Norton's - Humble, Texas

Hearing good things about the CFS at Norton's from Chicken Fried Neighbor, I sought out to partake in some fried goodness after a month long (unhappy) hiatus.

Sadly, I was disappointed in my return to the fried treat. The CFS was as hard as an armadillo shell. The breading was crispy, which I like, but almost inpenetrable, which I don't like. It looked (and tasted) like it had been run over by a bus. The meat, likely as a result of way overfrying, was dense and tough. The gravy was honest enough to itself, creamy and white, but needing a dash more salt and pepper.

The quality and taste of the sides were mixed. The potatoes were whipped and creamy. The flavor was good, but they were a bit greasy and lost their appeal as they cooled. The green beans were very good. A wide bean, they were stewed and meaty.

Overall, Norton's gets an "avoid." I will likely go back, the draw of helmet-on-helmet violence and cheering Texans fans is too good to pass up, but will restrict myself to the wings of chickens and malted and hopped water.

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Tin Roof BBQ & Steaks ― Atascocita, TX

As we waited for our meals, our table #8 Texas flag marking our location, we felt very comfortable at Tin Roof. A random assemblage of tables, chairs, old furniture and country brickabrack on the walls (some of them tin), the restaurant feels very cozy and welcoming.

When it arrived, the CFS looked excellent but tasted bland. Not enough salt in the breading. The gravy was runny and tasteless. The meat was tough and flavorless. The breading was crunchy and flaky which was fine by itself but the accompanying compatriots were less than stellar. A little disappointing overall, and, because it was 12.99, it was clearly overpriced.

The sides shined, however. The macaroni and cheese was cheesy and rich with the perfect amount of bite to the pasta. The mashed potatoes were whipped hard but with the skins left on, making a great texture for the side. The two slices of white bread were grilled on a grill, which was odd, but provided a unique smoky taste.

But, it was the French fries which will make you want to come back. Homemade, hand cut, perfectly salted, plentiful and hot. Worth a return trip just to smell the basket.

AAA Restaurant - Houston, TX

Crispity, chrunchity goodness.*

The chicken fried steak at AAA Restaurant.

AAA is a throwback style diner with a diverse clientele and a traditional menu. The crunch factor was high on the CFS. The picture does not do it justice. The peaks and valleys of fried crust provided an excellent textual counter to the tender steak. This provided an unfortunate related problem where the lumpiness of the steak cooked unevenly in places. Even so, the overall bite was perfect, smothered with the thick white gravy which was nicely balanced. I ordered the baked potato as a side because I often enjoy a giant starch bomb slathered with sour cream. Not too often. But this tater was enjoyable with a fluffy meat and a soft skin. I couldn’t finish it since I was stuffed of CFS, but the little foil package it comes in can double as a doggy bag for a midnight snack (or the following week when you’re hungry again).

* Trademark Butterfinger candybars. Any association is purely coincidental.

Mel's Diner - Gidding, TX

Chicken Fried Road Trip - Part III

The finale to our trip, after a day of imbibing some of the best barbeque joints in Texas, we decided to end our trip with a chicken fried meal.

Mel’s Diner, right on Highway 290, is an old 50s style diner, although a bit rundown (not dissimilar to our waitress who looked a bit rundown herself). I’m fine with dives but the food must be good. Places like this give dives a bad name.

The meal was $8.99 for the “small” CFS. The CFS, which was good sized, was pan fried which made it crispy and gave it a smoky favor. This was a nice change from the more heavy southern style we’d had on the trip to date.

Unfortunately, the meat was chewy, a result of the quick pan fry. The meal came with the choice of a potato product – the French fries were pretty standard, nothing great. Sad little salad accompanied – lettuce and tomato (or some kind of reddish disc) were wilted and old and was not enhanced by the “Newman’s Own” packet dressing which arrived with the salad.

I pine for these kinds of places – wary highway travelers sharing stories, the history, tens of thousands of plates passed from the well-warn kitchen. If only the food were good.

Texas Burger - Fairfield, TX

Free from the vegetable-loving Mrs. Chicken Fried Steak, tater tot and I set out on a road trip in search of fried tasty vittles in central Texas.

One of my favorite chain burger places is Texas Burger – a place I insist on stopping by each time we make a long haul to Dallas.

This particular Texas Burger in Fairfield shares space with a Subway (and it seemed that most of the patrons were waiting in line for the subway at lunch on a Thursday). The inside is modest but comfortable.

The CFS: Departing from my usual “Double Texas Burger” order, I ordered the steak finger basket. The “meat” itself was too salty but was moist and chewy. I won’t speculate on exactly what it was, but the quality of the filler was low.

Breading: Very thin. So thin you could see the meat itself through the breading. It was also very salty and a bit unpleasant.

Gravy: The gravy came in a little side cup. It didn’t have much flavor but did have the look of a traditional gravy.
Knife: None. Steak fingers are for fingers.

Sides: A little bag of french fries. Texas Burger fries (at least at this location) have a nice little kick and rekindled tater tot’s love of the salted potato stick, thus making my life easier.

Cost: $7.99. A little expensive considering the quantity and quality.

Service: Very good. The woman who took our order also waited on us at our table. She brought our order out swiftly and also brought out our cookies when they were ready.
Music Selection: None.

I recommend sticking to the burger products at the Texas Burger. But, do try the homemade shakes! They can make up for a lot.

Fausto's - Iowa, LA

Chicken Fried Road Trip: New Orleans (Part 2 of 2)

On my return trip to the Lone Star State from New Orleans, a colleague recommended Fausto’s to me in a little town about halfway to Houston in Iowa, Louisiana (no, this is not a typo).

Inside Fausto’s is more like a fishing lodge than a restaurant with several impressive large mounted fish and pictures of the catch of local fishermen adoring the walls. It was clearly a family run place, with family pictures on the wall of people I recognized from the restaurant.

The CFS: Moist, tender and tasty, but clearly pre-formed and frozen. It resembled a hockey puck as it was poised curvelinearly on my (styrofoam) plate.

Breading: Dense and salty. Clearly had been pre-professed. More like a protective shell than breading.

Gravy: White and creamy but without much to it. A bit like wallpaper paste. Not much flavor or depth and too runny to be much good.

Knife: Plastic, for goodness sake. Quality aside, these were inappropriate for the size of the job.

Sides: One side to choose one that was fixed. The fixed item was a small cup of cole slaw which was awful – too much mayo and too much vinegar made for a sloppy mess. The sides you could choose among French fries, baked potato or onion rings. I ordered the French fries; my server brought me the onion rings. In a hurry, ate the onion rings. My mistake. The onion rings were awful too: cold, overly salty, dense breading and too thin to get any onion flavor. The meal also came with a roll that was like eating a cold pillow – it was clearly pulled out of a bag with hundreds of other rolls.

Cost: $ 8.99. Too much considering the quality of the meal.

Service: Counter service – place order from a large menu with small type and they bring out the food. Service was friendly although not totally competent.

Music Selection: None.

In retrospect, I should have had the fried chicken as recommended to me but I simply couldn’t resist trying the CFS when presented with the option. I mean, what kind of chicken fried blogger would I be if I didn't? So, stick to the fried chicken at Fausto’s and stick to Texas for Chicken Fried Steak.

105 E. Miller Avenue, Iowa, LA.

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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/

Lenox Bar-B-Q - Houston, TX

I came across Lenox BBQ on a recommendation from my virtual friend Texas Chef (http://texas-chef.blogspot.com/). I must say, without his help, I’m certain I wouldn’t have found it! Lenox BBQ is a classic hole-in-the-wall barbeque joint tucked into the east side of the city. It’s a little hidden but there’s a welcoming sign signaling where to get come good barbeque (which I missed as I drove past it).

Inside, Lenox is a living piece of history with the menu on huge plastic posters. The tables are covered with a classic red-checkered tablecloth. There is a great homey feel. Not surprisingly, even at 11:00, the place was filling up with lunch goers (including two of Harris County’s finest, demonstrating that we all made a good choice since cops know where to eat).

The CFS: Pretty good. It was chewy and had a good amount of give. It tasted of a nice quality cube steak and was tasty.

Breading: It was a bit dry and tasted a bit pre-made. It didn’t appear to be hand formed or have been fried fresh. This isn’t ideal, of course, but the thick shell held up to the gravy nicely and kept each bit together.

Gravy: Very good. Just what gravy should be: smoky, rich, peppery and creamy. It came on the side in a little bowl (which I’m becoming a bigger fan of the more I try it).

Knife: Something bigger than a standard knife would have been good but there was only one option in the little bin of utensils.

Sides: There was a list of 6-7 and I chose fried okra and the greens. The okra was tasty – a bit more buttery than other kinds I’ve had. The greens were good but I didn’t care for them. It’s not because they weren’t good (even though it could have used a bit of salt and heat) – it’s because, as much as I try, I can’t grow to like them.

Cost: Simply great. $6.45 for the “dinner” platter (plus $1.30 for a tasty large lemonade).

Service: Just great. Exactly what you’d expect from a local neighborhood joint. The staff were friendly and efficient and were most welcoming (even when the place was pretty busy).

Music Selection: None. Just the whirr of traffic on Harrisburg.

I’m going to go back to Leonx, but probably not for the CFS. I plan to try the CFS sandwich, which seems like a good use of the CFS that was tasty but not terrific on its own. If you’re ever in the Second Ward, stop in and try it but don’t let the outside fool you.

http://www.lenoxbbqcatering.com/

Goodson's Cafe - Tomball, TX

Billboards all over Waller and north Harris County proclaim Goodson's Cafe as the "Best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas." It is certainly not the only place that makes such a claim, but here it comes close to being true.

Goodson's Cafe was a neat and eclectic little place. It was true to the “café” name: a big menu with a range of standards (including appetizers, lunch, dinner and desserts). Tables were covered with that plastic tablecloths and there were baskets of toys around for recreation (for the tots, I suppose). The meal started with some warm biscuits with a nice gravy in a side dish.

The CFS: I was warned. She warned me. When I ordered the CFS, our waitress asked "Are you sure?" Teased and interested, I indicated I was sure (even though I wasn't sure). The CFS was amazing. Just amazing. True southern style, thick and juicy (surolin). It was a MAJOR piece of meat -- as big as I've seen. …or I thought it was a single: after eating a few bites, I discovered it was actually two pieces! Regardless, it was too much for me. Grilled onions were also offered to top the CFS (alas, but declined), something I hadn’t encountered before.

Breading: Thick and flaky. Very tasty. Clearly made with some buttermilk, it was double dipped, a nice amount of pepper and lumpy as all get out.

Gravy: Smooth, camel colored and creamy. A rich, caramel and flavorful bounty. It came on the side (our waitress didn't ask how we wanted the gravy served). Our waitress offered (without us asking) to bring an extra bowl of gravy and I'm glad she did. I actually didn't think I'd like spooning out gravy to my CFS per bite, but I really liked it. It allowed for portion control and let the CFS stay crispy.

Knife size: You need something major to attack this beast. The CFS came with a standard knife -- truly inadequate for the job. I thought about going next door to the pawn shop to buy something more substantial.

Sides: Dish came with two. I had the fried okra (no surprise) and the cole slaw. I'm easy with okra, so my standards are low. But these weren't so good: the okra was a little soggy and probably pre-packaged. The cole slaw was awful. Everything was chopped too small and the balance of creaminess, cabbage and carrots (the three c's) . There was an unpleasant hint of garlic in it too -- made it smell a little off and left an odd aftertaste. Mrs. Chicken Fried Texan had the mashed potato (which was nice but was a little dry, a nice potato flavor (with skins)) and corn (tasted canned).

Cost: Large (which I had) was $9.29 and the small is $7.99. An amazing bargain given the amount of food. If you’re interested, the grilled onions on top were an extra $0.79.

Service. This wasn't her first rodeo or her first CFS. She sized me up and knew she'd be taking that plate away nearly full (see picture). She was friendly, had an easy charm, got the food out fast and flirted with the tot (who returned in kind).

Music selection: adult contempo.

The "Best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas" can't be a self-given label. Indeed, Goodson's Cafe's "Best CFS" was proclaimed as such by the "Eyes of Texas," which were last recorded in the late 1990s. So, it's been a while since the label was affixed to their CFS. Best in Texas? I can't say. The biggest?: perhaps. Best bargain?: certainly the top 10. It’s worth a drive out to Tomball to see for yourself.

Willy Ray's Bar-B-Q - Beaumont, TX

Who orders chicken fried steak at a barbeque place? Answer: The Chicken Fried Texan.



Willy Ray’s Bar-B-Q in Beaumont was voted as one of Texas Monthly’s 50 best barbeque joints. The place is quaint and smaller inside than it looks outside. It’s a bit of a maze to get to (what isn’t in Beaumont?) but worth a trip.




To the main event: chicken fried steak. The steak itself was juicy and tender, making it easy to cut and nice to chew (some can take serious choppers). It had taken a nice pounding to make it nice and flat.


Breading: The breading was nice but not too thick. (Since this is my first post, I should note to my faithful readers that CFT prefers a thicker breading).



Gravy: on the side. This isn’t too common, but maybe it is an East Texas thing. I didn’t really like the gravy much. It was too bland and needed a kick of something to give it some shoulders.


Knife size: small. It was thin enough to use a standard knife. Despite her east Texas location, leave the Bowie knife at home.


Sides: the dish came with two – I had cole slaw and corn (off the cob). The cole slaw was really bland and needed a shot of vinegar and a little more creaminess to make it stick to CFT’s ribs. The corn was simply great – it was probably canned (too perfectly cut to be fresh) but had a great flavor. There were hints of bacon and red peppers. The tater tot loved it, and if you can get a tot to eat corn, you know you’re doing something right. Mrs. CFT had French fries, which were very well seasoned, hot and fresh.


Cost: About $10.00 (including two sides and a drink). A little on the high side, but fame has it’s price.



The service was a bit sub par. There was confusion at the front of the house (felt like the very nice woman taking our orders was new). The twice-baked potato ordered for the tot never arrived. CFT’s CFS took an extra five minutes to arrive (the cook missed it: good news in a way because it was clearly made to order). But, despite these slips, the staff couldn’t have been nicer and more welcoming – it really felt like a neighborhood joint where you could get comfortable, with no hint of arrogance, despite the coronation from Texas Monthly as barbeque royalty.


Music selection: oldies.


Overall, a nice place and an enjoyable visit. But, as far as the chicken fried side goes, stick to barbeque at Willy Ray’s.