Bargain lunch of the week - Lunch at Cactus Jack's in North Little Rock

Cactus Jacks - A Mere Stone's
Throw from Hooters

I won't succumb to the temptation of creating an Extreme Bargain of the week category, but if I did Cactus Jack's would be the first entry. Located in the fancy (and sturdy) digs of a former NLR steakhouse, the relative opulence of Cactus Jack's in comparison to its Mexican restaurant peers certainly hasn't jacked up its lunch prices. To the contrary. Most all of the menu items on the lunch menu are under $6.

For my lunch del dia I went with the Flautas Mexicanas, with chicken on the interior. The menu didn't list the other options but I assume beef or cheese would be the other filling options. At the loco low price of $5.25 I wouldn't have assumed that the flautas would come with two sides but this dish included both rice and beans.

Placing the order a few minutes after 11:30, the food arrived within the standard mexican restaurant window of 5 to 6 minutes. The beans and rice were warm and the flautas were still hot, having just left the deep fryer. The portions on both the beans and the rice were sizable and served beneath two lightly fried flautas.

The refried beans were good, served with a small amount of grated cheese on top. The rice was fairly simple but had a full flavor as well as a lightness that sometimes gets lost when overcooked. As for the flautas, the chicken meat was shredded and included small strips of a green pepper that added some character but weren't very hot.

In addition to the main and sides, the plate included not only pico de gallo and shredded lettuce but also a small amount of sour cream and guacamole. The inclusion of sour cream and guac on a dish at this price point is a nice suprise given that most restaurants would have charged extra.

The Flautas Mexicanas might not win 1st place awards competing against some of the more inventive Tex-mex dishes in the area but this is a solid dish at an amazing price and worth seeking out before the next menu revision sees the prices jacked up.

4120 E. McCain Blvd.
501-945-5888

 Quick Link: For a listing of all my restaurant reviews to date listed by cuisine click here.