Chicken Fried Steak Breakfast – $15.99
Finally! A cook who actually knows how to make an over-medium egg!
Nine times out of ten, when I order eggs over medium, they come out either too runny or too done. Not here. These were just right. Perfectly cooked, with none of that slimy egg white nonsense. That alone was a pleasant surprise.
But the eggs were just the beginning.
The breakfast comes with chicken fried steak, two eggs, hash browns, and biscuits and gravy. And let me tell you, they know how to do a biscuit. Fluffy, soft, warm, and everything a good Southern biscuit ought to be. The gravy was equally good, with a nice consistency that wasn’t so thick you could use it to patch drywall. It could’ve used a little more pepper, but that’s an easy fix.
Now, on to the star of the show: the chicken fried steak.
Wow.
Fresh, not frozen. No gristle. Not some tiny little piece of meat hiding beneath three inches of breading. Just a proper, well-prepared country fried steak that was tender, flavorful, and fried exactly the way it should be.
In fact, based on taste and quality alone, I’d put this one among the top five chicken fried steaks I’ve had in Arkansas. And I’ve had more than a few.
It arrived smothered in the same gravy served with the biscuits, but here’s the impressive part: the breading underneath was still crispy! Anyone who eats chicken fried steak regularly knows how rare that is. Most places manage to turn the crust into a soggy mess the moment the gravy hits it. Not Old South.
Service was a little on the slow side, but I’m giving them a pass on that one. The restaurant was packed with folks heading up to Northwest Arkansas for the Bacon Bowl—er, Razorback game. The crowd was an interesting mix, too. Everyone from the Sunday-morning holy rollers to construction workers, families, and travelers.
And for my fellow motorcycle riders, Old South is definitely biker-friendly. There were several groups of riders there, along with a few solo riders. It’s the kind of place where just about anybody can walk in, sit down, and feel comfortable.
This was actually my third visit to Old South, although my first two were at their original location, which was destroyed by fire several years ago.
And I have to say, the food was noticeably better this time around. Looking back at photos from those previous visits, it even looks better now. Whatever they’ve changed since those days, they’re doing something right.
At $15.99, this isn’t the cheapest country fried steak breakfast you’ll find, but considering the portion, quality, and how well everything was prepared, I have absolutely no complaints about the value.
Five stars. Easily one of the better breakfasts I’ve had in Arkansas, and absolutely worth a stop if you’re passing through Russellville. I’ll be back.
