Benton-based food truck BASH Burger Co. has announced it is opening a permanent location in Little Rock. The new restaurant will open in the space formerly held by Bruno’s Italian Bistro at 315 N Bowman Rd., next door to the newly opened Lulu’s Latin Rotisserie and Grill. Ashcraft is targeting early February to get the restaurant open.
“It kind of fell into my lap,” says BASH owner Ryan Ashcraft, who had been considering a move like this for several months. “I had found that place online, and I contacted the real estate agent, we got to talking. The place is fully furnished, and I just made them an offer. I didn’t really think they’d accept it, but they took it.”
Ashcraft opened his food truck earlier this year in Benton, serving unique burgers, wings, chicken tenders and other American classics. Ashcraft says the move means BASH’s menu is about to get a big upgrade.
“(With the truck) we were limited to 2–3 specialty burgers,” says Ashcraft. “With the restaurant, we’ll be able to run a full menu of 10–12 different specialties, and then the addition of turkey burgers and veggie burgers. We’ll also have the addition of fried and grilled chicken sandwiches, probably a turkey Reuben, and some new sauces for our wings.”
In addition, Ashcraft will apply for a license to sell beer and wine (no liquor) at the new location. He is looking to be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with extended hours Friday and Saturday and an earlier closing time on Sunday. As for the truck, Ashcraft says he is closing down that operation at least until he gets the restaurant going.
“It’s going to be a wait-and-see thing,” says Ashcraft. “Right now, I want to concentrate on this and make sure we get everything right. If we end up having the time, I’d like to at least do the food truck events.”
On a personal note, my review of BASH this summer found the food pretty good. But in the months since, I’ve been more and more impressed by what Ashcraft and former owner Chase Turner have been able to accomplish. The burgers are now excellent, and the wings are some of the best I’ve ever eaten. Hopefully, Ashcraft will be able to continue this success when BASH opens its doors early next year. Make sure you follow Rock City Eats on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news from BASH and other Central Arkansas restaurants.
