Goodson's Cafe

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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.