Roadfood From Diner's Drive-in and Dives and Man vs Food

This past week, during the start of our vacation we ate at two awesome roadfood places. De Wese's Tip Top Cafe and Lulu's Bakery and Cafe. Tip Top was featured on Diner's Drive-ins and Dives and Lulu's was featured on Man versus Food. Both have been voted the best Chicken Fried Steak in San Antonio at different times from different people. It's vacation. I don't get to San Antonio very often. I love Guy Fieri and Adam Richmond's shows, so I put them to the test.

The first stop was Tip Top Cafe. It's been awhile but I think DDD featured Roast Pork with gravy on toast but also mentioned the Chicken Fried Steak. Anyway, that's what I ordered. Any place that advertises their CFS as the best needs to be put to the test. I remember going to a place that I had heard so many people rave about in Ft. Worth and ordering their CFS. It was supposed to be the best. Instead it was tough, greasy and seemed to me to be pre-formed and frozen. I was disappointed big time and won't go back to that place for any kind of food.

However, we were greeted warmly and seated in an old fashioned booth in a room with knotty pine walls. It was like being 14 or 15 again and going to the Dew-Cum-In Cafe with my Dad. Talk about Time Warp. The minute I saw the menu I knew what Mary would have. The Meatloaf plate. One of her favorites. I ordered the CFS.

When they brought out the food, the poritons were Texas size. And as far as the CFS, if you want anything other than CFS and fries or mashed potatoes, it comes as an extra side.

The first thing I noticed was that the gravy was on the plate and the steak was laid in the gravy. (French style) That left the perfectly golden brown, skillet fried, CFS to shine in all of its glory. The next thing I noticed was after the first bite. I didn't really need a knife. The CFS was cut with a fork melt in your mouth tender. The breading wasn't overly thick like a lot of others I've eaten. Nor was it extemely heavy. It was just right, as babay Bear would say. It was excellent. A little black pepper was all it needed for my taste. I'd definitely go back for more. Be warned, if you go, they don't accept credit cards, just cash or checks.

The next night we went to Lulu's Bakery and Cafe. Their CFS also claimed to be the best in San Antonio. It certainly could lay claim to the biggest. They had three different sizes. There was the Deputy Special, the Sheriff's Special and the Chief's Special. I ordered the Deputy's Special, 16 ozs of Chicken Fried Steak.

The Sheriff's special is a double order 32 ozs and the Chief's Special is a garganuan 48 ozs of CFS smothered in Queso and jalepenos. I didn't see anyone eating it but one of the bubba's in the booth down from our table was working on the Sheriff's Special when we left. Don't know if he finished or not. Me, I left about 1/3 of my mashed potatoes and 1/2 of my fried Okra and just barely finsihed the CFS. One notable The dinner roll which came with the meal was more like a small loaf of bread, hot and fresh and sweet. I only had three small bites because I was stuffed.

This CFS was smothered in cream gravy like normal. I thought the gravy needed some salt and of course more black pepper. It too, was a huge portion, maybe a bit larger than the one at Tip Top. It had a really good flavor. The breading was crunchier and the steak a little thicker. It wasn't as tender, though, as the one at Tip Top but was still scrumptious. It was definitely right up there in taste.

I can see why both places have been listed as best CFS in San Antonio. I'd go back to Lulu's, too.

Now, one of the things we bought but didn't try until later when we could share it with some friends, was Lulu's 3 pound Cinnamon Roll. That's right 3 pounds. It's a monster. We saw several families of 4 to 8 working their way through one of these things. Three of the four families had to ask for doggie bags. They just couldn't finish it. If they use dough similar to their rolls, I can see why. It was very filling. We'll find out when we share it with our friends tomorrow.