Robert's Americus Restaurant & Bar

Robert's Americus Restaurant & Bar in Americus, Indiana

 

I will be spending the next 2 months in the Midwest of the United States, traveling around visiting Mom-and-Pop restaurants that have 2, 3 and sometimes 4 generations of family members dining at these establishments!

This week, I am in the state known as, "The Crossroads of America". Natives call themselves, "Hoosiers", what exactly a "Hoosier" is and/or the history of the word has been lost to the ages. Yes folks, I am in Indiana. My first installment in the state, that is known for more than just corn, is Americus, Indiana. And no, it's not a spelling error for "America". The town's name is Americus. It was founded in 1832 by a card-playing gambler named William Digby.

As legend has it, Digby was a shrewd businessman that purchased about 80 acres of land near the junction of the Tippecanoe and Wabash rivers. Being the gambler and businessman that he was, he believed that the Erie canal would terminate in Americus, and it would stimulate local commerce. Sadly for Digby, the canal continued onto Lafayette, Indiana and with it went his dreams of hitting it big!

Then the Roaring 20's and followed by prohibition, Americus was infamous as a haven for bootleggers! In fact, the site of the current Americus restaurant once stood a filling station considered by many to have a still in the back room. When prohibition ended, the owner of the filling station, G.F. Hilgendorf, opened a small tavern.

Then in 1968 the property was purchased by William T. Harrison, whom expanded the kitchen and added the dining room in which I ate my meal. So why is it called "Robert's Americus Restaurant & Bar"? Well, from what I understand, the Roberts family purchased the establishment in 1975. Very popular on Friday and Saturday nights, I was told that I should try the "broasted" chicken or catfish and the prime rib is slow-roasted all day and when it's finished, that's all you'll get for that day. Hence why it's very popular on the weekend evenings. To the local, Hoosiers from Tippecanoe county and Lafayette, Indiana (that drive up to 30 minutes or so out of town to Americus), that this is the place where you'll find good food, good friends and a lively game of cards! I myself have been guilty of playing a round of Euchre (a local Indiana and midwest card game similar to Spades).

With all the hype, I had to make sure I try a few of their popular dishes! Since prime rib could be bought by a number of places all over the US, I figured I'd save that for either Chicago or New York, where those fellas up North tend to get all the best cattle from Texas! Instead, I opted to go with the Broasted Chicken and the Broasted Whole Catfish. Yes, you read that right. I went with two orders! Afterall, I am not sure when the next time I'll head back out this way, so I might as well get it in while I can. Especially since when I first moved back to the US 11 years ago, from overseas, I never knew that there was a different from "broasting" and "frying" chicken.

It turned out, I was eating it all the time and I have a feeling many of you have as well! If any of you ever at KFC, they use a very similar method (and of course recipes are all different), but it's essentially the same. Broasting is a trademark that is applied to a method of cooking using a pressure fryer! It was a technique first invented by L.A.M. Phelan in the early 1950's and is actually marketed by the Broaster Company of Beloit, Wisconsin, which Phelan founded!

Broasting equipment and ingredients are marketed only to food service agents such as supermarkets and fast food restaurants. They are unfortunately not available to the general public! Sad Panda! Apparently, you are required to undertake a periodic certification process in order to be "Broasted" trademarked! This is not a traditional franchise, in that the licensee does not owe ongoing royalty payments, but I was surprised to find on the Broaster Company Website that they take this business very serious to protect the trademark! More information can be found at the company website via http://www.broaster.com/about.htm

Ok....so what is "Broasting"? Essentially, what you do is combine pressure cooking with deep frying food that has been marinated and breaded in a very light flour, corn starch mix. I am told that this makes for a crispy outer shell while keeping the meat moist on the inside.

The first thing I did when I sat down is told them I was interested in both the broasted chicken and broasted whole catfish. Thinking it would take awhile for my order to come in, compared to my friends that were all enjoying steaks, I was told that one of the other benefits of broasting over deep-frying is that you can make large amounts of food and it'll only take 10-12 minutes as oppose to 20 minutes or more for fried chicken. Which, for me, was a very good thing, because I was very hungry after playing 2 hours of tennis today!

When the food came out, the first thing I noticed was that both the chicken and the whole catfish was lightly coated in flour and corn starch. Unlike southern style fried chicken batter that heavily coats the meat. I took a few quick photos, which you can follow the link found below to my photo album covering this trip and I was ready to sink my teeth into this meal.

There is something to be a said about a "mom-and-pop" style restaurant and bar. One one hand, you'll find folks that are at the bar, drinking and smoking and grabbing a bite over a game of cards. But on the other hand, when you sit in the dining area, you'll feel like you stepped by into a simpler time, when Americans loved hitting the open roads between one Small Town, USA to the next one!

And Robert's Americus Restaurant & Bar sticks to the basics! I say it time and again. You don't have to be a fancy place. If you have good food and an atmosphere that makes people want to come back time and again, then you'll be successful. While there are times and places for a restaurant that caters to celebrating a "night on the town", the truth of the matter is, even those places need to have good food, or else people won't go back. And Mom-and-Pop restaurants are no different. You can't just change recipes constantly to have gimmicks to get people to come into the restaurant.

Robert's Americus does just that time and again! This wasn't my first rodeo for broasted chicken and catfish. But time and again, I find myself making the 30 minute drive out of West Lafayette, Indiana to visit Americus, because they do it right! Biting into my chicken, I found that it was crispy, but yet had an almost puffiness to the skin. It just crackled in my mouth! Then the meat itself, especially on the white meat of the breast, was moist! Not greasy, but rather, moist! I couldn't help but smile as at put away my 3 pieces of fried chicken without skipping a beat! Now, I will not say it's the best "Fried Chicken" I have eaten. Mostly because I don't believe they can be compared. The marinating and cooking methods for "broasting" and "frying" are diffferent. Thus, I will not say that Americus serves the best "Fried Chicken". What I will say, is that Robert's Americus serves one of the best "broasted" chicken I have eaten throughout the US!

As for the whole broasted catfish. They use a slightly different breading recipe, one that is more fitting for catfish. But like the chicken, it's not a batter, but what seems to be a light dusting of flour and cornstarch. The catfish is farm-raised, so for a "mud dweller", much of the earthy taste of catfish has been lost, compared to its wild-caught catfish. However, it still has a distinct faint taste of dirt, that some find unappealing. However, I found the catfish to be amazingly light and moist! In fact, the broasting method was so well executed, that the fins were like biting into fish-flavoured french fries! Yes, I was able to eat the fins because they were broasted to a nice crisp.

The only thing that would have made the "whole" catfish better in my opinion, is if they had left the heads on the catfish! We all know some of the best pieces of a fish are around the fins. But another area of great meat on any fish is around the "cheeks" of the gills, the "back" of the head where it connects to the rest of the body of the fish, and around the eyeballs! Sadly, despite me asking time and again if they have the heads, I get the feeling that the cooks immediately dispose of the heads when their produce of catfish arrives. Either that, or worse, they receive their catfish supply pre-cut without the head! Nonetheless, with all the food I had, I was in for a treat! What makes this place good is that not only do they stick to the basics, but that the food is affordable, with most dinner plates costing around $10-$12! Considering how much food you, get, this price is well worth it! The 3-piece broasted chicken dinner costs $8.50 and the 2-whole broasted catfish costs about $9. Oh yeah, and did I mentioned that the dinner platter comes with a choice of a side dish (which I love their apple sauce, perhaps because it reminds me of childhood), a house salad and garlic bread!

Needless to say, I was packed to the gills with food! I was definitely a happy camper and was in need of a wheel barrel to help cart me out of the joint!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=436668&id=619735401&ref=mf

Whenever I find myself driving through Indiana down I-65 with a little time on my hands, I find myself detouring off onto IN-25 North and am more than willing to travel 15 minutes off the interstate for some broasted chicken or catfish!

House of Pies

In this installment of Will Travel 4 Food, I am proud to bring y'all to a place that has been near and dear to my heart over the years, The House of Pies. While living overseas for the better part of 15 years of my life and coming back to Houston, I'd find that many things would change over the decades. But one thing was as constant, consistent and comforting as the House of Pies.

They are not the most fancy of places, and by no means are they the best tasting food. But one thing that has me coming back time and again is that the place evokes a feeling inside of me of a more simple time. Stepping into the place, you'll find the servers wearing the old, stiff cotton server uniforms. The pleather or maybe vinyl diner booths and the wall paper of poorly painted fruit. It's like stepping back in time to the 60's.

What makes this place really special is that many of the wait staff have worked there for 10+ years! And they don't have any plans on going anywhere anytime soon! Even some of the bust personnel have worked there for 20+ years! There are a few of them that recognise me and remember my favourite order when I sit down! And trust me, I don't go there that much! It's just I've been going there ever since I was like 6 years old, when my Mum and Dad would take me there for a treat once in awhile!

And let's talk about what the point of this place is known for....the pies! While there are newer, snazzier and ritzier places that have opened that specialize in desserts, this place sticks to the time-honoured recipes and flavours that are undeniably as American as....well...Apple Pie. You would be remiss should you stop into the House of Pies in Houston, Texas and NOT order a Texas Pecan Pie. However, with over 30 types of pies, 5 cheesecakes and 6 different diner cakes to choose from, you may be hoping you'd had a second stomach for desserts. If you do go with the Texas Pecan Pie, or even my second favourite pie, the Dutch Apple (Apple Crumb) Pie, I highly recommend you order it, "Heated, à la Mode". And with a nice cold glass of milk to help wash it all down, or in winter, a cup of hot cocoa with whipped cream, one will wonder if life could get much better (and I think not). While the Dutch Apple Pie is not nearly as good as my Mum's homemade Apple Crumb Pie, it's not bad in a pinch, especially if your Mum is traveling the world! But the Texas Pecan Pie is spot on! It's sweet, it's crunchy, and the crust is flaky and yet absorbs a bit of the Pecan Pie filling, so it's ever-so-slightly caramelised. Get it piping hot and top it with a scoop of the Texas-made Blue Bells Old-Fashion Vanilla Ice Cream and the vanilla melts slightly and mixes with the filling of the pie and the combination of cream, caramelised sugars and corn syrup and boy oh boy, you'll be smiling cheek-to-cheek! I know I was tonight!

Apple Crumb (aka Dutch Apple) Pie with Blue Bells Vanilla Ice Cream and a hot chocolate

Texas Pecan Pie

Another favourite amongst many of the locals is the Bayou Goo Pie. Basically, the Bayou Goo pie is a pecan crust pie with a layer of sweet cream cheese, then a layer of vanilla custard that is swirled with chocolate chunks. It is then topped with chocolate shavings and of course, whipped cream, for that extra measure of fluffy sweet goodness!

One of the things I also enjoy about coming to The House of Pies, is the fact that it is open 24-hours a day. While it is a popular daytime spot to grab a bite to eat for breakfast, or grab a simple diner lunch blue plate special or dinner platter, I think the best time to go is after midnight. This place is a popular night-spot for those that have been out all night and when other places have closed, before calling it a night. People are very friendly and having a great time. There's a certain, fun and youthful vibe about the place that is a great eccentric contradiction to the 1960's image of the place. But everyone is there to have a good time and just wind down after a night on the town.

So if you find yourself in Houston, Texas and it's late and you're thinking about grabbing a bite to eat late at night, don't just go to a familiar old chain diner, why not take a trip over to The House of Pies. I promise you're in for a treat! :)

If you'd like to see photos of my trip to the House of Pies, stop on over to my photo album, "Will Travel 4 Food - House of Pies" via:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=432947&id=619735401


Feedback is always welcomed! :)

Goodson's Cafe

C

Chicken Fried Steak, Country Gravy, Black-Eyed Peas, Mashed Potatoes, 

Fried Okras and Marconi & Cheese

Today, I realised I haven't had a good, no...correct that, a great Chicken Fried Steak in a very long time! And so began my hunt for the Texas favourite. But if I was going to do this, I wanted to go somewhere that I knew I was in for a treat, not just because of the food, but because of the history behind the food.

After talking to my Uncle Robert, whom was born and raised in Texas, he pointed me in the direction of Tomball, Texas and a li' cafe in this town about 30 miles outside of Houston, called Goodson's Cafe. According to many Houstonians (natives of Houston) and other Texans, this is where I can get "The best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas." Having worked out in Tomball for Caterpillar for 6 months on a dealership rotation, I was very well aware that the lunch hour during the week could get quite busy. If you plan on going out there for lunch, whether it be during the week and especially during the weekends, it is best you get there around 11am to beat the lunch hour rush at noon.

When I arrived at Goodson's Cafe, with my cardboard sign in hand, I set out to learn about the restaurant. The signs inside the restaurant were quick to point out that Goodson's Cafe has been around since 1950. From the outside, this cafe looks small and homey. I was quick to realise this place was much larger on the inside! Capable of feeding a small army of hungry ranchers, cowboys and southern belles! I found out that a couple of years ago, the original restaurant closed its doors. But that this location had been opened since 1985. You may be asking what's the story about 1950?

Back in 1950, a little lady named Ella "Ma" Goodson worked at a small cafe near Tomball. Four years later, the owner of that cafe decided to sell the place. He convinced Mrs. Goodson that she was the only person he knew that could "make a go of it" at the cafe. When "Ma" Goodson bought the cafe, it was around the time that the area was in an oil boom. "Ma" Goodson was serving meals to oil field workers and the folks that lived in the area. People quickly recognised that "Ma" Goodson had a knack for making the Texas staple, "Chicken Fried Steak".

Well, it didn't take long before even Houstonians heard about "Ma" Goodson's and would drive all the way out to Tomball try sink their teeth into the juicy and tender steak that was proclaimed by many to be "The Best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas". And that's what drew me into this fine establishment!

When looking at the menu, I quickly found the Chicken Fried Steak. I could have ordered the regular size for about $9.50, or I could order the large for $11. Both came with 2 side dishes of my choice and homemade country rolls. Well, that's a no-brainer, I ordered the large. And I asked for a healthy portion of country (cream) gravy. My server laughed and said not to worry, they bring out a bowl of gravy! I thought to myself, "Oh boy, I'm in for it now".

I also asked my server if I could take a photo of my food before it came out. She went to talk to the current owner of Goodson's Cafe, Jimmy. He came out to greet me. He told me to come on back, because they were just about to pull my chicken fried steak out of the fryer! So I ran back to see it being pulled out! The slight sweet smell of fried food and the glistening oil as the chicken fried steak came out of the fryer told my brain I was in for a treat! Jimmy, the owner, also told me that tomorrow (May 18th), one of the local radio stations is going out to cover their cafe and their food and present them with an award. I figured I'll have to try it to believe it first. :)

Heading back to my booth, I was going to go grab my fork and knife and enjoy my large cup of iced tea! Yes folks, in Texas, you can also get Sweet Tea! But you'll find in Texas you can get both, sweet and unsweetened.

When my plate arrived, I was dumb-founded as to the size of the chicken fried steak and a healthy serving of side dishes! Needless to say, the Chicken Fried Steak had been tenderised to be about the size of MY head! I thought, "I hope my stomach is up to the challenge." My mom always said when I was growing up that "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach!" So I knew early on, I was going to prove to her that my stomach were in fact bigger than my eyes! Afterall, food is a serious business. And good food requires to have a passion for what you do. It doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to be right.

And at Goodson's Cafe, I can happily say that the Chicken Fried Steak delivers on that attention to detail. The batter in which the tenderised beef round steak was dipped into and fried was crispy and yet had an element of flakiness to it. The beef itself was so tender and moist from being fried just right, that it was not rubbery in the least. In fact, some places give you a steak knife to eat a chicken fried steak. As you can see from the photos, the only knife I was using was a normal metal diner style knife. And it cut through the steak with ease. Adding the country cream gravy, I could see how thick and creamy the gravy on top of the steak helped enhance the experience. Since the gravy was on the thicker side, it meant that the fried batter wouldn't get soggy immediately. Hints of pepper was definitely noticed. I have had many chicken fried steak, all over the South, and I definitely say that of all the ones I had up to this point, this was one of the best in Texas.

After finishing my main course meal, I realised you can't come to a country cafe and not get dessert! Especially if it is homemade. So I ordered the Peach Cobbler with Bluebells Old Fashion Vanilla ice cream! If you've never had Bluebells Ice Cream, it's the old fashion, simple flavours that people in Texas grew up with their whole lives. It's not the packed full of ingredients of some of the other fancier ice creams, this company, which started in Brenner, Texas, make an ice cream that echos of a more simple time. When we were kids without a worry in the world. And when it didn't matter if something was "named brand", it just had to be good. Much like Goodson's Cafe. And I was happy to have a little something sweet to help wash down that heavy meal. And let me tell you, I have a big appetite! But phew! That was a ton of food! I definitely needed a wheel barrel to help cart me out of the joint!

My trip to Goodson's Cafe was a fun li' excursion out to a small town just outside of Houston. Food is a serious business. And with Jimmy and the folks at Goodson's Cafe sticking to simple down-home country recipes, something tells me they will be in business for the next 50 years!

Want to see the photos of my trip to Goodson's Cafe?

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=431598&id=619735401


Where will the roads take me next? I know I'll be starting my way back up to the Midwest! If anyone has recommendations of things that their hometowns are "known for", drop me an email and tell me a little about it and I will travel for the food!

Goodson's Cafe in Tomball, Texas off of FM-249 Business.

15th Annual Festival of Greece in Houston, TX

In the first installment of my "Will Travel 4 Food" blog about traveling the world for food, I present to "Y'ALL" the 15th Annual Festival of Greece in Houston, TX! Not to be confused with the Annual Greek Festival that occurs during the fall, this event is an annual fund-raiser for the Saint Basil Greek Orthodox Church. And with the new "Orthodox Enclave" and the St. Efstathios Chapel (with a copper dome), I was only more than willing to travel out to visit and help support a great cause! Thanks to Reverend Amastasios Raptis, I spent 2 hours touring the Church and Chapel. We even had a nice discussion about the history, traditions and convictions of the Greek Orthodox faith; compared it to Roman Catholic and other Christian denominations. I could have sat with him and talked for days, but I knew he had other responsibilities and did not want to take up all of his time. Amongst the many things I learned and/or reminded of, one thing I wanted to share with everyone was this....Did you know that the New Testament of the Bible was first and originally written in Greek? And the Old Testament in Hebrew.

My trip began with a drive out to the Energy Corridor in Houston. Upon arriving, the first thing I noticed was the music filling the air with sounds of traditional Greek music that one could dance the Syrtos! The Syrtos is considered the oldest form of Greek dancing! Supposedly, it evolved from the dances that occurred around the altar in sacred rituals. It is suggested that this is possibly the reason why the dancers form an unbroken circle of joining hands while dancing in a counterclockwise direction! Of course, each region in Greece have their own style of dancing the Syrtos, so I was only more than excited to get inside to see all the festivities. When I got there, I could see the stage where there was the St. Basil Youth Dancers! I found out that they were performing the Cretiko Syrto.

They even invited people up on stage to learn how to do this dance! So of course, I was only more than happy to go up there with my two-left feet and give it a try. For anyone that knows me can attest, I definitely have two-left feet, but I always tell people, "I'm just two left feet, looking for my soul-mate with two right-feet and we'd be a match made for one another out on the dance floor!" Needless to say, I was starting to get the hang of it, but like with anything, it had to end.

If any of you never been to Houston in May, it is hot AND humid already! Let's not kid ourselves....it's only the START of summer for Houston. Being so close to the Gulf of Mexico, Houston definitely gets a healthy dose of humidity. Needless to say, after working up a li' sweat, I could smell a distinct sweetness and yet earthy smell fill my nose....Ahhh....something is grill'n! Time to go grab a bite to eat!

After talking to Reverend Raptis, he informed me that all of the food and pastries and some of the art and gifts were prepared homemade by the local members of the Greek community at the kitchen at the Church! That made me just that much more excited try the food! But where to start? Should I go with the ever popular Gyro? Or maybe change it up a bit and go for the Lamb Shank? But the problem with the lamb shank at a festival such as this, that went on all weekend, was that they opted to serve it "boneless". In other words, off-the-bone. I really think if you are going to braise the lamb shank, you should serve it with the bone-in. Because the meat is amazingly tender and moist, it just flakes off the bone! You don't even need a knife! If you ever get a chance to try a braised Greek Lamb Shank...go for it! You won't regret it when that piece of lamb just melts in your mouth!

So instead, I opted to go a different direction on the food. I saw them selling a Pastichio Dinner Platter! "What is pastichio ?", you may be asking yourself. Pastichio is a casserole dish that is similar to a Lasagna. However, what really makes a pastichio different are the hints of nutmeg and cinnamon that flavours the meat! This particular platter consisted of the Pastichio, Greek Salad, Spanakopita (spinich pastry), Tiropita (layered buttered filo dough filled with egg-and-cheese), Keftedes (meatballs), olives, Dolmathes (rice stuffed grapevine leaves) & a dinner roll! And it only cost me $10! For a fund-raiser, this was an unbelievable price I couldn't pass up! And despite all this food, I had to add some extra desserts for safe measure! So I ordered the ever-popular Baklava (a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey) and even an order of Amygdalota, which is a Greek Almond Biscuit. Best with a little Greek Coffee, the hints of almond helps bring out a li' sweetness to balance the flavour of strong Greek coffee.

Needless to say, I had a feast! For my first-ever "Will Travel 4 Food" excursion, this was a great impromptu success! I ate a lot of food, met some amazing people and learned about a very established and proud heritage that have made Houston their home! I believe that sharing food with one another is one of the best way to share and appreciate different cultures! And the Annual Festival of Greece in Houston was a great way to re-introduce me to the food and history of a people that I admire! I will be back again!

And I hope that next year, when this event comes around, that you will join in the festivities as well!

I am including a link to the photo album of the event for your enjoyment!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=431138&id=619735401&ref=pb

I don't know where my next trip for "Will Travel 4 Food" will take me! But stop on by and follow along with me! And if anyone knows of any festivals, mom-and-pop restaurants, or hole-in-the-wall with great food, drop me an email! I'll try and make it out there!