GiGi’s Soul Cafe and Lounge at 10840 Maumelle Blvd., where the Nashville Rockin Grill was located, opened July 28 and co-owner Darrell Wyrick the restaurant is “bringing back the spirit of some of the places that have gone, like Porter’s and The Afterthought” with its soul food and “old school R and B vibe.”

The chef is Flint Flenoy, who is also executive chef at the Holiday Inn Express-Airport. The lunch menu includes burgers, beef brisket, meatloaf, hot dogs, smoked wings and more; the dinner menu adds, among other things, barbecue, burgers, pork chops, ribs, catfish and fried chicken. The house band, The Blue Candle, named for a jazz lounge in the Bay area that Wyrick’s wife, Helen Andrea Wyrick, used to visit, plays Friday and Saturday night. (Its four members are also part of SynRG.) In the future, GiGi’s may add nightly music and Wednesday night karaoke, Darrell Wyrick said.

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GiGi’s is open for lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. or 10 p.m., “depending on the traffic,” Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday; and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday).

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