Neal?s Caf? Gets Three Stars (Business Lunch)

Neal’s Café
806 N. Thompson St.
Springdale
3 Stars

It was standing room only when we arrived at Neal’s Café on a Wednesday. That’s not surprising since the restaurant has built quite a local following since it opened in 1944.

If you’re missing Mama’s fried chicken or her famous mashed potatoes, then Neal’s can satisfy. Health nuts beware: you won’t find much in the way of salads or whole grains, but you’ll find a whole lot of meat and a whole lot of beige. You can even order a glass of buttermilk ($1.65) to go with the selection of homemade pies ($2.25 per slice).

Probably the most popular dish is the fried chicken plate ($7.75), which comes with your choice of three vegetables. The side choices change daily. Our table could choose from mashed potatoes, brown beans, cabbage, green beans, peaches, salad and apple sauce.

Daily offerings can range from chicken & dumplings, beef tips and noodles, and turkey & dressing to meatloaf, chicken livers and pepper steak. All are in the $7 range and come with three sides.

Don’t forget the daily vegetable sides like grilled squash, broccoli, asparagus, apple salad and slaw. There were no appetizers offered, (not that the portions deem them necessary) so we dug right in.

The fiery Texan at the table rolled up his sleeves and ordered the fried chicken special. He said he always brings out-of-towners to Neal’s because they can’t get enough of the golden-fried birds.

The female diner went for the short-order grilled chicken breast ($7), which came with two vegetables and is about $1 less than the Daily Specials. She scooped up every bite of her mashed potatoes and gravy and declared them some of the best she’s ever had from a restaurant.

The other diner ordered a hamburger ($4.50) and fries ($1.50). The burger was the size of a mini pizza. The fries, he said, were some of the best he’s tasted in awhile.

We finished every last bite of the hot dinner rolls, which could have been the best side of them all.