Shorty Small's Express in Conway, Arkansas

Shorty Small's has made a name for itself in Little Rock as a great place to enjoy ribs, steaks and catfish in a fun, casual atmosphere. The new Shorty Small's Express concept pares down the menu to a few essentials, but keeps the relaxed atmosphere and rustic décor. It's recent move to Conway, Arkansas was the first test of the Express concept, and if a recent visit was any indication, it is roaring success.

The menu at Shorty Small's Express is on a board above the cash register. To speed service, table service was done away with. All ordering is done when you enter the restaurant and the meals are paid for up front. The selection is limited to salads, sandwiches, chicken, catfish, shrimp and ribs with a small number of sides. The steaks and pastas that are staples of the full service Shorty Smalls are gone.

On a recent trip with two dining companions, I ordered a ribs and catfish combo platter that comes with French fries, baked beans and Texas toast for $12.99. My dining partners each chose the Roasted Chicken Half that is offered with mashed potatoes and green beans for $8.99. One of our party requested French fries instead of mashed potatoes and it was handled quickly and without complaint. We also ordered an Onion Loaf appetizer for $5.99.

Drinks, like most other aspects of the restaurant are self serve. Service was extremely fast. We had barely filled our drinks when the Onion Loaf was brought to our table. The Onion Loaf was crunchy,but slightly greasy. It was adequate and the Chipotle Ranch sauce helped add some flavor.

We didn't get nearly enough time with our appetizer as our entrees were brought scarcely five minutes after the appetizer. The servings were huge and everything was served piping hot. The catfish was crispy and salty and the ribs were so tender that the meat easily pulled off the bone. The meat had a good flavor, but the sauce bordered on overly sweet with no heat. The baked beans were made with the same sauce, so they were slightly sweet as well. The fries were hot and crispy, but they needed salt to make them better.

The Roasted Chicken Half met with the approval of my dining partners. The meat was tender and had a smoky flavor. The mashed potatoes were fresh and creamy and were topped with white peppered gravy. The green beans were flavorful and seasoned with pork.

Everything that we sampled was very good, but nothing rose to the level of truly outstanding. It was a very good dining experience and we were served very quickly. It took less than ten minutes to receive our entrees. The Shorty Smalls Express works well, especially for business people on their lunch break. Prices are higher than a typical fast food chain, but the food is much better.