Getting All Political.

The Chicken Fried Texan is not political. I accept all fried food-loving people, be they gravy on or off the meat folks, lovers of fried or fresh okra or deep-fried over pan fried CFS aficionados.
But, action to ban delicious trans fats from Texas eateries recently passed by the Texas Senate has pushed me into action! (see below article or read the legislation here).

Image borrowed from here.

Texas Senate OKs Bill Banning Trans Fat
By JANET ELLIOTT
Houston Chronicle
May 8, 2009

AUSTIN — Chicken-fried steak with zero trans fat? Are you kidding? Not at the Texas Legislature, they’re not. Under a bill passed Friday by the Senate, restaurants across the state would be banned from cooking with oil that contains trans fat. Many major fast-food chains and doughnut shops already have stopped using trans fat, said Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, sponsor of the measure. Trans fat raises LDL, the “bad cholesterol,” and lowers HDL, or “good cholesterol,” which can lead to clogged arteries and an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. It now heads to the House, where it has passed in committee, giving it healthy odds of making it through the full Legislature. New York and California have banned the substance, developed during World War II to extend the life of cooking oils by adding hydrogen. Large restaurant chains would have until Sept. 1, 2010, to comply; chains with fewer than 15 restaurants would have an extra year. Bakeries, grocery stores and nonprofits such as state fairs or rodeos would be exempt. Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, mocked the bill: “Is there a charge in the bill for assault with a deadly triglyceride?”

The legislation must now be passed by the Texas House of Representatives to become law. So, write, call or email your Texas House Member today to preserve our beloved fried vittles forever!

Fat lovers unite!

To paraphrase fellow Texan Lyndon Johnson, “we must either love [our fried goodness] or we must die.”

Lone Star Steakhouse Seafood and Grill – Beaumont, TX

Chicken Fried Road Trip: New Orleans (Part 1 of 2)

I don’t know what it is about road trips that makes me hungry, but in the midst of a trip to New Orleans, I got the hunger bug. Fortunately, I located Lone Star just off I-10 and headed in.

The inside décor is minimal and stripped down and had the feel of a real roadside diner (which, in effect, it was). The brown vinyl covered tables, wood panel walls made the place comfortable, if not a page out of Southern Living.

The CFS: Unevenly cooked – parts that were very juicy (as juicy as I’ve tasted) but parts were tough and overcooked.

Breading: Rich, peppery. Southern style. Good flavor. The charring on the side (my friend Texas Chef told me) is probably a result of pan frying, not deep frying.

Gravy: White, cream gravy. Flakes of pepper but not overpowering. Flavorful, rich. Good compliment to the CFS overall.

Knife: Steak knife provided and was appropriate.

Sides: Choose 3 (with the “small” CFS). I chose the okra, cornbread stuffing and the mashed potato, desiring to boost my starch intake for the long drive to the “big easy.” The stuffing was a bit dry and plain, although it was tasty. The okra was very good: lightly fried and tasted of…okra, suggesting it was fresh and recently fried. The mashed potato were also very good (same gravy was on it) – well whipped, good flavor and good balance of flavors.

Cost: $ 10.99 for the “small CFS.” A bit high but the food was fresh, fast and homemade.

Service: Good. A bit slow, although I arrived at the height of the lunch rush, so things seemed a bit chaotic. My waitress was very apologetic for the delays and got my food out quickly. She kept calling me “baby,” not in a romantic way but in a mother-son kind of way (I assume). (this was not uncommon as visits to other non-CFS restaurants in New Orleans repeated this pattern).

Music Selection: None.

Overall, this was perfect road food and well worth the time to temporarily halt my journey for a brief respite from the road.

6685 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont 77706.

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Neal’s Restaurant – Spring, TX

Hunger for a starchy meal on a Saturday, we made a run north to Spring to try Neal’s Restaurant. Neal’s is a neat place that boasts of several country classics.

The inside is stocked with various animal heads (moose, elk, deer, none of which was on the menu), pictures from local students (a good sign) and a giant Texas flag (an even better sign). The place is very casual and exactly what you’d want from a country kitchen.

The CFS: Cube steak that was a bit tough. It wasn’t dramatically overcooked but enough that you’d notice. Still, the meat was flavorful and somewhat juicy.

Breading: Southern style. Good flavor. Flaky. Parts were a little charred which make for a nice crunch and a good smoky flavor.

Gravy: White, cream gravy. It tasted very fresh, like a strong cream. This can be a plus, but it made the gravy a bit sweet. This, combined with a lack of seasoning, over powered the whole CFS with the sweet taste of cream. So, I applied salt and pepper and it was much better.

Knife: Steak knife provided and was appropriate.

Sides: Choose 2. I chose the okra and the mashed potato. The okra was good: it was a bit over fried (too dark and a bit crispy) but it was still good. The mashed potato were also very good with good flavors of garlic and potato.

As a side note, we chose to partake in some of the delicious looking pies in the pie window as we first walked in. There was no room in our stomachs for it, but we pressed ahead. The cherry pie was perfect – just like grandma makes. The Meyer lemon pie was also excellent. But, really, have you ever had bad pie?

Cost: $ 10.99 for the “large CFS.” Given the amount of food and the quality, this was a good bargain. The small order was $8.99 which would have been plenty if I hadn’t dramatically overestimated my appetite.

Service: Top notch. The service was super fast, efficient and my soda was never empty. She even flirted with the tot and provided him with some green Marti Gras beads.

Music Selection: None.

Neal’s Restaurant is in the middle of nowhere but boasts the “best chicken fried steak around.” “Around” being vague enough to imply they’re ready to take on all challengers. After eating there, they’d probably give most a run for their money.

(don’t forget to pick up a pie or a dozen free range eggs on you way out – you won’t be sorry).

http://www.nealsrestaurant.com/
4750 F.M. 2920

Spring, Texas 77388.
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A CFS By Any Other Name Would Be as Delicious...

Also, here's a neat site summarizing the regional differences (and different preparations) of "CFS": http://www.tvrage.com/Good_Eats/episodes/396004/10x04. It's hard to argue with Alton Brown.

The Results Are In...

Thanks to all who voted in the poll. "Chicken Fried Steak" is apparently the winning title, although this is likely weighted by a heavy Texas readership.


As a reward, watch Paula give Bobby his "cumuppins" in the "Country" Fried Steak Throwdown:

...you didn't think he'd win, did you?

Scroll down to take an important poll...

The Potatoe Patch – Houston, TX

Out running some errands at the I-45 – 1960 corridor, I came across the Potatoe Patch (apologies to the driver behind me who was caught off guard by my quick swerve into their parking lot). I thought the name was a riff on Dan Quayle’s inability to correctly spell the singular “potato” but apparently there are several people who spell it this way.

The Patch is a large version of a small town diner and has a very comfortable feel. They have an elaborate entry system, suggesting that the place gets busy (a good sign). There were several groups of office workers and several of Houston’s Finest enjoying lunch (a very good sign).

As I sat down, my waitress brought a little basket of fried vittles. It consisted mostly of okra but also a few onions and another veg (parsnip?). All together, it was a great start to the meal.

After I munched a few fried vittles, a “roll guy” came around offering fresh-baked rolls. When I first came in, I took virtually no notice of the sign proclaiming: “throwed rolls…if they ain’t worth throwin’, they ain’t worth eatin’” (all the apostrophes made me dizzy). But, I soon found out that “throwed rolls” was not a figurative expression as the “roll guy” lobbed one at me from about 30 feet. Fortunately I fielded my position well and, after bouncing it off my chest, I wrangled it in. The roll was warm and soft and I gobbled it down.

Steak: A nice thin sirloin – there was a great amount of give and it was nice and juicy and hot.

Breading: It was a bit thinner than other southern style CFS breadings and it was very light (in color and texture). This didn’t hold up well to the gravy but the thinness was a plus and it was different. For lunch, it was nice to have something light (even though CFS is by design heavy).

Gravy: Very white. It was a little bland but very thick. The flavor of both the breading and the mashed potato side (see below) was tasty enough to overcome this wanting, but more flavorful gravy is always better than less flavorful gravy.

Knife: A more substantial steak knife was provided and was helpful. The CFS was a bit tough, so I would have liked something more substantial.

Sides: The dish only came with one kind of potato side but you could have it virtually any way you wanted. I had mashed and they were very good. It was coated in the same gravy and had a great garlic and onion flavor. Beyond that, there is a list of sides and I chose the lima beans. The beans were good; cooked with ham hock, every kid who espouses a hatred of the tiny bean should try these. Those plus the okra mentioned above and I was a happy lunchgoer.

Service: Great! I haven’t been told “God bless you” outside of church so many times in one place. My waitress (and the cashier) were very quick and super friendly.

Music: none.

My receipt indicated that I should “Please come back and catch more hot rolls.” I plan to – the CFS was great and the visit was very pleasant. In fact, a menu item caught my eye: chicken fried steak potato(e). I will return.

www.potatoepatch.com

2020 FM 1960 East
Houston, Texas 77073