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.

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/

CFS, Texas Monthly and You

Texas Monthly has run a neat article featuring the "40 Best Small Town Cafes": http://www.texasmonthly.com/magazine/smalltowncafes. Clearly such a list can produce serious (but yummy) debates, but anything that leads to eating more chicken fried foods can't be a bad exercise.

There's a handy link to Google maps so you can find a joint close to you. Chain places will not appear.

Enjoy.

Barbecue Inn -- Houston, TX

You can smell the Barbecue Inn for a few blocks away – like a hickory smoked trail leading you to paradise. You’re not just smelling the smoke for the barbeque, you’re also smelling a little piece of Houston history.

Barbecue Inn is a really neat diner that is very comfortable. It has a diner feel (complete with lunch counter and pie window box) but some modern updates like iconic Texas and Houston images etched into glass separating tables. You sink deep in to the red benches and feel instantly at home.

The CFS: Juicy and well done. Cubed steak was the meat, although they were a bit small (it actually came in two steaks). The consistency was perfect and the bite gave just enough resistance.

Breading: Flaky and crunchy (southern style). Held up to the gravy nicely. It did not have enough flavor, compounded by the fact that the gravy didn’t have much punch.

Gravy: Not great. It was bland and white. Not much flavor, requiring me to execute two rounds of salt and pepper to make it to my liking. The gravy was served on the CFS (they didn’t ask if I wanted it otherwise).

Knife size: Standard knife given and used. But, really, something more on the order of a steak knife would have been more appropriate.

Sides: No choices. It comes with a salad (lettuce and tomato) and French fries. Neither were great, but the salad hit the spot and the fries were fresh, hot and useful for soaking up extra gravy.

Cost: $10.75. A bit high considering the sides weren't great. But, the portions were significant.

Service: Great. The waitresses are from a bygone era where you were called “hon” regardless of your age and everyone makes you feel welcome. This compliments the comfort of the place perfectly.

Music selection: Musac’ed hits from the 1980s (Solsbury Hill “by” Peter Gabriel was a favorite of Mrs. CFS).

I’m sure I’ll go back to the Barbecue Inn but I’m not sure I’ll order the CFS again. The menus indicate “Serving Houston Since 1946.” Here’s hoping for at least another 60 years.

116 W. Crosstimbers, Houston

Humble City Café (Revisit) – Humble, TX

Most qualified and conscientious restaurant reviewers visit the same location several times before writing their food columns. Being neither qualified and conscientious, I have already written about the Old Humble Café. A visit by Chicken Fried In-Laws inspired us to sample a little chicken fried goodness.

This round, I decided to try the Chicken Fried Chicken (but insisted Chicken Fried Wife get the CFS so I could taste it again).

The CFC: The chicken was pounded flat and fried up. I frankly prefer having the full chicken breast without the pillard which I think makes it juicier. Still, it was moist and tasty.

The Breading: Like the CFS, the breading was thin but crunchy. The style was the same and was pretty tasty.


The Gravy: Too much! The CFC was swimming in the stuff. It made it a bit soggy. (although our waiter did ask if I wanted it on the side or not). Again, it was creamy and smooth, but the flavor was a bit bland (I allowed myself to add salt and pepper).

The Knife: Something involved like a steak knife was again required (a standard kitchen knife not workable here). If nothing else, it helped cut through the gravy.

The Sides: Mashed potatoes and fried okra. The potatoes were lumpy and thick. The flavor was a bit bland again, possibly because the same gravy was spread over it (our waiter asked if I wanted it on or off). The okra was awful – just awful. Cold and soggy, nothing like the fried okra I know and love.


So, when more company comes to town, I think I’ll recommend the CFS over the CFC at Humbe City Cafe. And, for pete’s sake, go easy on that gravy.




http://humblecitycafe.com/