A River Market original is going, going, gone

Ribs and more "Associated Press"

It is, I guess, just another sign of the tough economic times; although the official word from the owners is that they're just getting burned out and need to call it quits. We visited Shaka Smoke Lodge most every Saturday, during the early years of Little Rock's River Market, picking up a week's supply of smoked ham, smoked turkey and smoked cheeses, all smoked to perfection, with loving care, by Mike Maynard and his family.

Mike was the driving force behind Shaka, a big man with more than a handful of barbecue awards from around the country. Yes, he served up your standard pulled pork sandwiches, but the real treat came as you scanned big hunks of meat, plus blocks of cheese and even smoked fish, in an old-fashioned service meat case. You told Mike (yes, he was usually there to hold court in person) how much you wanted and he cut it exactly the way you wanted.

Mike passed away about two years ago and family members are just worn out from the long hours, and (just guessing here) a downturn in sales. The wonderful thing about grabbing a pound of smoked turkey from Shaka was simply that it tasted "real", just as if I'd hovered over the smoker in my backyard for hours, stoking a fire and replenishing wood chips. I thoroughly enjoy doing that, but time can be a factor.

Mike (and the rest of the gang) always treated regular customers like family, admiring how much our kids had grown during their "away at college" years and cranking out specialty smoked turkeys and hams during the holidays.

Mike was one of the original tenants when the main River Market building (Ottenheimer Hall) was built some 13 years ago. Shaka was one of the last of those "old timers" to survive through the years. Looking for a replacement, Shaka customers should look north - to North Little Rock. There, Jody Hardin is working quickly to open the Argenta Market, featuring mostly foods grown and produced in Arkansas. I got a quick tour last week, as he counts down the days until an April opening, and he was proud to show off the big kitchen in the former restaurant property and promised he'd be cranking out smoked meats on a regular basis.

There's just not much better than anything out of a well-managed smoker, paired up with locally-grown fruits and vegetables. We'll talk about those Arkansas tomatoes in a few weeks, especially the Bradley County Pinks. If you've ever had one, you're drooling already! Now, if I could just have one last slab of Mike's smoked turkey to pair with those tomatoes and some homemade bread.....