Quest for the Best (CFS)

The CFS at Fat Albert's Cafe

2012-02-09T11:45:00.001-08:00

The CFS at Fat Albert's Cafe, a photo by ScrumpyFU on Flickr.

Well, well, well - I finally found a joint in PDX that serves the traditional, spaetzel-style of CFS!

Coming out more like a hamburger steak, this style is leaner and tastier than its more heavily-breaded siblings. The steak here at Fat Albert's is seasoned lightly but well and you get right into that flavor since there's little in the way of a coating to interfere. The breading is very thin and stuck right to the meat, so you don't get that what I call "paper bag" type of tearing/separating with other offerings in this style of CFS.

Fat Albert's is a small but very friendly diner-style place in the Sellwood area of town and is well worth the trip. The CFS is the priciest thing on the menu but coming in at $10.75 it's not too much of a hit to the pocketbook, either. The only complaint I had on this dish was that several of my potatoes were under-cooked but, again - I was there for the CFS, not the sides...
If you want a nice, tasty alternative to the more popular heavily-breaded style of CFS then seek out this item at Fat Albert's - it's well worth it.

CFS from KFC

2011-07-19T17:09:00.001-07:00

CFS from KFC, a photo by ScrumpyFU on Flickr.

Yep, it comes in a bowel and, surprising to me anyway, the breading is of the German schnitzel variety rather than something like the extra crispy KFC specialization.

It's only available at participating KFC's on Tuesdays and it's $2.99. It comes with that side of slaw and a biscuit. Also, in the bowl with it is a side of mashed potatoes - at least it stays a consistent CFS and has a white gravy rather than the typical KFC brown gravy. Trying to cut the steak in that bowl is a horrible idea, tho - really, it's just not conducive to eating in the slightest.

As for the flavor, the coating of the CFS has the signature "herbs and spices." The meat itself is, well, what you'd expect from $2.99 fast food - flavorless and bland and you're not really sure what your eating. But, overall, I've actually had less flavorful CFS' in restaurants.

Would I buy this again? I highly doubt it, even in a pinch it's pretty much a waste of time. And yet you could do worse. Weird.

CFS at the Bounty Hunter

2011-01-14T11:30:00.001-08:00

CFS at the Bounty Hunter
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Heading out to the Oregon Coast this past weekend to enjoy time w/ friends for the wife's big birthday we finally stopped in at the very recommended Bounty Hunter. A Western/roadhouse theme runs through the place, complete w/ the seats at the corners of the wraparound bar being actual saddles.

Having heard good things about the CFS here I decided to tuck in on one. Portion size here is 2nd only to the Hungry Tiger Too, to be honest. It's an enormous plate of food. I liked that they gave me straight rye bread (none of that marbled stuff), too. The homestyle potatoes were good, too, due to the inclusion of onions and red/green peppers.

But on to the star of the plate, the steak. It's big but not too thick, with a healthy Texas-style coating. Decent gravy that wasn't too thick or too soupy. Kind of a happy meeting place there with a smart steak, good breading, and good-enough gravy.

However, 2 things struck me as "cons" with the Bounty Hunter's CFS:

1 - The middle of the steak was soggy. I'm guessing this is due to the steak sitting on the plate longer than anything else, perhaps? While the rest of the steak wasn't super-crispy it was certainly within the realm of acceptability. But that soggy center - shameful.

2 - Spices were noticeably absent. I rail against this time and again in CFS - it's not supposed to be bland and not supposed to encourage you to immediately reach for the table's salt and pepper shakers. Why is it no one seems to follow through on this?

All in all, though, a good value for a pretty darn decent CFS. I'd definitely travel for this meal again, despite my drawbacks above (as those are easily rectified).

Cracker Barrel

2010-06-11T15:00:00.001-07:00

CFS from Cracker Barrel
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Okay, so I had to try some CFS while I was on the road in my recent vacation trip to Georgia.

Ended up hitting a Cracker Barrel and tried their "chicken fried" breakfast (steak or chicken - go figure).

The texture of their breading is, put simply, perfect. I would prefer more seasoning to it but, beyond that, its consistency, overall flavor, crunchiness, and style are the best I've had thus far in my quest. The steak was done well, proportioned quite well with the breading. They even give you a side of gravy with only a little on the CFS itself - so you're not left swimming in the stuff or looking for more.

Too bad it's a regional thing and I can't get it here. Or maybe (my heart says) that's a good thing?

Sweet Betty's?

2010-03-04T19:26:00.001-08:00

Sweet Betty's?
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Desperate to get the lousiness of Holman's CFS out of my memory I ventured out the following day to Gresham and found Sweet Betty's Bistro.

This is about a good mid-level CFS as you can find. It's really quite good but due to limitations it doesn't move to the "great" category fully.

Near-perfect Texas-style breading here - that's by far its greatest asset. Clinging just perfectly to the steak w/o being wet or gummy; it doesn't dry out, either. Lightly-seasoned but firm this is more like a stereotypical definition of CFS breading.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work in tandem w/ anything else here. It's so good on its own it misses the mark since there's no blending of flavors: The three elements - steak, breading, gravy - are almost totally separate. You can, quite literally, taste each one on their own. Which is too bad because all the elements are here for a truly great CFS...

Lack of continuity or unity aside its a fair entry, especially good if you're not picky about your CFS. Best I've had in Gresham, too, by far.

CFS at Holman's

2010-03-04T19:17:00.001-08:00

CFS at Holman's
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Well, I suppose I was due for a dud. I was surprised, tho', to find it at the usually-reliable Holman's in PDX.

As you can tell from the picture this is one big ol' portion of CFS. Strict German-style breading is a well-proportioned, too. But neither it, nor the meat, nor the gravy even(!) had any trace of flavor. I mean, like, this had anti-flavor, it was so lacking. Bland, flavorless, just defying expectations on any level. There was obviously no rub or spices added to the meat prior to frying; it was then coated in a totally-lacking coating and covered with a gravy that somehow, magically, was devoid of flavor. Again, it was almost as if they intentionally stripped this dish of its flavor, so extensive the intent expressed here. It's like a hate-filled CFS, full of nothing but contempt for those that order it.

And, again, that's very strange since the burgers at Holman's are pretty darned spectacular.

Weird - but, by far, the absolute worst CFS I've had in Portland and, really, anywhere.

CFS at Rose's

2010-01-27T12:43:00.001-08:00

CFS at Rose's
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Rose's has a long, local tradition of being pretty darned good so I was stoked to try their CFS. My original review's below. So, having the chance to see if it held up (the best test I've found for recommending any CFS here) I returned this past weekend. Here's what I found this time 'round:

Great spread for the money and probably the best gravy I've yet had. Kudos, too, for the unbuttered toast.

But as for the CFS itself, it's a middling effort. It's closer to the German-style of breading but w/ the density of a southern-style recipe. The end result is a happier marriage of the two but the overall sogginess doesn't do it any favors. Granted, its lack of taste is fairly easily dismissed by the superlative gravy coating it nicely; but the coating is what sits closest to the meat itself and should inform the steak. But here, under the gravy, it's pretty flavorless, made without much joy, just an additional entry on the menu.

CFS at Katie O'Brien's

2009-08-03T15:35:00.001-07:00

CFS at Katie O'Brien's
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

So I have the worst picture yet for what I've found thus far to be the best CFS in Portland, OR, bar none.

Southern-style breading, seasoned just right where it adds a bit of flavor without distraction; rich but not heavy sausage gravy with sizable bits of sausage hiding out in it; and a perfectly-cooked steak. The portion size is healthy (bigger than Pig'n Pancake, smaller than Hungry Tiger Too) but balanced with the other parts of this nutritious breakfast.

And the price? Also the best we've yet to find for what you get. And for this quality you should be paying much more.

Katie O'Briens - best CFS in Portland (as of Aug. 2009).

CFS at the Plank House

2009-04-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

In Coos Bay, at The Mill Casino, they have a really solid CFS breakfast. Like the Hungry Tiger Too the CFS gets its own plate and the whole b-fast will set you back about $10.

The breading on their CFS was perfect, too - crispy, dense, but not suffocating. "Firm" would be a good, positive descriptor. The meat was just thin enough w/o being too thin or too thick as well. As far as the steak goes, it was all very well proportioned and balanced.

I wish I could say the same for the gravy. It had a flavor I just couldn't place but I had the feeling they used a soup mix in there or it was a gravy mix of some kind. It definitely used the sausage drippings, though, and was the perfect blend, not runny and not too thick (like mine usually is). But that flavor was just weird, like they'd used cream of mushroom soup or something. It wasn't bad, mind you, but it was definitely off-setting. Thankfully, it wasn't off-putting enough to mess up a really well done meal.

If you're ever out at Coos Bay and want to find a good CFS, look no further than the Plank House.

CFS from The Dockside

2008-12-20T09:20:00.001-08:00

CFS from The Dockside
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Hit up the reliable Dockside last weekend for breakfast and tried their CFS. I know the place doesn't look like much but they've been open quite some time, have some part in colorful local history, and have pro waitresses who work their tails off, giving service with a genuine smile.

Reasonably priced and proportioned their CFS is going to come into the middle of the rankings here, though. The main reason is the breading-to-meat ratio that leans more in favor of the former than the latter in this case. The southern-style breading and cooking was very well done, though, so it's at least a tasty imbalance. The gravy was adequate, not drawing away from the meal nor requiring additional tableside seasoning as well.

The Dockside does get a "worthy mention" for one unique thing about their CFS: The amount of gravy on the entree. As you can see in the picture it doesn't slop about the plate, making it a tough decision whether or not to put ketchup on your browns (as some places do - drives me crazy). Rather, here, the amount of gravy was in exact proportion to what it was covering. I mean, precisely mathematically calculated so that every bite had the same amount of the gravy and that none would be left over at the end. That was just downright amazing.

The Dockside is just a good place for a good meal even if their CFS is, basically, average. It's also non-smoking until 3pm on Saturdays which is good since, as I was told by one waitress there, they close at 3pm on Saturday.

Rose's Deli CFS

2008-09-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a magnificent example of how to bread/cook/serve a CFS properly:

It was done in proper Southern style, thick and just barely juicy but with a perfectly-fried breading surrounding it. Little bit of salt and pepper in that breading, too, made it a flavorful surround that just refused to get soggy under a very thick gravy.

That gravy was probably its weak-point, though. While tasty, not at all runny, and having none too few pieces of their excellent bacon in it, it still lacked much punch at all. It fell prey to the role seemingly (and undeservedly) relegated to most gravy - that it be adequate to saturate or offset the dryness of the meat dish but not add anything else to it. Bollocks to that! Like sauteed mushrooms or bleu cheese butter on top of a steak it should have everything to do with enhancing that main dish. And while the gravy at Rose's Deli (between NE Broadway and Weidler) gets marks for trying it just doesn't deliver on an otherwise outstanding CFS.

Biscuits Cafe

2008-07-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

Another brewfest weekend, another large breakfast in prep. The wife and I decided to return to Biscuits Cafe since we hadn't been there in quite a while.

Our food arrived soon and, having gone with the side o' cakes and red potatoes instead of browns, our little table was soon a bit cramped. So I quickly (too quickly as it's pretty blurry) took a picture:

It's very much the southern style of prep. The gravy was a bit tasteless so I really had to pour on the pepper which you can see in my next blurry photo:

But the size of the steak was perfectly matched to the other elements in the combined nutritional breakfast. That impressed me greatly, being able to strike that balance instead of just overwhelming you. The flavor on the steak and breading was pretty good but that gravy was still a bit of a distraction. But it's a very good entry onto the list here.

Great selection, good fresh food, and good service - Biscuits is well worth the trip.

The Overlook

2008-07-03T14:39:00.001-07:00

CFS at The Overlook
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Another brewfest rolled around (the Organic Brewfest this time) so a nearby proper breakfast was in order. So we hit up the Overlook (1332 N. Skidmore) as it had been recommended for CFS to me recently.

We'd been here a couple times previously but I didn't remember ordering the CFS. First off, lemme say this: If "best CFS" was qualified by portion size then the Overlook would win, hands down. As you can see from the pic the CFS gets its own plate; mine even had three pieces (2 large, one small) on it, drowned in decent gravy. Like the Hungry Tiger Too it's a huge meal for $10. That's also a nice plus.

However, I hate to say it but it almost had too much gravy going on there. When the gravy's over an inch thick across the entire plate you might want to scale it back because it can alter taste, among other things. The breading on the steak was done alright but fairly flavorless - as was also the case with the meat itself. It was just bland, devoid of any flavor whatsoever. If it hadn't been swimming in that sausage gravy I think it would only have had texture, no flavor really at all. I mean, I had to salt and pepper it - that's how unflavored it was. That's extremely rare for me to do but this just demanded it.

It might be a good introduction for someone to the CFS world but you'd quickly want to graduate to the next level.

Gravy, Portland, OR

2008-04-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

So for our 5-year anniversary the wife and I took an extra day off to make a long weekend. But instead of heading outta town on that lazy Friday we decided to get some things done around the house and whatnot. My wife also had the fabulous idea to go to breakfast at a place that's normally really tough to get into on a weekend morn. Capitalizing on that idea we went to Gravy on N. Mississippi.

It wasn't too horribly crowded but it was full for a Friday around 10am. I'm always surprised and curious to see that, asking myself questions like, "Why are they here now?" and "Are they all off of work?" and the ever-popular, "Don't you people have homes?" Knowing what I wanted as soon as I got there I didn't have to look over the menu too much; altho' it is a darned fine menu of good-lookin' entrees. Jennifer opted for the monte cristo and their version is quite different than what one would expect. You can sort of see it in the background of the pic below - it's served open faced, on french toast and with the ham and turkey separately layered on each piece. The cheese and eggs are then further layered upon the entirety and it's served with a side of outstanding hash browns and a side cup of syrup (rather than jelly). It was very good, apparently, but very much not what was expected.

Neither was my CFS as it was an entire, huge, 2" thick steak that was then breaded, German-style. I'm surprised they didn't ask me how I took my steak, so large it was. It made for some slow eatin' and, while certainly not bad at all, was just very out of the ordinary and took me by surprise which, for me in the morning, ain't always such a good thing. Anyway, here's that pic:

CFS from The Old Farmhouse Restaurant

2008-04-16T19:56:00.001-07:00

CFS from The Old Farmhouse Restaurant
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Okay, so I only had one CFS on the road this past weekend but it was alright. It's a sure sign of a lack o' confidence when they overload the plate with potatoes vs the CFS, btw.

The place was the Old Farmhouse Restaurant, conveniently located in the parking lot of our hotel in Medford, OR. The place was about what you'd expect - full of those "bitter folks," ya' know? The CFS was okay, not great but adequate. More the German style which isn't my fave but still close enough to Southern style to meet my needs. The portion was just small, really - the consistency was fine and the gravy was good enough. The breading wasn't spiced up at all, too, making it a forgettable entry here - but an entry nonetheless!

Altho' before we left we were treated to quite a singular show outside the restaurant window. Some guy decided that was a good spot to remove his t-shirt, rub himself down, check his fingers after rubbing his pits, put on a purple vest, and continue on down the street. Neato!

1st reader review

2008-04-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

This comes courtesy of Pete. Thanks for taking the time! Now we got some direction when north of the border...

Attached is a pic from Paul's last weekend. This is the rest/lounge kitty corner from where the Arnada cafe was in the 'couve. If you haven't been in there before it is an old school kind of diner with the bar stools and counter facing the galley and waitress station. This CFS was more on the order of the crunchy Southern style but yet had the outer coating thickness of the Gernan style. The CFS coating was well seasoned and the gravy wasn't smothering it. There was also a nice sausage flavor without being overbearing (too sausagey)

When I was in high school I worked at a I-5 greasy spoon (The Country Junction @ the Ridgefield exit) I was a dishwasher for awhile then moved up the chain to prep cook then line cook. At that time we made our CFS's from scratch. The patties came in already formed but we made the breading and sausage gravy. These were on the order of the German style but were totally awesome. For prepping the thawed patties were dipped in a egg mixture then placed in a pan of bread crumbs and spices. The CFS's were turned several times to ensure a nice coating then placed in a clean pan to go into the walk-in until needed in the galley. A basic gravy was made with black pepper, salt and a few other spices. Then we took the leftover sausages from the breakfast rush (when it is busy we just through down a bunch even more if you were hungry) cut them up and placed them in the gravy. Over time I started altering the gravy by adding the grease from sausages and bacon right into the gravy. Sometimes even cooking the CFS right on a pool of the grease if conditions were right. A nice hot grill to fry the CFS rather then a cool grill where the grease could soak in. Another way to cook them if you forgot to start the CFS would be to throw it into the deepfryer for 30 seconds although frowned upon these actually turned out quite good as long as the oil was fresh. By the time I left there mgmt. went with ready made style from ciscos along with pre-made gravy (just add hot water) to save on labor I guess.

Cheers

Pete

Best so far?

2008-04-02T15:48:00.000-07:00

So I don't have any pix but lemme tell you all about the best CFS I've had in the Portland area.

The wife and I hit up breakfast out on Saturdays and Saturdays only (typically, unless we're on vacation or something silly like that). We also like to run errands on Saturdays, unlike the 90k other drivers on the roads that day of the week. We thus try to grab this meal at someplace near the locus of our activities, if at all possible.

In need of snagging my prescriptions from the closest Target pharmacy one day we ended up at the fun-named Pig'N Pancake. Basically at the corner of NE 122nd & Glisan it seems to have been the only thing at this intersection for any length of time - apart from Jody's across the street. I'd been by the place a hundred times but never made it in until this day. It's about what you'd expect - an East Portland, Gresh-land eatery, filled with kitchy pig references that would be disturbing to most folks while mowing down some bacon or ham but not, of course, for this intrepid gourmand.

The fare is pretty standard but sufficient and after quickly scanning the menu I chose the CFS. Sipping truck-stop coffee I wasn't too impatient - really! When it arrived it seemed rather on the small portion side of things. But it did have the right ratio of covering gravy so I dug in and was not ready for what hit me. The seasoning in that breading, the precise thickness of that piece of meat, the consistency of the lightly-peppered gravy - the combination was damn near perfection. I'm not kidding. This little CFS from this old skool diner has an amazingly good example of southern-style CFS on display.

It might have been a little overdone for some folks but, in my book, that only added to its flavorfulness. And I don't know if maybe it was an off-day, that they're not normally this well done. But, dang, was that little CFS just darn tasty. Highly recommended!

CFS Style Guide

2008-03-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

I'm lifting this liberally from the magnificent article from Houston Press writer Robb Walsh's outstanding article.

Basically, there are three styles of CFS in existence. Walsh's article gives the following definitions while also seeking those restaurants in tejas that served the best examples of each. That's dedication that I can definitely appreciate, even if it is from a texan.

Southern style
Features a "the crunchy crust. It should look just like the coating on a piece of Southern fried chicken."
My clear favorite style of CFS.

German style
"These are dipped in bread crumbs or cracker meal so the breading lies flat on the meat, giving it a texture like a German schnitzel."
My least favorite style, too.

Cowboy style
Grease and flour over a hot skillet in what Walsh quotes as "cowboys on trail drives would fry pieces of meat from a slaughtered steer in grease-filled skillets over an open fire."
Pure pan-fried steak, this is typically what I'd have growing up (or close to it). Not bad but definitely my 2nd choice.

Hungry Tiger Too

2008-03-27T11:16:00.001-07:00

Chicken fried steak
Originally uploaded by ScrumpyFU

Yep, the CFS at HTT gets it's own darn plate. I didn't measure it but, if I had to eyeball it, I'd say it was a foot-long. Now, I'm as impressed by size as the next guy (insert comment here) but what impressed me most on this dish was the consistency throughout. The breading, the firmness, just everything was correct and balanced from one end to the other.

The meat wasn't dry and, as you can see, the gravy stopped politely shy of smothering (which I prefer). And, again, the sheer volume here is worthy of a reckoning.

While the coating was good and the fry-job (my new word!) was good enough the coating also didn't seem to have much to it beyond being just a coating. There was some flavoring involved but nothing that made it dance in your mouth. The combination of good meat and good gravy more than made up for this fact but, still, that's the one item keeping this one from moving to the top of my list.

It is, though, a fantastic deal for $10 - I even had to split it up and eat the remainder a day or two later. And two CFS's for $10 is a pretty sweet deal in anyone's book.

Introductions Are In Order

2008-03-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

I've been attempting to trace my arc on this quest for finding the best possible chicken fried steak (CFS from here on out, btw) in Portland or, indeed, the country. I can't really recall the first time I had this or where or any of those circumstances. That could be because I'm getting older but, maybe, it's because I feel like this has always been part of me now. Like John Wayne in The Searchers I just can't give up this quest, no matter where it takes me or how long; but, just like his famous character of Ethan, am I prepared to face that conclusion once I've found it?

There's a thorough episode of "Good Eats" that details the origins and history of this dish. There's also a brief history here, too. The point is, I think for me anyway, that it's a staple, now proudly American and unashamed of it.

Many variations abound, some closer to its orgins from weiner schnitzel while others revel in the deep-fried knowledge our country holds dear. I prefer the latter but welcome all types here in my quest. My criteria hopefully allow for an open pursuit that can take all comers:

- Meat must be no more than 1/2" thick altho' 1/3" or 1/4" is perferable
- Meat must NOT be dried out
- Coating must be consistent; whether it's lightly dredged or quite literally battered it's gotta cover the whole steak and stay that way
- Gravy covering. This is a must, without question.

The rest of the nuances for defining perfection here come down to the flavoring - the spices in the coating, what's used during dredging, the type, consistency, and flavor of the gravy. Nothing else really impacts the dish after these so I'll try to keep my quest within those bounds.

So off I go, attempting to chronicle (or re-chronicle, for this quest has been on-going for quite a while) finding the best CFS known to man.

I'd also like to invite anyone else who wants to share their own CFS stories/reporting here. Just send an email to scrumpy fu at gmail dot com (scrunch that together for propuh addressin').