Ye Rustic Inn, a staple of the Los Feliz neighborhood just east of Hollywood, a place that I actually took my wife to (because it was close to where she was living and only for a late drink) on our third date that sealed the deal (and her fate) for us some fifteen years ago.

First impression: I felt immediately that the lights are kept low in this place for a reason. The white gravy wasn’t so white, harbinger of things to come.

Taste: Meh, not quite as flavorless as House Of Pies but dangerously close. The white gravy was not white, was not thick, was not flecked with pepper, and was about as savory as a warm glass of tap water. The steak itself was probably calf, and I’m not talking about a baby cow, it seemed more like it was ripped from an old sailor’s leg and then microwaved on high for ten minutes. Very tough, not quite juicy yet strangely wet. Breading was like a layer of Elmer’s Glue sprinkled with sand.

Presentation: I’m starting to think that this category might be meaningless. A crappy chicken fried steak shouldn’t receive accolades for being served the right way with hashed browns, eggs, and toast. That should be a given. It’s like rating a car based on having all four tires. I may drop it unless something extraordinary is served with the next chicken fried steak that I encounter. Speaking of the toast, I have accidentally bitten into napkins that were more satisfying than what I had stacked on my plate.

Overall: It’s tough to give this a 1 but I need something to show that it is a close second to the 0 at House Of Pies. I can tell you right now that Los Feliz is not the place to head for a chicken fried steak in Los Angeles. Head over to Dark Horse Tattoo for a permanent mark instead if you’re in the area.

I wish: I wish the cook at Ye Rustic Inn would go to Bob’s Big Boy and see what a real chicken fried steak tastes like.

July 1st, 2016

Paul Zies

dirtyandmean.com

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