Rhett BrinkleyBCW on Friday night.
BCW (Bread, Cheese, Wine), chef Nathan Miller's new restaurant in the SoMa District, was buzzing Friday night in the very first of a series of soft openings held over the weekend. Situated just north of The Root Cafe and straight throughout Main Street from Loblolly Creamery, BCW's streamlined, contemporary design looks like a perfect addition to the SoMa area, which has actually ended up being a location dining corridor for downtown Little Rock over the last few years.

Rhett Brinkley

We liked the green tile backsplash behind the bar, the abundance of plants, the BCW neon created by local artist Judson Spillyards and the upstairs mezzanine section featuring a wall mural of a feline by regional artist Sulac.

Rhett BrinkleyMural by Sulac.
The menu's concept is heavy on shareables and includes an extensive choice of draft and bottled red wine, an imaginative cocktail list and several grilled cheese sandwich offerings.
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Miller stated the dining establishment's idea was particularly designed for the community, and to his point, it seems like the sort of location you could gather with buddies and remain for hours.

It'll be open till midnight Thursday through Saturday, providing the late night Little Rock dining landscape a much-needed boost.
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Rhett BrinkleyLoft views.
The white wine list and cocktail menu didn't dissatisfy. Among my dining buddies, a regional bartender and wine enthusiast, was especially thrilled about the Vecchia Modena Lambrusco, a sparkling red white wine he said was ideal for fall and the Pét Nat (Pétillant-Naturel), a naturally champagne.

The Golden Hour mixed drink was described perfectly on the menu as natural, gently bitter and brilliant, featuring a chamomile-infused rye, Amaro Montenegro, Cocchi Americano, lemon and honey. It was likewise rather fetching.

Rhett BrinkleyThe Golden Hour
I had no choice however to attempt the Espresso Parmtini, an espresso martini including vodka cleaned with Parmesan cheese. According to my good friends at the table, Parmesan espresso martinis are trending right now (the menu's description is simply: "IYKYK"), and I tried to conceal the humiliation I felt for being clueless about Parmesan as a mixed drink ingredient while performing a secret Google search under the table.

Rhett BrinkleyEspresso Parmtini
The concept of Parmesan in your drink might sound odd, but having a piece of cheese with a shot of espresso isn't, so do not knock it till you attempt it. The parm taste was subtle, and it included additional body to the coffee-flavored cocktail. I suggest it for a post-dinner beverage or an appetiser.
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Attempting to select 2 of the nine shareable products showed to be difficult due to the fact that they were all tempting.

The Gougéres-- baked gruyere cheese puffs sprinkled with hot honey -- were an instant hit at the table. Impossibly light, warm and pillowy on the within, you may try to bogart the bowl from your tablemates to secure the last one.

Rhett BrinkleyGougéres
The Lemon Herb Potatoes were also possibly habit-forming. Completely crisp on the outdoors, they're finished with sea salt, cracked black pepper and served with tzatziki cattle ranch. Both shareables were a generous serving size for our table of 4, and I'm thrilled to work my through the entire menu. There simply wasn't room on the table for all nine apps.

Rhett BrinkleyLemon Herb Potatoes
There's a myriad of alternatives for vegetarians. The majority of the shareables are meatless, and there's a cheese board in addition to the more traditional charcuterie board. Of the 10 grilled cheese alternatives, there's a more traditional grilled cheese, a caprese sandwich, a roasted mushroom and a vegan grilled cheese.

My friends delighted in the Roasted Mushroom served on ciabatta with manchego, gruyere, mushroom duxelles, and onion jam.

The Standard (cheddar, provolone, Swiss, roasted tomato on brioche) was solid and paired nicely with a side of tomato soup.

Rhett BrinkleyThe Standard with tomato soup.
I delighted in the Roasted Pork & & Pancetta served on brioche with Swiss, fontina, Dijon mustard and some exceptional pickles. If you have a hankering for Cuban-style sandwich, I extremely recommend it.

Rhett BrinkleyRoasted Pork & & Pancetta
Appropriately satiated, we had no company trotting throughout South Main to Loblolly for ice cream later on, however we did it anyway. When you're in the area ...

BCW opened for lunch and dinner on Monday. Follow the restaurant on Instagram or Facebook for announcements. Its hours are 11 a.m.-midnight Thu.-Sat. and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.-Mon. The telephone number is 501-379-4290.