Ken Martin’s Safari Grill – Bryan, TX

Chicken Fried Road Trip: College Station (Part 2 of 3)

Seeking sustenance after a long day, I journeyed to Ken Martin’s Safari Grill. With only hunger as my guide, I sought to eat a third CFS in as many days. The place is tucked away in north Bryan in a grouping of office buildings and apartments.

There isn’t anything particularly “safari” about the restaurant other than the fact that the booths have a jungle animal print and the walls are staked with occasional tiki torches. The menu is pretty standard diner/café fare– no exotic animals available on the menu.

The CFS: Not good. The steak had a bit of an odd odor and the taste was a bit off. The steak was sufficiently juicy and chewy but the flavor was just not right, so I chose not to finish it. It also appeared to be pre-cooked and came out to my table minutes (say, six) after I ordered it. So, either my reputation had preceded me or it was ready to go even if I had come in hours earlier.

Breading: Southern style. It was a little hard, making it difficult to cut properly. The taste was fine but nothing memorable.

Gravy: The pride of the house, according to the waiter. It was yellow (yellow like the yellow sunset picture on the menu, according to my waiter). But, it was flavorless (like the sunset picture on the menu). I’ve had yellow gravy before which was good, but this version was not good. It was nearly tasteless and added virtually nothing to the dish.

Knife: A more sizable steak knife was brought – useful for cutting through the tough outer shell of the breading.

Sides: Choose two – I chose the green beans and mashed potatoes. The beans were from a can and a bit on the soggy side (even for beans from a can). The potatoes were actually pretty good, lumpy, well seasoned and the hint of an occasional skin. But, they were slathered with the infamous yellow gravy, making them less appealing. Still, after abandoning my CFS, I happily finished my starch.

Cost: $ 6.99 plus a dinner salad for $ 1.99. Not a bad price (if the food were good).

Service: Very nice! My waiter was helpful, efficient, gracious and enthusiastic. It’s not his fault the food was bad. I felt bad knowing I would write a bad review, so I tipped him big (also it occurred to me that they wouldn’t be in business much longer).

Music Selection: None.

No sense dwelling on it, but this was the worst CFS of my still young quest. I’ve never been on safari, but if this is the food one receives, I’m happy to stay in Houston.

3231 E. 29th St.; Bryan, TX 77802
(979) 776-7500

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/

Jax Grill - Houston, TX

Located just south of I-10 on Sheperd is Jax Grill, mixed among several other well-known Houston culinary hot spots (Mission Burrito and Cadillac Bar). After a morning of exploring the city, Mrs. CFS, Tater Tot and myself popped in for a little homestyle goodness.

Jax Grill seems like more of a sports bar than restaurant (and the quality of the CFS reflects this). There is a wealth of sports related gear on the walls and several TVs for viewing of the pigskin. The menu appears geared towards this crowd with several “baskets” and “platters” of fried goodness.

CFS: OK. It was juicy and the tenderness of the meat was good. But, several bites tasted “off” and the odor was not pleasant (a big pet peeve of mine). This tended to ruin the experience a bit.
...A side tasting of Mrs. CFS’s CFC also didn’t impress. The chicken was juicy but the taste was a bit off and it didn’t have enough chicken flavor for my liking.

Breading: Nice – fluffy but crunchy. Southern style, it had a light brown color and held up well to the thick gravy. It did not stick particularly well to the steak, but I won’t complain since I can’t get mine to stick either.

Gravy: A very creamy white sauce. It was velvety and almost cheesy. It tasted fresh (in a diary way) but lacked a depth of flavor. It tasted as though too much heavy cream was used and not enough seasoning (although there was a hint of something subtle like tarragon).

Sides: The meal came with only French fries as a side. The fries were good – nicely salted and crispy. Abandoning my CFS, I discovered that the ketchup / gravy mix on the fries was a nice combo (…patent pending).

Price: $7.95 for lunch (it was listed as $8.45 on the big menu board, so perhaps the price came down or the lunch special was cheaper). For the amount of food, this was a good deal.

Service: Walk up counter service and orders picked up separately. This was efficient and the food came out quickly.

Music: Only the cacophony of the wait staff moving chairs and tables for the impending Texans game.

I’d probably go back to Jax Grill to watch a game or suck down some chicken wings. But, I’ll stay away from the CFS.

http://www.jax-grill.com/

1613 Shepherd Dr.Houston, TX 77007(713) 861-5529

Old Mill Inn - Dallas, TX

Chicken Fried Road Trip: Dallas

(Part II)

After a long day of learning and exploring at the museums of Fair Park with tater tot, we were hungry for sustenance. Fortunately, there is a Dallas institution a few steps from the museums and nestled in the heart of Fair Park. So, I talked Chicken Fried Family into a lunchtime visit (it wasn't hard).

The Old Mill Inn’s exterior resembles a quaint old mill and the inside reminds one of a large diner. We practically the only people in the restaurant and we got a great deal of attention from the welcoming staff.

The CFS: It was tough and overcooked. The meat was dense and hard to chew, like an old shoe. This made for an unpleasant bite.

Breading: Despite the toughness of the meat, the breading was good. Southern style with a nice deep brown color.

Gravy: A white, cream gravy. Nothing remarkable but it was a good compliment to the dish.
Knife: Standard kitchen knife provided, but given the density of the meat, something more on the order of a chainsaw was needed.

Sides: Choose two. I chose mashed potatoes (which were good but nothing special) and the black eyed peas. The black eyed peas were simply amazing. Of course, being close to New Years Day and being a Texan, it’s tradition to eat them. But, these rightfully should be eaten every day. They were cooked in a wonderful broth with ham (or ham hocks) giving the beans an amazing flavor.

Cost: $ 10.99. Not a bad price, if the meal was cooked properly.

Service: Superb! The staff, especially our waitress, were so friendly and exceptionally welcoming. Our waitress swapped stories about being a grandmother with Chicken Fried Mother and was friendly and gracious with the tot, even as he demanded macaroni and cheese.

Music Selection: None.

The Old Mill Inn is a treasure and worth a visit. I’d recommend it, but ask for your CFS to be cooked medium.

3611 Grand Avenue, Dallas.

Country Burger - Plano, TX

Chicken Fried Road Trip: Dallas (Part 1)

I’ve driven by the Country Burger in my old hometown hundreds of time but had never eaten there. But, visiting over the holidays and a powerful hunger for CFS prompted me to stop in and (finally) try it. Chicken Fried Father joined me for the inaugural tasting.

The Country Burger is a neatly organized little place in the corner of a strip mall. Immediately the customers in line and the guy taking orders at the counter were friendly with us and we shared a joke about being out the house for the last time this holiday season. The décor was simple with a few booths and several long tables dotting the rather large restaurant.

The CFS: Juicy and tasty. It was a thinly pounded cube steak and it was well cooked.

Breading: The breading was thin and crispy – more central Texas style than the southern style I usually get around Houston. Troublingly, the breading had an odd “fishy” taste, almost as if they had fried up a mess of catfish before our CFSs and then fried our CFSs. The flavor of each bite was almost indistinguishable from a bite of catfish. This tended to ruin an otherwise tasty CFS.

(I should note that Chicken Fried Father enjoyed his CFS, although he unorthodoxly put jalapenos on his).

The gravy: Very good. Nice and peppery. White. It came in two little cups on the side so we could dole out the creamy goodness at our leisure. There was also a hint of an undefined herb: possibly sage or tarragon.

The sides: No choices – it came with French fries and Texas toast. The fries were really excellent: warm, salty and juicy. The Texas toast was amazing. It was fried on one side with butter but the other side was left uncooked. This made for an incredible bite with a nice crunch from one side and a soft chew on the other side. The sweet tea was also very nice.

Service: Table service. You’re assigned a vibrating / blinking device when your food is up. Everyone was very friendly and most welcoming.
Price: $6.99. A good deal.

I’d like to try Country Burger again (after they change the oil in the fryer, of course) – there are some neat items on the menu. It’s hard to find a good local CFS place but sometimes the right place has been there all along.

Dosey Doe - Woodlands, TX

We came across the Dosey Doe by accident, desiring to see the legendary Joe Ely in concert. It turns out that the Dosey Doe is also a fine eating establishment in addition to a neat place to see a concert and get a fine cup of coffee. A visit from Chicken Fried Friends for the distinctly non-CFS holiday of Thanksgiving prompted us to visit the Dosey Doe and see Texas Trubador Shake Russell.

The Dosey Doe is a unique place and very neat. It is actually a transplanted barn – from their website:

Our Dining/Live Music Hall is a 150 year old barn from Kentucky. Hand Hewn (cut by axe instead of saw). It is made entirely of 300 year old growth Oak and Birch. The process of taking the barn down, re-raising it, and finishing it out took two and one half years.

Unique to say the least. The Dosey Doe is dotted inside with dozens of tin metal signs from the petroleum industry’s past and the food/road culture (including sodas made with bark and herbs).

The CFS: Overall, it was very good. The steak was well flattened, chewy and flavorful. It was moist, but not too moist, but this unfortunately added to the soggy factor.

Breading: Southern style. Really southern fried chicken style. The breading was thin like you’d find on fried chicken. Although the gravy was thin (see below), the thin breading got a bit soggy because it was so thin.

Gravy: Classic and excellent. Like a traditional gravy should be, white gravy had strong notes of both white and black pepper. It was very thin but it was only modestly applied. Perhaps there wasn’t enough, but the quality certainly made up for the quality.

Knife: A sizable steak knife was provided but probably not needed! The steak was thin, the breading was thin and the gravy was thin.

Sides: No options – it came with mashed potatoes and “summer vegetables” (which were green beans, zucchini and pearl onions). The mashed potatoes were very good – garlicy and smooth. The veg were also very nice, especially the pearl onions which were a nice touch. I didn’t particularly like that it was served underneath the CFS (see picture) because this caused the potatoes and veg to blend together and make the bottom of the CFS mushy. (also try the Bourbon Pecan Pie – it was fantastic).

Cost: $16.00. So, a bit higher than average but the quality of the food and the experience was worth the price.

Service: Not great. The tables on the main floor are long and all connected together (think Cambridge eating club style). This appears to create a bit of havoc with the wait staff (and apparently the kitchen – our appetizer came out after our main course and a food runner tried to give us a meal that wasn’t ours). But, after dinner was sorted out, our waiter was constantly on the spot with additional whiskey and Coke orders.

Music Selection: Nothing during dinner, but Shake Russell was the live entertainment.

Figuring out whether or not people would go to the Dosey Doe for great music or great food would be folly – both are great and it is always a fun time. They’ve got a great formula and I hope it stays that way.

http://doseydoescoffeeshop.com/

CFS Homestead - Humble, TX

As a special holiday treat, I decided to bring my knowledge of CFS to our own CFS Test Kitchens! What follows is a (rough) recipe for my first homemade CFS. And, because she doesn’t trust me to diagnose my own illness, Mrs. CFS reviews the final product below.

Breading: The powder consisted of a cup of flour, and a tablespoon each of fresh ground cumin, fresh ground pepper, Kosher salt and white pepper. The liquid was a cup of buttermilk and a cup of heavy cream. I double dipped the steaks (liquid, roux, liquid, roux).

Steak: Cube steaks I bought at H.E.B. It would have been smart for me to retenderize the meat that wasn’t as perforated as it needed to be. I poured about an inch of vegetable oil into a pan (heated to 350 degrees) and tenderly slipped in the meat. I turned the meat part of the way through which, unfortunately, stripped off some of the breading.

Gravy: One cup of buttermilk and one cup of heavy cream. One teaspoon of fresh cumin, two tablespoons of white pepper, a teaspoon of Kosher salt, a teaspoon of garlic and onion powder, a pinch of smoked paprika and a few grinds of black cracked pepper.

I periodically added a pinch of the flour roux from the breading and …whisk, whisk, whisk until it is at the consistency you want (I like it the consistency of a pea soup).





The side was a roasted garlic (about 3 cut up cloves), brussel sprouts and carrot medley. A little salt, pepper, a drizzle of vegetable oil put under a broiler on low for about 30 minutes.

Happy holidays and I hope you enjoy!

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MRS’S CFS REVIEW

Because, as we all know, chefs notoriously overrate or underrate their own cuisine, this is Mrs. CFT’s review of the CFS created by the Chicken-Fried Texan. Overall, the CFS was a good start and Mrs. CFT is hopeful that the dish will be repeated in the CFT household.

The use of buttermilk and white pepper in the gravy left the CFT kitchen smelling great and boded well for the actual CFS. Tater Tot assisted in the preparation of the gravy but Mrs. CFT was not privy to all of the secret ingredients therein.

The meal also was completed very quickly and proved itself to be a tenable weeknight treat.
Steak: A little tough. We used steak knives, though an ordinary one probably would have worked.

Breading: Tasted great, but did not stick well all over the CFS. The taste was nice and peppery, and the breading was crisp but not burnt. Given that CFT does not own a deep fryer, the ability to create a perfect breading might have been but a dream. He tried mightily, and though only ¾ of my steak was actually breaded, the breading itself had great flavor and I am confident that with practice CFT will achieve the full breading required.

Gravy: The gravy was by far the best I’ve had in the CFS realm. Wish they had this gravy at some of the other places we’ve visited. It was peppery, but not too peppery, had good consistency and was plentiful.

Service: …with a smile, and a well-paired beer. Can’t complain.

Side: The CFS was served with a side of roasted vegetables (carrots and brussel sprouts). The veg was nicely seasoned and a nice accompaniment to the CFS. The carrots were nicely roasted and soft but not too soft. The sprouts were flavorful and matched well with the carrots. Though I expected an okra component given the CFT’s predilections, this was a nice, healthy alternative that was both flavorful and filling.

Overall, I enjoyed the at-home CFS experience, and I hope it becomes a more frequent one.