Taquerias Alma Latina #5 ― Houston, TX

Jackpot. It may have taken me all summer, through several venues and my own failed attempts, but I have found an immensely pleasing chicken fried steak sandwich….in a taqueria. Taquerias Alma Latina #5 is a wonderfully friendly place on Telephone Road, complete with colorful adornments inside and out. It’s just like ones you always pass by but never stop in to patronize (shame on you!).

Starved for a late lunch, I was delighted to see a milanese torta on the menu ($3.00). I ordered it with french fried, which were hot and tasty (large order $1.25) but lacking salt. Nothing special but they hit the spot. The torta was excellent. The bread was fluffy in the middle and crispy on the inside and out (notice the pressing marks on top). The meat was pork, so it’s not technically a CFSS, but that’s splitting hairs when you’re hungry. The breading was salty, garlicky just a little spicy. The thin pork cutlet was overcooked, but this gave a nice bite to the softness of the rest of the sandwich architecture. A healthy dollop of Mexican crema, a smear of avocado and a hint of mustard finished this fine sandwich.

A fortuitous find in an unlikely location. Well worth a trip to #5 (or any of the other numbers) for a delightful lunch.

Homemade CFSS - CFS Homestead, TX

Unable to find an appeasing CFSS for the past few months, I attempted to make my own at home. How hard could it be, right? A little tomato, mayo, mustard, avacado and a fried egg atop a crunchy CFS (frozen) should be an easy make.


Sadly, I failed (by my measure and as gingerly expressed to me by Mrs. CFS). The sandwich was overall too juicy, usually a plus, but the combination of ingredients just made muddle of the flavors. The bun (storebought) was soft and pliable but too big and soft. It needed more texture, perhaps a toasting.


The quest continues. Help me out, fair readers.

You had me at "fried"...

Enjoy!

T-Bone Tom's - Seabrook, TX

My hunger for a chicken fried steak sandwich (CFSS) unabated, we traveled to Kemah to T-Bone Tom’s for a weekend lunch.

With several “chicken fried” sandwich options, it was hard to make a choice. Setting on the CFSS, the sandwich came with gravy (on the side), lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. After carefully building my sandwich, I took a bit. Excellent. The CFS was homemade and well cooked. The moistness of the CFS combined with the slight give of the sirloin made for an excellent bite. The veg additions provided an wonderful additional crunch especially the pickles and onions which gave the sandwich a nice sourness to complement the richness of the CFSS.

The enormous steak fries were the size of a remote control. They were fresh and came to the table piping hot.

Hot and tasty is hard to beat. Certainly worth a trip to the shore to try.

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.

The Hungry Farmer Bar-B-Q ― Houston, Texas

Continuing my search for a summer-favorite Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich (CFSS), we sauntered into The Hungry Farmer Bar-B-Q on Crosstimbers (just east of I-45) with high hopes and empty stomachs. The Hungry Farmer is primarily a burger and BBQ place, with a menu of several options of this ilk and a neat interior that reminded me of a cross between a steak house and a diner.

The CFSS basket (with fries, $6.15) was a great meal and a great deal. The fries were excellent ― fresh cut, hot and crispy. My only complaint is that most of them were small. This made for nice crunching but difficulty for my ketchup sopping ambitions.

The CFSS was very good as well. A big beast of a sandwich (likewise with their burgers) made for many excellent mouthfuls. The CFS itself was premade but the balance of veg, bread and meat and the sheer size made for a flavorful bite each time. The heat of the salty and crunchy CFS warmed the mayo and tomato, while the onion (which I added from the bar), pickles (which I added from the bar) and lettuce made for a cool crunch.

A few things are becoming clear regarding the CFSS (or at least my preferred sandwiching options):

Onions (and a health amount of them) are critical.

Mayo is essential.

The tomato and lettuce must be present but side players.

Pickles. The more the better.

Bigger is better (or at least wider is better).

Miller's Cafe - Houston, TX

I’d been hankering for a CFS sandwich of late (hat tip to my late friend Bill Moran (Texas Chef) for some excellent suggestions last summer when my yearning began). There is something about the combination of a perfectly crisp chicken fried steak, the tang of some mayo, the crunch of fresh veg and a soft bun. My first stop was Miller’s Café in Garden Oaks, a little dive of a burger place with a great atmosphere and self serve soft drinks for a hot summer day. Sadly, the CFS sandwich (CFSS) was disappointing. The CFS itself was clearly prepackaged and frozen, making for a flat (shape and taste) patty. Because of this, the CFS was grainy and mealy. Surrounding the CFS was a slice of tomato, a sad little lettuce flap and a healthy dollop of mayo. Nothing fancy, which is fine, but nothing too interesting either.

The balance of flavor was good and there was nothing egregiously bad about the CFSS. Still, I wished I had ordered a burger. My hankering continues unabated.