My rating is actually a 2.5 but this does not allow me to show the .5 stars. Fried Dough Shop is a food truck stationed in the parking lot at Bartonville's Hardware store. My husband was so excited to surprise our baby girl and me when he drove us there the other night when they had just been stationed there for their first few days. We each had their funnel cake and lemon shake-ups. The price was a bit pricey but I suppose If you were to encounter them in their natural location I.e. at our local fair we wouldn't think twice about the price. The funnel cake was awesome! Soft and sweet and just scrumptious del-li-icious! The lemon shake-up was okay to good - more sweet and water than lemon.
Next visit was on their last day in Bartonville before they pack up and head to Dunlap. This time we had our oldest boy tag along. So, funnel cakes for all and a lemon shake-up for me. We dive right into the funnel cake...hmm, no one says anything. I'm a bit disappointed I think to myself that my powdered sugar is only on one side of my funnel cake but hey, it's still a funnel cake, right? A few more bites...and finally the baby girl speaks up and says, this is hard and bitter. My thoughts exactly. I try and take a piece from the middle hoping it was just the outside edges that are too crispy but no, the whole thing is hard and crispy with a funky bitter taste. Perhaps their deep fryer needs an oil change? Just not sure what is causing this bitterness. But I do know I can't take any more bites because it's so hard and crispy that it's actually hurting the inside of my mouth. So, I ask the baby girl to pass hers up and I will go and show it to the women who are making it and surly they will make us fresh ones. I ask my oldest boy what about yours? He says yeah, mine is that way too, but I didn't have the first funnel cake like y'all did so I'm okay with this I will manage.
So, the hubby and I walk back up to the window and there are two ladies waiting to take orders. I apologize (not sure why I felt the need - but I did) and I said we were here earlier in the week and had funnel cakes and they were awesome! But we just ordered 3 now and well....they are hard and crispy and have a bitter taste. I pulled one out of the bag to show her. She grabs it and pulls it apart from the middle and clearly she is NOT happy. She offered me no options whatsoever. Does not say a word to us, opened up the register and refunded the money for the (2) funnel cakes that I brought up and as she handed it to me, gave us the nastiest look ever. Upon that I took my money and left. Needless to say I was very disappointed since I didn't get another funnel cake and I was completely taken back by her non verbal attitude she was throwing down at a customer. I believe I apologized to her at least 3 times, me...the paying customer. When one would think it should have been the other way around. However, on a high note - the lemon shake-up I ordered this time was perfect. Right amount of lemon, water and sugar! It was excellent. Too bad really, they seem to have a lot to offer between their funnel cakes, elephant ears, fried Oreos, etc.
Unfortunately, I now see that I will no longer visit her food truck again. This covid-19 will one day be over, and the fair will open again. Then there will be many options for me to find my funnel cakes but the one I will be sure NOT to visit will be the Fried Dough Shop. read more