Food Notes -- Daddy O's

Waiting on someone in Farmersville a few days ago, my wife and I decided to find a place to get quick bite and a drink, and found ourselves in a little establishment called Daddy-O's.

The place is decorated in pictures and items from the 50's, highlighted by a number of pictures and cutouts of Elvis. There are 45s on the walls and photos from car magazines under the clear counter top of the soda shop bar where my wife and I sat down. At my chair were bright pictures of the Edsel with captions discussing its unique history. In front of us, in addition to some notes about specials, was a television tuned to Fox News (the one down side for me).

A cheerful gal set menus in front of us and told us that the special for the day was Chicken Fried Steak, a dish neither of us have to be offered twice. My wife decided on her favorite sides, mashed potatoes and fried okra. I went for the french fries and decided to try something new (at least to me): fried cabbage.

Well, I've never recommended a restaurant based on a side dish, but if you are anywhere near Farmersville, you have to try this fried cabbage. Nothing I ate was on my diet, and all of it was worth treating myself, but the cabbage was magnificent. I was told it is boiled, and then fried on the grill with onions.Oh wow!

It is hard to mess up a chicken fried steak (though public schools do try), but the one I ate was very, very good. Not too much breading, plenty of actual meat, and gravy that will make health nuts cry. The fries were not great, but not bad, and mustard helped them. I did taste my wife's okra and mashed potatoes. Fantastic.

We had come a little before the regular lunch time would begin, so the only other customers were a couple sitting in a booth behind us. I do hope this place gets a good crowd. I was messed up happy when I had finished eating. Our waitress was really nice and just the right amount of friendly. Even the cook made an appearance and took our compliments graciously.

A place like Daddy-O's probably is frequented by locals and to outsiders it may seem like a dive. But it is worth the drive, especially if you like themed restaurants and southern cooking. Get there soon, and don't take your doctor.