Now, it’s a dairy bar, not a bar bar, so there’s no alcohol. No dining room, either, just a smattering of picnic tables. There is a pretty large interior... and considering all the different things on the menu like salads and catfish and stuff, I had to agree -- the room inside was justified.

substantial but not out of the ordinary; the cheese dip served with the fries, was. Cheese dip and fries is a favorite of mine! And they worked well together, though the dip was just a smidge runny to go with the fries. It was a Velveeta-type dip, though the tomato or Rotel within had apparently been pureed so that only the
His burger came with a slab of processed American cheese, likely Velveeta or one of its substitutes, apparently hand-cut. As he knoshed his meal I grew more hungry for my own.
My other traveling companion had chosen a footlong dog with the works, minus chili. We were glad for this -- we were on a long car ride and beans... well, beans just didn’t need to be part of the equation. The footlong came with a sweet slaw similar to KFC’s but chopped much finer. It came topped with that slaw, finely chopped red onions, sliced jalapenos and a slathering of cheese dip. The combination of ingredients produced a complex flavor, very wet on the bun. It was indeed a fork-and-knife footlong. The weiner itself? About average.
So I had been waiting all this time, and finally my burger basket was done. And as I opened it my heart raced with joy -- or anticipation of the cholesterol it was about to endure. The third-of-a-pound patty was nicely smashed and charred, a lovely bit of caramelization apparent on one bare edge. Every other edge was consumed with a copious amount of melted Velveeta-type cheese. It glued everything together -- the lightly toasted sesame seed-encrusted bun, two big ring sections of red onion, a handful of dill pickle slices, a hearty slice of tomato and some hand-shredded lettuce. The default condiment, mayonnaise, was barely apparent thanks to the slathering of cheese.
I ate the entire burger and got about halfway through my fries. I found the best method for those was to wait until the cheese dip developed a light skin and then pick the skin up with a fry. That happened quickly on the windy day.
You’ll find Tidwell’s Dairy Barn in Lonoke on US Highway 70 on the west side of town. It’s open 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and until 7 p.m. on Saturday. It’s closed on Sunday. (501) 676-2812.
Finally! I'm glad you made it to Lonoke. That dairy bar has a special place in my heart, as well as most of those who grew up in Lonoke. I hope you'll be back.
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