# Let's open a Comfort Food Cafe - what do you want on the menu? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [September 18, 2021, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865 "2021-09-18T10:51:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/183 "2023-01-13T14:25:15Z")
I am intrigued by your ideas, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter. Having skimmed over this thread, I haven’t seen a drippy cheeseburger, with plenty of cheese. That’s what I want please, side of mash, or a cup of my mom’s potato cheese Beer soup, pecan pie for dessert, with whipped cream, of course. ---
**Author:** ![dummygladhands71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dummygladhands71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dummygladhands71)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/184 "2023-01-14T02:24:39Z")
Fries with. Please ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/185 "2023-01-14T02:37:17Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > I haven’t seen a drippy cheeseburger, with plenty of cheese … or a cup of my mom’s potato cheese Beer soup… Are you from Wisconsin by any chance? 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/186 "2023-01-14T02:47:18Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > Chicken and biscuits and biscuits with sausage gravy. Served with a mug of sausage gravy to wash it down and a glass of Bloody Mary mix to restart the heart. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/187 "2023-01-14T07:35:11Z")
Another vote for mashed potatoes. I go to Popeye’s specifically because they have mashed potatoes. I’ll add my favourite meal as a kid: mashed potatoes and hamburger hash, all mixed together. Essentially shepherd’s pie but disorganized. I named it « scrambled amœba ». ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/188 "2023-01-14T16:11:38Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Fish and chips with clam chowder, coleslaw, hush puppies, tartar sauce, and malt vinegar. You’re cordially invited to a Midwest Supper Club (although a lot of neighborhood bars’ll do) for a traditional Friday Night Fish Fry. Thick filets of lightly battered cod (fried or baked, or walleye or perch) and plenty of sides. Some places have clam chowder included, my local bar does an upscale French Onion Soup as well, and your choice of cole slaw, salad and potato. We usually get Hash Browns with grilled onions, peppers and swiss cheese mixed in… but the ultimate Comfort Food option would be the huge, fluffy Baked Potato, already burst open and smothered in butter, sour cream, chives and chunks of bacon. Okay, I’m comforted, just by thinking about that… ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/189 "2023-01-14T20:13:41Z")
The Comfort Food Cafe must have a variety of home made pies. And soups made fresh daily. They will be roasting their own turkeys for dinners with dressing, hot turkey sandwiches, fresh sliced turkey on a clubhouse sandwich and other dishes. Then when most of that is gone make the remaining scraps into turkey loaf, like meatloaf made of turkey. Same with beef. Roast beef for dinner, sliced for french dip sandwiches, chunks for stoganoff and stew. Pork chops, pork loin, pulled pork sanwiches, etc. Mom an Pop cafes need to use every bit of the things that they buy. The saying used to be everything but the tail but now the tail is an expensive part. Ox tail soup, braised ox tail, that stuff goes on the top of the menu. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/190 "2023-01-14T20:27:39Z")
Nope… I’m a hillbilly from West Virginia ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/191 "2023-01-14T20:31:22Z")
Well, hit me on the side of the head and call me stupid! 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/192 "2023-01-15T00:40:28Z")
A steak salad, using fresh greens, hot flank steak and your choice of cheese (mine is chevre, others tend to prefer blue) and other toppings with a vinaigrette dressing. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/193 "2023-01-15T00:45:57Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Thick filets of lightly battered cod (fried or baked, or walleye or perch) What, no halibut? ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/194 "2023-01-15T01:11:53Z")
Philly Cheesesteak: thinly shaved rib-eye steak + caramelized onions + Cheez Whiz + ketchup + your favorite hot sauce, on a fresh-baked Amoroso roll (_not_ the Grocery store Amoroso brand, it _must_ come directly from the Philadelphia [Amoroso](https://amorosobaking.com/about/why-amorosos) bakery…they are completely different animals). If you’re in Philly, just ask for a “cheese wit”, not “cheese wit out.” When you finish that, have another one for dessert. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/195 "2023-01-16T00:00:17Z")
In addition to pies, I think that Rice Krispy bars need to be on the dessert/to go menu board. There’s just something awesome about sinking your teeth into a Rice Krispy bar that is satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/196 "2023-01-16T19:16:27Z")
Haven’t read the thread, but my three comfort foods are mac & cheese (peas and/or tuna optional), mash, and vanilla ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/197 "2023-01-16T19:37:16Z")
I don’t really have any dishes to add that haven’t already been mentioned, but the premise of the thread reminded me of an Iranian-American chef I heard on NPR, probably on _The Splendid Table_. He had a restaurant that served what would be considered Persian comfort food. His American customers generally liked the food, but there would be the occasional Persian customer who would be like “This isn’t the way my mother made it!” And that, he said, is why many chefs shy away from serving traditional “comfort foods” (whatever culture they may be from). No matter how good you make it some people will hate it because they expect it to be the way their mom made it. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/198 "2023-01-16T19:41:49Z")
Today’s submission: Homemade biscuits with butter, smothered in sausage gravy. Which I’m having right now with OJ and strong black coffee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/199 "2023-01-17T03:44:46Z")
Big fluffy dumplings for me, but the dense ones are almost as good ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/200 "2023-01-18T19:55:19Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > The Comfort Food Cafe must have a variety of home made pies. Lemon Meringue (meringue must be at least twice the height of the lemon filling) Pumpkin Sour cherry Coconut cream Peach, with vanilla bean ice cream Beverages: Hot chocolate Ovaltine/Ovalmatine, both cold and hot Fresh brewed ice tea Homemade lemonade Root beer floats ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/201 "2023-01-18T20:04:32Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > > [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > > > The Comfort Food Cafe must have a variety of home made pies. > > Lemon Meringue (meringue must be at least twice the height of the lemon filling) > Pumpkin > Sour cherry > Coconut cream > Peach, with vanilla bean ice cream Nutmeg custard Maple custard Coconut custard Banana cream Chocolate cream Dutch apple Apple and cheddar cheese Blackberry Blueberry Strawberry shortcake ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865/202 "2023-01-18T22:01:53Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > > [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > > > Lemon Meringue (meringue must be at least twice the height of the lemon filling) > > Pumpkin > > Sour cherry > > Coconut cream > > Peach, with vanilla bean ice cream > > Nutmeg custard > Maple custard > Coconut custard > Banana cream > Chocolate cream > Dutch apple > Apple and cheddar cheese > Blackberry > Blueberry > Strawberry shortcake Peach or apricot with almond paste on the bottom Apricot Cherry Grasshopper French Silk Mixed berry Apple Maple Cheesecake (various flavors) Crème Brule [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-open-a-comfort-food-cafe-what-do-you-want-on-the-menu/950865.md?page=11)