I am trying to get my 73-year-old mother to eat more. Last weekend we went to Bob Evans for breakfast. When I picked her up from work, she expressed interest in trying it for dinner. Like I said, I am trying to encourage her, so we went.
She had the Chicken Parmesan, I ordered the turkey sandwich. They were out of turkey so I opted for the chicken-fried steak. (Yes, I am a Southerner, why do you ask?) Bleah.
The steak was thin and over-breaded. The potatoes were real, but with the white sauce, it gave the appearance of a plate of white stuff. Yuk. The chicken, in contrast was mass of red. Tomatoes are in season here, it was a shame to deal with canned this time of year.
I am full. Not hungry at all. Still I feel like I skipped dinner somehow.
I’ve learned my lesson about trying to order chicken fried steak outside of the south. They never get it right. It makes me very, very sad. The last place I tried it above the Mason-Dixon they covered everything with rosemary! It was shameful I tell you!
Welcome back to the states. If you’re ever around Nashville, lemme know, I will cook you real chicken-fried steak. It’s one of my son’s favourite meals (chicken-fried steak with real country gravy, fresh blanched green beans – never frozen! – and mashed potatoes loaded with pepper). Sorry to hear the restaurant wasn’t any good, I just heard rave reviews of them from a friend whose cooking ability leaves much to be desired, so I guess your review tells me how off hers was.
Oh, and pbbth, I actually use the Italian seasoned bread crumbs for my CFS, but it works, if ya do it right.
Thanks! I am actually in NYC, but anytime I get on the computer that is the signal to my cats to climb on top of me. It never fails, so most of the time when I am on the dope I am indeed buried under a pile of kitties.
That actually sounds really good, Litoris! That is a bit of variety I can get behind.
Bob Evans is pretty much the only non-fast food breakfast option near us (except for the IHoP that features dried on cheese inside their drinking glasses :eek: ) so we eat there a lot. Frankly, I’m sick of the place. I’d kill for Perkins. There was on really good local place, but she lost her lease.
We had dinner at Bob’s once - it was pretty mediocre. If I never go there again, I don’t think I’ll miss it.
There’s a Bob Evans near me. One of the times I was having breakfast there with a friend we commented on the fact that we haven’t had dinner there since I moved to NC, which we used to do on occasion when I was visiting. I can no longer remember how good their dinners were, and I doubt we’ll get around to having dinner there again any time soon, since now we tend to either send out for dinner or I cook it myself.
The last time I had breakfast at BE I had a 3 egg omlet. The eggs were whipped full of air and this thing was huge. Bleahhhh.
And as a side note, the last time I ate there I asked to be seated in a quiet section. The waitress then proceeded to fill in the tables around me with screaming kids. If you don’t want a good tip thats a great way to go about it.
Weird. I recently was on a road trip and we stopped at Bob Evans. I got the exact same dish as you, Paul (I’m not Southern, but I do have a weakness for chicken fried steak and gravy). I had the exact same reaction as you did when it came. It was just a plate of whiteness. The gravy tasted like it came out of a can…not bad tasting, just…bland. I was really disappointed. I should have gotten some breakfast, but I probably would have had biscuits and gravy, so I still would have been disappointed. Up in this part of the country, it’s tough to find good white gravy, but I always though that Bob Evans was a good option. I think they’ve gone downhill.
Well, Everydody knows that you order the Biscuits and Gravy and the Chicken and Noodles at Bob Evans.
I’ll bet that Southern Fried steak would have been much better with their sausage gravy poured overtop instead of that white flour gravy. And why would you even bother with Chicken Parmesan at Bob Evans?
Some things are better than others at Bob Evans, and believe it or not much of it is still home made.
At one time Bob Evans was great, but since they expanded and franchised they have lost their true North. They need a new conception and new corporate chefs.
The sausage gravy is different than their milk gravy… If there is one thing Bob Evans does right it is their Biscuits and (Sausage)Gravy.
Bob’s is worth a second chance, their Chicken Pot Pie is the best… can’t beat their sausage and they do have some great dinner salads. Their Pot Roast isn’t bad.
If you were to try some Bob Evans closer to corporate here in Ohio, I think you might see a big difference in quality.
Then next time I will have the Biscuits & Gravy…I remembered it being really good, but it’s been a long time. But isn’t sausage gravy just milk gravy with sausage in it?
My sister had the pot pie, but I don’t remember if she said it was good. I will have to ask her.
Where are they in Ohio? I was in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
