T-Bone Tom's -- Kemah, TX

Let it be understood as a rule that any restaurant that has a giant sirloin outside it is likely to be a winner. T-Bone Tom’s doesn’t disappoint on this score (or any I could find).

The CFS is a hard-fried southern style that makes for a nice crunch, just about the consistency (and taste) of fried chicken. The sirloin (hence her giant friend outside) is nicely cooked and juicy. The surrounding gravy was a dense cream with a nice rich flavor. My impression was that it needed a little salt and a hint of pepper – adding a dash of each improved the balance of flavor.

I branched out and had the grilled tomato (standing in for my usual mashed potato) and it was worth it. It was a bit over salted but the tomato was so full of flavor that it packed a mean punch. The fried okra was a brilliant green, meaning the fried exterior wasn’t too dense as to mask the okra flavor. Combining the tomato and fried okra made for a terrific flavor, negating the slightly too salty tomatoes.

If you walk up and down the Kemah boardwalk 1,504 times afterwards, you can work off the meal. That will also give you time to figure out an excuse to find your way back to T-Bone Toms.