Chicken Oil - College Station, TX

Chicken Fried Road Trip: College Station (Part 1 of 3)

This entry is part of a three-part series on a road trip to College Station (homebase to all you Aggies).

I pulled into town on an empty stomach and dreams of creamy and tasty CFS for a hundred miles. On my trip to BCS (Bryan-College Station for those of you who aren’t Aggies), I decided to stop first at Chicken Oil to sample their CFS.

Chicken Oil is an alternative location to the popular Dixie Chicken watering hole and is more accessible for non-college students.

The outside and inside look like a several dozen old gas stations were smushed together. Oil and gas signs from every once established, long since gone and even a few current petrol companies. The floors are hard wood and creak with age. The wood tables are carved with the names, dates, slogans, proverbs, advice and nonsense of thousands of patrons who’ve enjoyed Chicken Oil.

The CFS: Tasty and warm. Just what I was looking for. Still, it was a little dry on the outside, even though the steak (cube steak) was chewy and juicy.

Breading: Hand formed breading, but hand formed breading from perhaps hours before. There wasn’t much love in the breading and it tasted a bit dried out. It wasn’t flaky or crumbly like I like it. It did, however, hold the CFS together.

Gravy: The gravy came in a little cup on the side (no other option was given). It was white and peppery but otherwise lacked flavor. It tasted like it needed a little broth, salt or heat (cayenne?). In any case, it didn’t exactly satisfy.

Knife: Standard kitchen knife provided and appropriate.

Sides: No choices. It came with Texas toast (surprise), salad and a bag of french fries. All were good but the toast was especially good: lightly toasted on the outside and soft in the middle. I could eat a whole loaf.

Cost: $ 6.49 for the small (and it was small). Overall, considering the whole plate, a satisfying meal and a satisfying price.

Service: Counter walk up service. Friendly but disinterested. Well, A&M hasn’t had such a good football season (compared to Texas Tech, Texas or Oklahoma), so I grant a little sadness.

Music Selection: Old country (Ray Price, Kenny Rodgers and I thought I heard a Patsy Cline).

While I chose not to add my mark to the table at which I was sitting, I enjoyed my visit to Chicken Oil. Still, while obviously popular, the CFS felt like a bit of an afterthought at Chicken Oil. This really is a burger and fries joint and a darn good one at that.

http://www.dixiechicken.com/chickenoil/