Lone Star
This is a paid partnership with Lone Star.
If you were a child of the 1990s like me, you will have probably grown up with Lone Star. This American-style restaurant first began in Christchurch before spreading to Queenstown and Auckland in the 90s with their famed slogan “Be staunch, walk tall.” My family and I frequented the Newmarket and New Lynn branches , a firm favourite for birthday celebrations. We were all about the ribs and their ‘buffalo chips’, extra-thick cut fried potatoes. The brand went through rough patch which saw the closure of both of those branches (and one of them to some controversy) but these days Lone Star seems to be on the up and up with 24 branches nationwide.
Southern Dixie burger
Redneck ribs starter-size
When I was recently asked to collaborate with them on their limited time-only Southern Dixie Burger, I jumped at the opportunity to relive those magical feelings of yesteryear and see does Lone Star still hit like it did in the 90s and 2000s?
I visited the Alexandra Park branch on a gorgeously sunny afternoon. It is a huge space that backs onto the race course and is apparently always booked out when the trots are on, and I can see why! They have a great deck area perfect for watching what goes on at the neighbouring Alexandra Park whilst the inside saloon-style decor is authentic and spacious.
Cowboy Bean Dip
The first thing I noticed was the menu had grown substantially since I last visited. Once a one-pager, it now covers three with a substantial number of starters and desserts to now try. We started with the Cowboy Bean Dip and a starter portion of their famous Redneck Ribs before wrangling their special Southern Dixie Burger and aptly named Lassoo of Hog.
Given the meat-heavy menu we were about to embark on, starting with the Cowboy Bean Dip was a good choice. Lightly spicy beans half smooth, half chunky was light and satisfying, served with sharp and cooling sour cream and oven-baked tortilla chips. Thankfully the Redneck Ribs were just as I remembered: fall-off the bone juicy and moreish. Blanched in honey and spices, these ribs get a smoky finish before being smothered in a hoisin, orange and sesame glaze. They were a finger-licking pleasure to eat and worth the visit alone, if you’re feeling like ribs.
Lassoo of Hog
We next tried the Southern Dixie Burger, a towering stack of fried chicken served with oozing Dixie Chicken sauce, jalapeños, pickles, iceberg lettuce and tomato. I was unfamiliar with their Dixie Chicken dish from which this thick and creamy white sauce was drawn, so biting into this burger really had my tastebuds working overtime trying to figure out ‘what the heck am I eating?’ After a lot of humming and hah-ing I finally concluded the sauce tasted most like a garlicky, creamy chowder. The pickles and jalapeños add some tangy respite from the rich sauce and the southern-styled chicken itself was nice and juicy.
Fans of roast pork will go ga-ga over the Lassoo of Hog, a monstrously huge dish that could sufficiently feed two adults alone. 400g of beautifully seasoned and juicy rolled pork loin with perfectly crunchy crackling came wrapped around a prune, carrot and mustard seed stuffing with a fragrant apple and ginger sauce. It also comes with the iconic Lone Star coleslaw which I had forgotten about until I took my first bite and remembered who much I used to loved this stuff. It toes the line between creamy and refreshing perfectly and the slaw is stuffed with seeds and nuts adding an earthy element and crunch that has you coming back for more. The chunky buffalo chips were perfect: big, crunchy, fluffy, brilliant.
I eat, so that you don’t have to, and after all this I still mustered what little space I had in my stomach to try to dessert menu for you. Another Western icon of the 90s, the Milkybar Kid, reprises in the Milkybar Pud, a white chocolate and buttermilk pudding served with butterscotch and white chocolate sauce with vanilla ice cream. I highly recommend this dessert: it is hot, smooth and comforting, finished with a cute little shortbread star, the calling card of the Milkybar Kid. It is a sweet number, but just right amount without being sickly.
If you’re after a relaxed lunch or dinner where the portions are generous and flavourful, then Lone Star is your ticket to a good time. I would prefer a plate of their ribs any day over a half-rate steak or burger from your average pub. There’s heaps to choose from on Lone Star’s menu and if you’re game, give the Southern Dixie burger a try, it’s only here until it’s gone (and it will be gone by 20th March). While you’re at it, you can vote for the Southern Dixie burger in the Burger Nation competition! All you have to do is:
Buy the Southern Dixie.
Head to the Burger Nation website or scan one of the QR codes around the restaurant.
Find and select the venue.
Upload a photo of your receipt or burger as evidence of purchase.
Score burger on Taste, Look & Feel.
Have a favourite Lone Star dish or memory you want to share? Been to Lone Star recently? Tell me what you thought in the comments!