Farmhouse Café charms in Bald Knob

Local restaurant serves quality country cooking

Kenneth and Debbie Horton opened the Farmhouse Café in Bald Knob in 2018 with a goal of serving quality country cooking. I can attest that they have succeeded.

The couple, married for 48 years, met as students at Bald Knob High School, and they genuinely love their community. As Kenneth and Debbie walked me through their expansive restaurant, I was impressed by the comfortable décor and large mural. The mural gives honor to the U.S. armed forces and provides a glimpse into the history of Bald Knob.

They told me that the team prepares made-from-scratch white cream gravy every morning. Kenneth said that is the only way to do it right: “We work for consistency in our food. We try to get as close as possible to providing our customers with a home-cooked meal.”

I was treated to a Reuben Sandwich, served on toasted bread with melted cheese, sauerkraut, corned beef and Thousand Island dressing. The sandwich had great flavor, and I also enjoyed the side of onion rings.

One menu favorite is the Texas Rodeo Burger — a nice-sized beef patty topped with grilled onions, white cheese, barbecue sauce and an onion ring between two slices of Texas toast. Each component added to the overall goodness of the burger.

The daily special during my visit was the Meatloaf. Kenneth told me it was Debbie’s recipe, and it was delicious. The classic comfort food was served with mashed potatoes, green beans and a yeast roll. The daily special rotation includes Pot Roast, Fried Chicken, Chicken-Fried Steak, Fried Pork Chops, Chicken Enchiladas, Open-Faced Roast Beef Sandwiches and Spaghetti. The desserts are also made daily and usually include cakes, puddings or pies.

Kenneth let me in on a secret: The Farmhouse Café’s Footlong Hot Dog features a chili recipe remarkably similar to one offered at a former area restaurant. He said it is as close as it can be. He recommended the best way to enjoy a Farmhouse Café hot dog is to add chili, cheese, slaw and chopped onions.

The breakfast is extremely popular. Kenneth told me that some groups travel for an hour to enjoy breakfast, which includes both homemade white gravy and chocolate gravy on the menu. Unfortunately for me, breakfast service stops at 11 a.m., and my visit was a bit later. Next time!

I also plan to try the Catfish Plate on a future visit. The fish — available fried, blackened or seasoned with Old Bay or lemon pepper — comes with brown beans, french fries, hush puppies, coleslaw, green tomato relish, onion slices, pickles and a sauerkraut salad.

During strawberry season, the Farmhouse Café offers strawberry shortcake. My visit coincided with strawberry season, so I enjoyed the dessert, which included berries, ice cream, whipped cream, nuts and pieces of shortcake. How fresh were the strawberries? Very fresh, as Kenneth owns a strawberry patch a little farther up the road.