Texans are very passionate about chicken-fried steak and it's hard to find one to satisfy all the nitpickers. Mel's Country Cafe, though, has always served one worth making the drive to Tomball. The steaks come in "small" eight-ounce and "large" (behemoth) 16-ounce portions with all the desired choices of sides: green beans, skin-on fries and, of course, mashed potatoes. There's white cream gravy, as is right and proper. The breading is seasoned and light, which allows the tenderized beef to remain center stage. The chicken-fried steak at Mel's is, simply put, a Texas classic.
READERS' CHOICE: Hickory Hollow