Star Cafe: Country Fried Steak For The Faint of Heart

Star Cafe
21522 Fm 2100 Rd.
Crosby, TX 77532

So you're in the middle of BFE, craving comfort food and you see a place that offers food ... and a driving range???

A match made in heaven ... SRSLY. Alas, the driving range is now a lonely, overgrown field taunting the frustrated golfer with the days of slices past.

On to the food!

The Food!: So I've been to Star Cafe (located on FM 2100, the main thoroughfare in Crosby, TX) on several occasions and, being the picky bastard that I am, choose not to live dangerously. I am an aficionado of country fried steak (known to Yankees as chicken friend steak ... but no, Virginia, they are not the same) ... so that's how I roll at the Star Cafe.

The country fried steak (CFS) itself is no different that what you'd find at all manner of places in the greater Houston area (59 Diner, I'm looking at you!). Smothered in a thick, less than robust cream gravy ... no bite of sausage, no hint of pepper, only a touch of salt. In my humble opinion, the gravy is as important an element as the steak itself in this "comfort food of all comfort foods". On two occasions, sadly, the gravy has been lukewarm at best.

The steak itself is your typical fare ... slightly tough, a good workout for your jaw muscles. The breading is actually pleasantly thin, not overly battered as many CFS plates seem to be in this area. But without a bold flavor from the gravy, you aren't going to get much zip from a piece of cubed steak.

Now all of this isn't to say that the country fried steak is bad ... it's just indifferent. And that, considering the profusion of restaurants that trumpet the merits of their CFS, isn't going to make the Star Cafe a "must". By adding a dash of Tabasco, you can improve it's flavor to a certain degree however it still screams "nondescript" ... any good line cook should know that by creating a dish that appeals to the lowest common denominator you'll alienate the people who are willing to be repeat customers. Add a touch of garlic powder to the gravy, at the very least there should be some fresh ground pepper ... give it something to differentiate it from what comes out of a jar.

The sides are a bit bland as well. Mashed potatoes lack any distinct character, as do the Freedom Fries ... frozen steak fries. Vegetables seem to be the canned variety overall so don't go here looking for redemption from the companion pieces. Again, DIY salt-and-pepper is a must ...

And unsweetened iced tea. At least have the decency to have Splenda ... even the generic stuff.

Service: Well, it exists. While the waitresses are pleasant enough, their service isn't the type that I prefer: the type that keeps my iced tea full. Full, I tell you!

Let Me Sum Up: Overall, this is a nice change of pace for the Crosby, TX area, but nothing that makes it genuinely memorable. The "country kitsh" charm of the interior makes it "homey", serviceable (though frozen) burgers and slightly above average breakfast offerings make it worth the occasional visit. But for those of you who pride yourself on being a fan of true CFS quality ... this is not the place.

Overall Grade: C+

Postscript: And one last major complaint ... though this is not solely the fault of the Star Cafe. Why does sweet iced tea availability seem to end at the Mississippi River? Seriously, the best sweet tea to be found in this region is at Chik-Fil-A ... and it is damn good because of the whole "God thing" that they have going. Shouldn't that be a sign to other restaurants to follow suit? Especially since I can't get their tea on Sundays!!! I'm just saying ...