, steamed broccoli, and fettuccini alfredo. During college Eric worked in a succession of restaurants in the Little Rock area. Eric was first exposed to fine dining when he was hired to work as sous chef at now defunct Cassenelli 1700 under Jeff Medbury. After a year or so as sous chef, Cassenelli's sponsored his training at the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Costigliole d' Asti, Italy. The valedictorian of his class, Eric landed an internship atCảpeo , an acclaimed ristorante on the Italian Riviera in Leivi, Italy. When his training was complete, he returned to the United States to assume the executive chef position at Cassinelli 1700. Within weeks of his return from Italy, Eric received a five star review from the Arkansas Times and a perfect review from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. After the Vino e Cucina food show in New York City, Eric received an invitation to become a member of the highly acclaimedJames Beard House, and to team up with three chefs from New York City to serve a dinner labeled "Great Italian Chefs". This dinner was reminiscent of a dinner Eric hosted at Cassinelli 1700 called "Traveling Toques" in which famed chefs Roberto Donna, Michele Orsino and Vittorio Capparelli along with Isaac received rave reviews for a charity dinner. Since Eric's departure from Cassinelli 1700, he has been employed as Executive Chef at Maumelle Country Club and at Riverfront Steakhouse. In 2002, Eric teamed up with his brother, Brian, a mortgage banker with a passion for food and wine, and together they conceived Ristorante Cảpeo, a place to bring "pranzare italiano autentico," authentic Italian taste, from one of the greatest culinary nations in the world, to North Little Rock. The brothers decided on the (then condemned) Cook building in the Argenta Historic District of North Little Rock  as the location. Construction actually began with the help of their grandfather, J.O. Isaac, in February 2002, with the creation of wine cellar, which now holds approximately 1,000 bottles. While the facade of the 116 year old building was being restored, the brothers were busy inside with design and construction. In June 2003, Ristorante Cảpeo, named in tribute to the establishment where Eric was trained, opened with a blast. Chef Eric Isaac orchestrated a staff with over 75 years combined experience. Because of their unsurpassed excellence in preparation and service, Ristorante Cảpeo has hosted many successful private parties including a dinner for the Chaine des Rotisseurs, and counts many celebrities, both local and national, among their clientele. They take pride in the fact that they have created a successful business in a historic downtown area. They are optimistic that the area will continue to progress with nearby Alltel Arena, the addition of the trolley that connects Argenta to the River Market area and the Clinton Presidential Library, the rejuvenation of the Baker House Bed & Breakfast located across the street, and the relocation of the Arkansas Travelers to North Little Rock. The brothers invite you to come in, relax, break the bread and enjoy some wine. Buon Appetito! "Fratelli"

When you are in Little Rock for a bike ride, concert or any other reason, you've got to go to Capeo.  Delicious and creative Italian food, great service and the price is right.

Ristaorante Capeo, 425 Main Stree, North Little Rock, Ark., 72114 501-376-3463
http://capeo.us/