Punjabi Dhaba Serves Fantastic Indian Food to Locals and Travelers Alike.

Operating out of what, years ago, was a Waffle House, Punjabi Dhaba has brought excellent Indian food to Morrilton with flair, pakora, and a bottomless cup of chai.

Eat Pie All Through Arkansas's River Valley!

Love pie?  Arkansas has more than its share of great pie places.  No matter the part of the state you happen to be in, there’s a great pie ahead of you. And if you're close to US Highway 64 in western Arkansas, you're in for a LOT of pie.

Wines of the Silver Screen: Movie House Winery in Morrilton.

Travelers who take I-40 through the Arkansas River Valley may notice the large brown Arkansas Wine Trail signs. Follow the one that directs you off the interstate at Exit 107 in Morrilton, and you’ll encounter a shiny new gem created out of a former home to a silver screen. Let's check out Movie House Winery.

3 Things To Order at Yesterday's Bar and Grill.

I haven't been back to the little place in Morrilton in 19 years... but this building about a block away from the Love's Truck Stop, set back from the road, is where my family celebrated my graduation from Arkansas Tech University back in May 1995.

Inside, it doesn't quite look the same.  Gone are the yellowish trellis and ivy.  Instead, there's neon and dark wood paneling, a patio out back and not much light.  Yesterday's Bar and Grill, of course, is a bar.

Traveling through the area the other day, I remembered the place and decided Grav needed to experience it too.  Well, it's not quite what it once was, but we did find three items on the menu worth your time.

1.  Turkey Jack.  A FAT sandwich of incredibly thin shaved turkey, melted all together with Monterrey jack cheese on just plain old toasted white bread with lettuce and tomato.  Doesn't sound like much, but it is.  The high quality turkey Yesterday's utilizes holds that great smoked turkey flavor without giving you the sensation of a lunchmeat sandwich.  Our waitress brought mustard, mayo and ketchup in squeeze bottles to the table to add, but there was really no need.  This was a humdinger of a sandwich.  It comes served with chips for $5.99 -- a dollar more if you want it with bacon.

2.  California Chicken Wrap.  Here's a two-hander for ya -- a tortilla packed with grilled chicken, guacamole, onions, lettuce, tomato and both cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese.  Half will satisfy most for a lunch.  $6.99 with chips.

3.  Sampler Platter.  Okay, here's the real reason you should go drop in for lunch.  Most times when you get a sampler platter, you get a plate with a measly few items -- three or four cheese sticks, maybe a handful of fried mushrooms.  Yesterday's Sampler Platter is $9.99 but comes with plenty for two -- great golden onion rings, thumb-sized corn nuggets, a generous helping of hand-breaded mushrooms and a pile of

battered and deep fried cheddar cheese cubes.  Which are all pretty excellent.  It's served with ranch dressing.

As far as lunch goes, if you're wanting a pretty decent one and you're traveling I-40, this is worth a stop-in. It's within walking distance of Love's (sorry, truckers, no real room to turn a rig around) and it's another option on that exit.  You might also try dinner, which includes a selection of steaks, catfish and shrimp.  And on Thursday nights, it's all you can eat spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread, which you can have with Petit Jean Italian sausage if you wish.  Don't forget the hot sauce.

Yesterday's Bar and Grill
1502 Oak Street
Morrilton, AR 72110
(501) 354-8821
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Pieday: Chocolate meringue at Atkinson's Blue Diamond Cafe.

• KAT ROBINSON
• RICH: Chocolate meringue pie at Atkinson's Blue Diamond Cafe

Taking it easy on the pie story today, since I am actually in Chicago. But I did want to share where you can get a good slice of chocolate meringue pie.

I attended a tour of the Petit Jean Meat headquarters in Morrilton Tuesday and learned that theAtkinson's Blue Diamond Cafe actually borrowed that blue diamond from the old Petit Jean Meat logo. They did have permission, and yes, they do include several of the products there — like Petit Jean Italian Footlongs, BLTs made with Petit Jean bacon — and those magnificent red Petit Jean hot dogs.

The house pies are always good — though, chances are, you'lll order ice cream (since it is an ice cream parlor in addition to being a great little diner). The custard on the chocolate meringue is rich, the meringue almost buttery and magnificently toasted and the crust light and crumbly. I've written about it before.

You'll find Atkinson's Blue Diamond Cafe in Morrilton off the Highway 95 exit. (501) 354-4253.

Blue Over That Blue Label Ham.

Do you have a forbidden food? You know, something you really really like but can’t have? I have a whole class of foods just like that, which just utterly breaks my heart.

I’m allergic to pork.

It’s not a lifelong allergy. I didn’t start developing it until I got to be an adult. It’s progressed over the years to the point where I can’t eat any pork at all any more without serious consequences. Seem odd for a food writer? You betcha.

Thing is, I remember what it was like… all those things I’m missing. First thing that comes to mind is fried bologna. I always thought it was a south Arkansas thing, getting the guy at the deli to cut you inch thick slices off the Petit Jean bologna loaf in the case, taking them home wrapped up in white butcher paper. The smell of fried bologna in the morning just takes me right back to childhood.

There’s the bacon. Gosh, I loved peppered bacon. I loved it on a big thick piece of homemade bread with a slice of a fresh tomato and a dollop of Miracle Whip. Forget the lettuce. Crispy peppered bacon was the bomb.

And then there was ham during the holidays. Mom would cook the ham up in any number of ways -- with Jack Daniels at Christmas, with brown sugar at Easter, however it came. Leftovers would sit in a large Tupperware container in the fridge sliced up and ready to go into ham salad or a fist of a sandwich tucked into a plastic sandwich bag with the thinnest white bread. They never sat there long.

I’ve missed my Petit Jean hams over the years. I go places and smell the salty, sugary cure and try to get that flavor back in my mouth. I’ve written about Petit Jean’s operation up in Morrilton, how it’s been around since 1926 and how the Ruff brothers distributed it around the state. I cried one year back in the 90s when my boss gifted me with a Petit Jean ham for Christmas.

Thing is, you don’t have to be blue about Petit Jean’s blue label. You can be proud to enjoy a great Arkansas product that’s supreme quality. And if you’re lucky, you can win one. Drop me a comment below for a chance to win a Petit Jean ham for Easter. For a second chance, sign up to be a Facebook fan here. You have until midnight on Sunday, April 17th to make your entry. Winner will be notified and asked for an address on the 18th. Good luck!

Me?  I think I'll console myself with some of that fabulous Petit Jean peppered beef.  Man, that's good stuff!

*** UPDATE ***
The contest is now closed.  Stand by for the announcement of the winner.

*** UPDATE ***
The winner of the ham is Ruth Thomas. Thank you all for participating and stay tuned for other unique giveaways.

Awesome, Strange and Fun.

Arkansas summer festivals are a range of local foods, song lyrics and various modes of transportation.

Our home state is blessed with a plethora of strange and delightful festivals during the summer months. Most involve some element of food, either a regional fruit or vegetable just in season or a special type of preparation. Many involve bits of culture unique to the area, and quite a few are noted for their “rides.” A rundown of some of my off-beat late summer favorites.

Food:
Bountiful Arkansas Weekend. This two day festival on the grounds of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute atop Petit Jean Mountain celebrates Arkansas’ bounty by sharing with others heritage fruits and vegetables, historical farming methods and a unique Arkansas native and traditional tomato tasting. Go to learn about organic farming methods, stay for the demonstrations and to pick up seeds for your home garden. While you’re up there, catch lunch at WRI’s River Rock Grill. July 16-17. uawri.org

Altus Grape Festival. Ever feel the urge to re-enact the I Love Lucy grape stomping episode? This is where to go. The annual grape stomp is just part of the fun. Unlimited wine tastings from the area’s four wineries, the amateur winemaking competition and tours of all the local wineries are just part of the fun. If you’re of the bearded-and-bouncy sort, you might consider going out for the Bacchus look-alike contest. Take your lunch or head over to Kelt’s Pub for a refreshing pint and a corned beef sandwich while you’re there. July 30-31st at Altus City Park in, where else, Altus. altusgrapefest.com

Tontitown Grape Festival. A great place to go if you want to enjoy the culinary experience of -- fried chicken and spaghetti. No joke. This sweet little festival is one of Arkansas’ oldest, offering up a midway for kids, a fantastic book sale and of course the famed Italian (pronounced Eye-talian) spaghetti dinners made from scratch, noodles and all. There’s also grape ice cream. While you’re in the area, swing over to Springdale for more fried chicken at the (should be World Famous) AQ Chicken House. August 3-7 at the St. Joseph Festival Grounds in Tontitown. tontitowngrapefestival.com

Hope Watermelon Festival. The home of Arkansas’ largest watermelons celebrates the fruit with lawn mower races and seed spitting. In September 2005, the world’s largest melon (weighing in at 268.8 lbs.) was pulled from a field in the area, earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records and returning the title of “Home of the World’s Largest Watermelon” to Hope. Check out the plaque by visiting Dos Loco Gringos in town. August 12-14 at Fair Park in Hope. hopemelonfest.com

Cave City Watermelon Festival. Hope may have the largest melons, but Cave City has the sweetest, certified by the University of Arkansas for the rich melon-perfect soil found in the area. This simple hometown festival features gospel music, community events and a free watermelon feast provided by area growers. Heading back, stop by China King Buffet, just before you get into Batesville proper. A substantially large selection of Chinese food, sushi and (inexplicably but welcome) hand scooped ice cream. Just don’t take more than what you plan to eat. August 12-14 at Cave City City Park. cavecityarkansas.info

Strange names:
Dumas Ding Dong Daddy Days. It’s always fun to hear someone on NPR try to pronounce the name of this festival. Named after the popular song written by Phil Baxter and favored by Louis Armstrong, the festival celebrates the Delta with barbecue, a Ding Dong eating contest and a moustache contest, among other things. July 22-25 in downtown Dumas. dumasar.net

Ozark Deaf Timberfest. No, the timber’s not deaf. This decade-old festival hosted by the Little Rock Association of the Deaf features lumberjack games and logging related competitions. August 13-14 at Byrds Adventure Center in Ozark. byrdsadventurecenter.com

Bikes, Trains, Automobiles and more:
Eureka Springs Fat Tire Festival. The bicycle is celebrated and feted all over town with cross-country, downhill and short track races, fun rides and a film festival. It’s the largest festival of its kind in the central U.S. While you’re up there, be sure to drop by Local Flavor Café for lunch or dinner and try the crème brulee. July 16-17 all over Eureka Springs. fattirefestival.com

World Championship Cardboard Boat Races. Each year dozens of competitors use nothing more than cardboard, duct tape and paint to create boats and barges to float (and sink) on Greers Ferry Lake in this now world-famous competition. Join the masses at Sandy Beach near Heber Springs to watch and see whose boat will float the longest and who has the best sinking. Stick around for the Cardboard Boat Demolition Derby. July 31st at Sandy Beach. heber-springs.com

Mountains, Music and Motorcycles. Mountain View erupts in gasoline-powered glory with the arrival of motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the country. Biker games, a poker run and bike show and music all weekend long. Gotta drop by Johnny’s Pizza while you’re up there. August 20-22 all over town. yourplaceinthemountains.com

Frisco Festival. The annual festival in Rogers’ Historic District honors Arkansas’ Railroad Heritage with the Chilisalsapeno Competition, a chicken BBQ cookoff and free rides and amusements for the kids. August 27-28. friscofestival.com

VW Festival, Swap Meet and Tourcade. What more needs to be said? It’s one of the largest gatherings of Volkswagen owners and enthusiasts in the Midwest. Lots of activities for Bug-nuts. August 27-28 at Best Western Inn of the Ozarks in Eureka Springs. nwavwa.com

Championship Chuckwagon Races. For one week at the end of summer, horses and teams compete in a variety of events such as bull riding, bronc fanning and of course chuck wagon races. A sight to see. August 28-September 5, Bar Of Ranch in Clinton, chuckwagonraces.com

A Stop In at Atkinson's Blue Diamond Cafe in Morrilton.

Wes Holden suggested I check out Morrilton's Blue Diamond Drive-In, and since I was headed that general direction I decided to take him up on it. Good suggestion, Wes.

The menu contains a lot of what you might expect from a drive-in -- lots of burgers, hot dogs, fries.  But it also contains things like Pat's Patty Meltdown -- a patty melt with a heaping pile of grilled onions instead of bread -- and The Shaner, a club sandwich that apparently rivals The Stoby for its three meats, two cheeses, and all the fixings.  I went for the daily special and more... on the jump.

The cafe offers a special each day for $6.49 -- a main dish, choice of two sides, and bread (a roll or cornbread). Wednesday's was Hamburger Steak. I chose the creamed potatoes and the macaroni and tomatoes... and enjoyed a comforting and delicious Arkansas meal. The caramelized onions in the gravy made the burger steak and potatoes pretty darn good, and the cornbread was just slightly sweet. And it has been ages since I had macaroni and tomatoes -- it's been far too long since I've had this Arkansas dish of stewed tomatoes and spices with pasta.

But the real treat was dessert. I had just about settled on the Strawberry Shortcake (after all, Blue Diamond is also an ice cream parlor) when the waitress mentioned that two sorts of pie were also available. She talked me into it (she, and the compounded days of rainy weather that called for a warming of the soul). That thick slice of chocolate meringue pie was a decadent yet filling dive into the easy chair of the taste buds for me -- a rich and firm chocolate custard that wasn't too sweet topped by a buttery meringue that clung to its custard counterpart like a good meringue should. The homemade pastry crust was also welcomed.

You'll find Atkinson's Blue Diamond Cafe and Ice Cream Parlor off the Highway 95 exit in Morrilton -- past the Pizza Hut on the left. And if you want to know what the daily special is, check out their Facebook page.

Dinner For The Indecisive Can Be Found At Morrilton Drive Inn Restaurant.

Family dinners out can be frustrating. If your family is anything like mine, you probably spend more time discussing where you're going to get dinner than you do in transit to your dinner.

Fortunately, Morrilton residents have a better choice.

The Morrilton Drive-Inn Restaurant has it all. It proudly proclaims some of its many specialties on the large sign above the door - "Bar-B-Que*Catfish*Burgers." Some have believed this means the restaurant offers a barbeque catfish burger. Well, not yet, but I bet if you asked for one the good folks behind the counter would oblige.

The restaurant, a longtime standard of the area, sits right off Interstate 40, cattycorner from Love's Truck Stop. The unassuming brick building's parking lot is often full of vehicles, and there's inevitably someone at the drive-thru window. But don't let the cars discourage you -- you'll want to stop and eat here.

The restaurant, like many drive-inns and drive-thru of the carhop area, sports a varied board of burgers, dogs, and assorted edibles. But instead of sporting that sign above an order window outside, the window here is in the climate controlled dining room. And you'll want to come in.

It's not uncommon to see groups of people standing off away from the window, mouthing the names of the extremely long list of delicacies posted on that board. If there weren't enough choices there, there are certainly enough when you count in every hand-printed sign below and to the sides of the order window. Deciding on an appetizer or meal is something that could take hours of contemplation.

But no doubt you'll be here when you're hungry - and whatever you're hungry for, you're likely to find it here. The menu includes a large selection of cold sandwiches (turkey club, chicken club, ham, tuna fish, pimento cheese), hot sandwiches (ham and cheese, grilled cheese, roast beef, chicken, fish), burgers (hamburger, cheeseburger, double, jumbo, chili, chili cheese, pizza, magic, super), barbeque (sandwiches, ribs, pulled beef, pulled pork, barbeque salad and stuffed potato), salads (grilled chicken, taco, steak), and Tex-Mex fare (taco basket, burrito supreme, grilled chicken tacos).

And that's not all. There are also a fine selection of catfish options, and plenty of dinners (chicken fried steak, pork chops, ribeye steak, hamburger steak) with hearty vegetables. There are unusual things like the chili steak sandwich and the hot beef dinner. And there are loads of appetizers -- stuffed peppers, fried cheese, frito pies, crinkle fries, and onion rings. Add in the list of desserts like fried pies and hot fudge cake and a long list of Cyclones (thick ice cream shakes) and you can see they offer just about everything outside of caviar and creme brulee.

With a list like that, you can understand why there's usually a line of indecisive folks pondering the meaning of catfish or the existance of ribs. Fortunately, most folks have a good incentive for making a quick choice -- the delicious smell of good food and the sizzle of a primed grill.

Some days, the wait for your food can be as long as 20 minutes. But most days, it's more like five to ten -- depending on what you order.

Many of the customers that pass through here are truckers who have been let in on the secret of the restaurant, and residents of other I-40 towns who pick up an order on their way from point A to point B. I've been guilty of this myself. Oftentimes, on the road to my father-in-law's place, we'll call ahead and ask him what he wants for dinner. This restaurant is one of his favorites, and his favorite food at the restaurant is the hot fried catfish.

My husband likes the burgers, so on this particular December day I stopped in on my way home to Little Rock to pick up dinner. After a busy day of looking for places to feature in Tie Dye Travels, I had worked up an appetite, and though I'd keep my entree for our mutual dining experience when I arrived home, I just had to grab a fried pie.

These may not be as good as the ambrosial pies at Ms. Lena's, but they are generous and tasty. I sat down at one of the open booths and proceeded to consume my cold pie while I waited for my order to come up. I also listened in to conversations by some of the regulars, at this time debating the fate of Houston Nutt and the Hogs. Morrilton may be geographically between the UCA Bears and the ATU Wonderboys, but folks around here proudly bleed Razorback Red.

About seven minutes later, I had my precious cargo and was ready to hit the road.

The repast from the Morrilton Drive-Inn Restaurant counts as what my husband and I call "kitchen food," food that rarely leaves the kitchen before consumption. He was happy to see me, but even happier to see the Super Cheeseburger I'd bagged during my travels.

The Super Cheeseburger ($5.49) may appear relatively small in this picture, but don't let that fool you. It may not be an Ed Walker sized monster, or compare with the Sasquatch Burger at the Big Foot Lodge. But this is still more food than the average person could consume in a sitting. A full pound of black pepper-laden ground beef is hand-formed and slapped onto the grill, then squished between big lengths of paper towel before being plopped onto a big bun. American cheese is flopped down on top while the meat is still hot, allowing the creamy cheese to spread into the crevices on the surface.

The burger comes with hefty slices of tomato, shredded lettuce, hamburger dills and doses of mayo, mustard, and ketchup. Think that's a lot? The restaurant also offeres a Double Super Cheeseburger. Both of these big burgers are wrapped carefully in an almost-too-small foil wrapper and encased in their own separate Styrofoam containers. Add in some tater tots, and you really do have a meal for two.

But not on this night. I let Paul manage with the burger as I dug into my own favorite from the restaurant -- the Stuffed Barbeque Potato ($4.29). This monsterous spud would already be a tight fit in its own Styrofoam box without the add-ins, but with them it takes up almost every bit of space inside. Before the main event is added, the potato is broken open and lubricated with butter and sour cream. Then on goes a layer of barbeque meat (be sure to let them know whether you prefer pork or beef), an ample dousing of the restaurant's smokey and savory sauce, and a handful of shredded cheddar cheese. The kitchen crew doesn't skimp on the meat -- there's easily half a pound of hand pulled smoked beef on the potato, and it's a definate struggle to finish.

If that weren't enough, I also imbibed a little, adding on an order of fried mushrooms. While not exclusive to the restaurant, these offerings are properly cooked and served with their own plastic ramekin of ranch dressing.

The price for this repast? With the burger, tots, potato, mushrooms, and pie, my total came to less than $20. Prices are more than reasonable, and the servings are ample.

To get to the Morrilton Drive-Inn Restaurant, take I-40 to the Highway 95 exit. It's about two blocks south of the interstate. Look for the red roof. And if you know what you want in advance, they do take call-in orders to (501) 354-8343. Be sure to arrive hungry.

UPDATE 9-7-17 with photo credits and color correction. Also, there's now a Facebook page.