Writer: Tiffany Adams Photographer: Bailey Dougan
The cafe at Shangri-La Resort celebrates 70 years of homestyle meals in an unrivaled lakeside setting
“I have found my Shangri-La.”
The phrase exclaimed by Emile Dufek when he arrived with Louise and D.M. Hunter to prospect the land for Shangri-La Resort still rings true. As guests drive up a small, paved lane and a sweeping view of Lake Ouachita comes into sight, it’s hard not to have this reaction. Since the Mt. Ida resort and small cafe opened in 1956, it has been family owned and operated—and only changed hands once, when Varine Carr and her late husband, Austin, known as “IG,” purchased it in 1979.
Initially hired to construct the docks, IG was happy to stay on as marina manager when the job was complete. As a newlywed, Varine went to work in the cafe two weeks before it officially opened, and the pair made Shangri-La their life. “I did the waitressing and some of the cooking in the restaurant, but not all of it, because it was a learning process for me in the kitchen,” Varine recalls. Originally opened with just five tables as a place where guests could grab a bite without traveling off site, the cafe has become an attraction that draws people to the property. “Over the last 25 years, the restaurant has kind of grown into a phenomenon. We don’t do a lot of fancy things. We do basic American food, but we try to do it well,” says Phillip, the youngest Carr son, who, along with his brothers, Larry and Marcy, has been involved with the resort since childhood.
The Daily Special
Hot plate lunches were how the cafe got its start. “The previous owner thought people ought to have a chance to get vegetables, so we had a plate lunch every day that had some kind of fresh vegetables on it, and we still have it. We have done chicken-and-dumplings on Wednesday for probably 65 years,” Varine says. “If we try to change them, people get angry with us. So every day, we have the same specials,” Phillip adds with a laugh. These plate lunches start at 11 a.m. and are served until they are gone. Diners can also order from a menu featuring favorites like cheeseburgers, catfish, and their hand-breaded onion rings.
Shangri-La’s chocolate pie is one of its most popular options alongside coconut and Dutch apple. Other flavors in their rotation include lemon, banana, blueberry, cherry, and peanut butter.
From the Pie Counter
When the Shangri-La cafe first opened, ice cream was the only dessert on the menu. Pie soon made a debut, and is undeniably one of the draws today. “I learned to make the pies from a cook who they hired in 1957,” Varine says. The process hasn’t changed since its inception, with she and Phillip starting to bake at 4 a.m. each day. “We have to make the pies before the morning shift comes to start breakfast. If you look at our kitchen, you understand why; it’s very small,” Varine explains. The pair, along with Phillip’s son, Todd, create 15 to 20 pies during the week and about 30 on weekends, with the numbers rising in the summer season—up to 35 on weekdays and up to 45 on weekends. “It’s kind of a process; but we just run in and boom, boom, boom,” Phillip says of the motions he and his mother have firmly etched into their memories. “We had a group last week that’s been coming for years, and I know, when they come, to make two or three more peanut butter ones because when they come in for breakfast, they ask to put back all of those,” Varine says. “All of the flavors are available early in the day—but you have to get them quick,” Phillip adds.
Carrying on the Tradition
As they celebrate their 70th anniversary, Shangri-La has not only become a way of life for the Carr family, but also for their guests. Three quarters of summer reservations come from people who return each year. “We are seeing second, third, and maybe even fourth generations come here,” Phillip says. “I think they like that we’ve kept it kind of the same, and they enjoy coming back to that feeling every year. It’s like going back home—it’s that comfortable.” He attributes all of this to his mother. “She’s made this place have such a homey feeling, and it’s because of her that it has stayed that way,” Phillip says.
Today, Varine’s children and grandchildren all contribute in different ways, whether in the kitchen, managing social media, or helping out in the offices. While Larry has retired, Marcy and Phillip are now part owners, carrying on a tradition that spans seven decades. “We want it to be a family thing. We love it. This is our life,” Phillip says. “I think what is unique about Shangri-La is that some good things never change. We’ve steadily kept our way over time.”
