Sunday, August 15, 2010

Best thing I ate this week: biscuits

I've been wondering about Allison's Country Cafe for years now. Based on the hoards of people waiting outside their doors every Saturday morning, it's clear that there is something delicious going on in there. Well, I finally got a chance to see what all the excitement is about when I went for breakfast this week. And the best thing I ate? Their biscuits.


They are about four inches tall, a nice golden brown on top, and full of soft white dough inside. They are more like dinner rolls because they don't flake into layers or crumble like some buttermilk biscuits do. What makes them so magnificent is their size and soft texture. They are like comfort on a plate, and the perfect pairing for their tangy homemade raspberry jam or their savory gravy.

And let me take a minute to talk about their gravy. In my 35 years, I've never really considered myself a gravy person. I'd much rather smear my biscuits and rolls with butter and jelly. But, seriously, after eating the gravy at Allison's, I think I just might be a gravy girl now. There's is thick and creamy (which most gravies usually are), but what sets it apart is the perfect amount of saltiness and the chunks of ham and sausage and the generous flecks of pepper. If you're like me, you won't be able to stop dipping bite after bite of your biscuit into this creamy concoction.


Oh, and the chicken fried steak is to die for as well. Stay tuned for more in the VC Reporter in a few weeks.

8 comments:

Mike Johnson said...

Allison's biscuits, eggs over easy, and gravy is one of my favorite breakfasts, but no matter how much coffee I drink I'm comatose for the next twelve hours. I indulge maybe once every two years.

If you go again, and it's a weekend, try the fruity french toast.

Ventura Food Happenings said...

Yum...what's on it? I wouldn't normally be drawn to french toast, but I'm intrigued.

Mike Johnson said...

It's big, thick slabs of homemade cinnamon raisin bread, made into french toast, of course, with fresh fruit and plain yogurt (not vanilla, yuck!) and walnuts on top. They probably serve it with syrup on the side, but I wouldn't use it.

This time of year, of course, the fruit is more summery, but even in the winter they manage to get some good fruit. To their credit, you can never be 100% sure what fruit you'll get, just that it's fresh. Even in the depths of winter when the kitchen is heavy-handed with apples, bananas, and grapes, it's still the best breakfast dish in town.

It's pretty rare that I actually manage to clean my plate -- the toast is an inch thick -- but I never spend the rest of the day feeling logy or guilty.

Ventura Food Happenings said...

That sounds amazing...I haven't tried their cinnamon raisin bread. If its half as good as the biscuits, I gotta check it out. I ordered fruit on the side once and was amazed at how much great fruit was in it. Check out my writeup on Allison's...should run in the Reporter in about 3 weeks. I also loved the granola pancakes.

Ryan W. said...

Hi Allison. I'm a fellow Ventura resident. I was wondering if you reccomended a farm share or similar?

Ventura Food Happenings said...

Hi, Ryan. Are you looking for a CSA? If so, I would recommend the one at McGrath Farms in Camarillo...they have excellent organic produce and its run by a really cool family that has been farming here forever. And their farm stand is just off the 101 and super convenient.

http://www.mcgrathfamilyfarm.com/csa.php

hope that helps!

Mike Johnson said...

I went last week, and I would like to amend my remarks. The Fruity French Toast is made with homemade banana nut bread, not cinnamon raisin bread.

The fresh fruit was cantaloupe, honeydew, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, banana, kiwi, and grapes. It was fantastic. I get hungry just looking at a picture of it.

Ventura Food Happenings said...

Hey, Mike. Thanks for the picture. My mouth is watering. French toast made with banana bread sounds insane...never had anything like it. But I'm a sucker for banana bread anything. Will let you know when I finally try it!