Chicken Fried Steak

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Originally posted by Bushie

quote:

Originally posted by bobj143

CFS in Austin, Tx. - Go to Threeadgill's Cafe Used to be a place called Andy's up near Taylor, TX that had a CFS that totally covered the plate. Now I live in FL and they do not know what CFS is, or BBQ either. Bummer .[/8)]

bob, if you can give me any more info about Andy's, I've love to hear it. I can guarantee you it's not around anymore (I live in Round Rock), but I want to know about it if you can tell me more.

I disagree about Threadgill's. Eddie has the most famous place in Austin, but I much prefer Hill's. I finally tried Tony's Southern Comfort a few weeks ago, and the CFS was really good, but I was disappointed in the sides.

Understand that I'm VERY picky about CFS. The best I ever remember having was at Massey's in Fort Worth a couple of years ago.

I don't like the heavily-breaded, deep-fried stuff, where the "crust" falls off at the first cut and leaves nothing but gray meat behind. Most of restaurant CFS falls in that category.

<b>Bushie </b>- it was at Rockdale Texas, out towards the Alcoa plant and was little beer joint and cafe. My son-in-law is from Buckholtz - I'll ask hinm if the place is still open. Also, there is an Andy's ( I think steakhouse and cafe ) in Fredericksburg that had a fab CFS last fall. Worth a drive, even when we are out of the Bluebonnet season so the trip is not up to it's full eye-filling potential.

The gold standard around here (Houston area) is Lankford Grocery and T-Bone Tom's in Kemah (http://www.tbonetoms.com/). T-Bone Tom's is one of the few eateries in Kemah not owned by Landry's, Inc., which means it's one of the few with anyone on the premises who can explain what a cook does for a living without having to examine a corporate operations manual . Like many a good eatery in Texas it was once a butcher shop.

The CFS has got a golden, crisp crust, yellow cream gravy, and the sides are very good (well, most of the ones I've tried). Its available lunch and dinner and on special on Monday. When you can eat CFS 8 days a week like we can here in Texas, it's good to have a variety of well prepared sides.

Lankford is reviewed by the Stern's on this website but they didn't report on the CFS. It unfortunately is offered as a special only for lunch on Thursday, which means they'll start serving it at 11am and be out by 12:30 probably.

The best I've had in recent memory would be these two and Hill's in Austin, all better than what I had at Massey's in Fort Worth. I wouldn't have been shocked if someone told me T-Bone Tom's last name was Hill, but it wasn't, it was Fitzmorris. I'd give an edge to Hill's for the sides, at least the green beans with bacon. There's so much bacon in those beans it should be listed as an entree rather than a side .

Sorry, I can't let that pass because I just got done reading a report on Hill's CFS on DallasFood.org:

http://www.dallasfood.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=65

That's a seriously disgusting looking CFS.

Spouse & I had the best CFS ever at The Walburg Restaurant in Walburg, TX (N of Austin). The gravy was good but kind of sweet (maybe that's a German thing?). I'd take a different gravy but the CFS was excellent. Actually, all of their food is great.

I just found this thread...I've lived in TX this time since 1992, and have never been a real big fan of CFS.

A friend told me about a place here in Ft. Worth called Massey's and the wife and I ate lunch there this afternnoon. Not much to look at in the way of ambiance...BUT I had the best CFS I've ever eaten! This place has been in biz since 1947 and IMO really know how to do CFS right.

It usually comes with milk or cream gravy I substituted brown. It was so good we got two dinners to go for supper ....hehe.. Downside was this CFS did not reheat well . IT was a bit chewy.

I did a search and didn't come with a thread on it so if its been mentioned already....I apo;igize.

Tim

I just found this thread also so I guess I'll chime in too.

I have eaten a lot of CFS, all in the name of research you understand, and have narrowed it down to two that are different but good in their own way.

Goodsons Cafe in Tomball, Tx was named best CFS in Texas by Texas Country Reporter magazine. Theirs is as big as your plate with a thick, crispy crust fried as Alton would say GBD(golden brown and delicious). It is topped with white cream gravy with just the right amount of pepper. Yellow gravy I associate with chicken gravy and not acceptable.

The second is Mary's Cafe in Stawn, Tx just west of DFW off I20. Hers is also as big as your plate. The difference is that her crust is thin just a little thicker than its German counterpart so you can taste the meat better. It comes with a cereal sized bowl of cream gravy on the side. The negative and the reason it is no.2 in my book is they do not have mashed potatoes on the menu, it comes with french fries or it would tie with Goodsons.

On I20 around the corner from Marys is Thurber, Tx. and home of the Smokestack Restaurant. They claim to have the best CFS on I20. I have had it and it is good but they put something in the crust, I think it is onion or garlic powder, I have'nt quit put my finger on it yet, which gives it an off taste.

The real place for the best CFS in Texas no longer exists. It was The Cottonwood Inn in La Grange, Texas. Halfway between Austin and Houston it was a favorite eating stop for travelers, politicians and students on their way back and forth from the state capital. Also a stop for those working up an appetite at Miss Monas, who by the way looked nothing like Dolly Parton.


Well those are my picks, FWIW.

joe

Texianjoe, garlic powder has also been in some of the crusts of CFS I've had. I too don't care for it in this dish. Better to use black pepper in the crust and gravy for extra flavor. You're also right about having white cream gravy and mashed potatoes for classic and delicious CFS.

I lived in Houston only for a year in '86-'87. Dirty's had THE best chicken fried steak with tater tots and white gravy! Best day to go for that was on $.75 margarita night!

quote:

Originally posted by Texianjoe

I just found this thread also so I guess I'll chime in too.

I have eaten a lot of CFS, all in the name of research you understand, and have narrowed it down to two that are different but good in their own way.

Goodsons Cafe in Tomball, Tx was named best CFS in Texas by Texas Country Reporter magazine. Theirs is as big as your plate with a thick, crispy crust fried as Alton would say GBD(golden brown and delicious). It is topped with white cream gravy with just the right amount of pepper. Yellow gravy I associate with chicken gravy and not acceptable.

joe

I moved out of the great state of Texas (much to my regret) in 1977. I lived just down the road from Tomball, (on the way to Spring). The very best CFS I have ever before or since was at Goodson's. Also a giant home made hamburger that was the best as well. I did not care for the heat and humidity in the 7 years I lived just north of Houston but Goodson's made it worthwhile. Used to get a great burger at the Spring Cafe' (old train stop) as well. The people around that area were great but the weather was a challenge. Great fishing back then at Lake Conroe before they poisoned out the hydrilla. The bass loved to hide under it. Crappie fishing under the willows in the Spring was great as well. Lots of fond memories and Goodson's is at the top of the list.

Discovery's Destination America Channel show tonight was "The United States of Steak". They featured the best steaks in America. Goodson's Cafe in Tomball, TX was considered the best CFS in the country. Since it's the "Best CFS in Texas", that automatically makes it the "Best CFS in America".
http://www.goodsonscafetomball.com/
There are 2 other shows- The United States of Bacon and The United States of Burgers.
Catch the Re-runs!

It's getting hard to find a good chicken fried steak in Austin, Texas. Much like a bowl of Texas Red, the cfs has vanished from local menus and when you do find it, it's often a pale shadow of what used to be both delicious and commonplace.
Not so out in Liberty Hill at Dahlia Cafe.
The pounded-out, hand-breaded chicken fried steak being served up on the Edward's Plateau could leave the kitchen at Old Spanish Trail in Bandera and nobody would be the wiser.
It's that good.
Gravy had a working relationship with a cow, green beans had been grown in soil, tea had cane sugar in it. Lots of details that we should be able to take for granted but can't, are in abundance at Dahlia Cafe in Liberty Hill.
 
pic of the plate: http://www.scrumptiousche...a-Cafe-In-Liberty-Hill

Bookmarked! 
 
Boy, I can't let my CFS antennae rest for a minute--I never know where/when I'm going to find more info, as this thread just surfaced after almost 5 years being asleep.

This was Buck Owens' last meal. He ate it and played a show. Then he died.

This was Buck Owens' last meal. He ate it and played a show. Then he died.

Nice to see this thread back

Thanks to whoever revived this thread.

senor boogie woogie


This was Buck Owens' last meal. He ate it and played a show. Then he died.

Oh my--not a good recommendation!  Wonder if it was from Cope's Knotty Pine Cafe in Bakersfield.

senor boogie woogie


This was Buck Owens' last meal. He ate it and played a show. Then he died.

At least he died happy.
 
I'm afraid I'm thinking of the SCTV show parody of the movie "Grapes of Wrath" - Dave Thomas plays the old grandpa who is...fixated on chicken fried steak. It's clear he's losing it when he cackles "I'm gonna git me a bunch'a chicken fried steaks an' I'm gonna sew 'em together an' wear 'em like a hat!" He dies, and his last request is that he be chicken fried.

One of the very few places chicken fried steak is available in Toronto is at Shanghai Cowgirl's on Queen Street West near Bathurst. It's a diner type of establishment for the hipster community in the area. But it's the fried perogies which they serve in mounds with bacon, fried onions, scallions (green onions), melted cheddar cheese and sour cream that I most highly recommend at Shanghai Cowgirl's. The milkshakes are good too. The waitresses are also young, hip and pretty.
 

Hepcat


One of the very few places chicken fried steak is available in Toronto is at Shanghai Cowgirl's on Queen Street West near Bathurst. It's a diner type of establishment for the hipster community in the area. But it's the fried perogies which they serve in mounds with bacon, fried onions, scallions (green onions), melted cheddar cheese and sour cream that I most highly recommend at Shanghai Cowgirl's. The milkshakes are good too. The waitresses are also young, hip and pretty.

Good heavens--that sounds obscene!  And good.

love2bake

Hepcat


One of the very few places chicken fried steak is available in Toronto is at Shanghai Cowgirl's on Queen Street West near Bathurst. It's a diner type of establishment for the hipster community in the area. But it's the fried perogies which they serve in mounds with bacon, fried onions, scallions (green onions), melted cheddar cheese and sour cream that I most highly recommend at Shanghai Cowgirl's. The milkshakes are good too. The waitresses are also young, hip and pretty.

Good heavens--that sounds obscene!  And good.

I'm trying to decide between the waitresses and the food.

A Google Image search for Shanghai Cowgirl will yield you plenty of pictures, including some for staff and customers, but almost all are download protected.
 
 
 
An added bonus is that the restaurant is right next door to and owned by the same people as the Bovine Sex Club, a nightclub with a rather eclectic clientele of hipsters and punks. No cows, but sex I suppose is available with the standard amount of aggravation/effort.