“The cuts of steak used for chicken fried steak are usually the less expensive, less desirable ones, such as chuck, round steak, and occasionally flank steak. The method is also sometimes used for chopped, ground, or especially cube steak.  Chicken fried steak is usually served for lunch or dinner topped with cream gravy, and with mashed potatoes and vegetables, and biscuits served on the side.”  (Wikipedia)

This one actually looks good!

I’m not sure exactly how they’re doing it here in San Francisco, and perhaps I don’t want to know.  Suffice to say, two recent chicken fried steak meals at two different neighborhood establishments have yielded two strikes.  Less-desirable meat indeed it was, so overcooked and gravy-soaked so as to satisfactorily disguise the possible dog or cat I was actually consuming.

This is par for the course, of course.  Expectations for any such preparation should understandably remain low.  After all, chicken fried steak is one of those typically greasy, calorie-ridden, artery-clogging forms of “comfort food” meant to be enjoyed as an occasional indulgence– one you know is bad for you but you’re going to treat yourself nonetheless.

So comes my point.  My two recent attempts at “comfort food indulgence” were not all that comfortable.  At the somewhat trendy Blue, the chicken fried steak was rather soggy, detached and bland.  Strike One.  At greasy spoon Orphan Andy’s, what emerged as a chewy, dried-out hockey puck fortunately did not leave any lasting effects.  Strike Two.

I know there has to be a decent “CFS” here in the City; it simply remains to be discovered.  Will the third time be a charm or a strike out?