Atmosphere, service at Scallions pleases; food disappoints.

DESPITE A TASTY CHICKEN salad and respectable gazpacho, most of our entrees at Scallions in the Heights in Little Rock were unremarkable.

One of our party ordered the chicken salad plate ($7.95). The rich, creamy and well-balanced chicken salad--tender chicken shreds, red grapes, celery, mayonnaise and toasted almonds--arrived along side a finger sandwich of pineapple-amaretto raisin bread and a choice of soup or salad. Our companion tried the gazpacho--another fine selection. Her meal, unfortunately, was the only exceptionally tasty offering. The rest failed to impress--or actively disappointed.

The Healthy Turkey sandwich ($6.95)--a mix of smoked turkey, lettuce, tomato, shredded carrots and sprouts on marble rye bread--didn't wow the diner who selected it.

Another of our party chose the daily special, the California club sandwich ($8.50), which arrived on a croissant with turkey, bacon, sprouts, guacamole and Swiss cheese. Though the amalgamation sounded good, the diner remained unimpressed. We believe the exact sound was "Enh," and was delivered with a shrug.

The last of our group ordered the country club sandwich ($7.95), which was dreadful. The open-faced stack of ham, turkey and bacon came doused in an unsettlingly salty cheese sauce and garnished with black olives and chopped tomatoes. The salty assault kept us from finishing the sandwich despite our rumbling tummy.

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The crab bisque ($4.25 a bowl), with which we fortuitously supplemented our country club sandwich, helped fill our belly even if it didn't satisfy our taste buds. The soup's flavor settled too heavily in butter and cream notes, overpowering the crab that attracted us in the first place.

Finally, the desserts did little to quell our culinary unrest. The key lime pie ($3.50), sadly, tasted stale and store-bought. The toffee ice cream pie ($4.75) wasn't much better. Our party abandoned both desserts before eating half of either.

However, Scallions does have some redeeming qualities. When it isn't sweltering, the outdoor seating provides a relaxing setting akin to dining in a garden.

The service was cordial and prompt--we received our entrees in less than 10 minutes.

Though the eatery was thinly populated during our time there, the outdoor area has seating ample enough to satisfy a small army. Should you wish to dine indoors, however, you may want to arrive rather early as the interior is not as spacious.

The outdoor area wouldn't be a bad spot for a business lunch when weather permits. We can't speak for the interior, though, as we didn't dine inside.

While we might return to the restaurant if we're in the area, we'll probably look elsewhere on the menu.

Scallions 5110 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock 72207 (501) 666-6468

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