local dining

Friday, November 3, 2000

Stop at Mary’s Café in Strawn

By Glenn Dromgoole
Special to the Reporter-News

The little town of Strawn sits four miles off Interstate 20 (exit 361) between Ranger Hill and Thurber. It’s almost equidistant between Abilene and Fort Worth.

Which makes it a good place to stop for lunch if you’re on the way to the Metroplex, or dinner if you’re on the way back.

Mary’s Café is on the right as you come into Strawn. You’ll usually see a number of pickups parked out front, a testimony to the chicken fried steak served inside. This weekend will be particularly hectic because of the opening of deer season Saturday.

Mary’s has a full menu of steaks, Mexican food, seafood, barbecue, sandwiches, salads, and nightly specials. But far and away the favorite course is the chicken fried steak.

The servings are huge. What Mary’s calls a medium steak ($7.25) is more than enough for most appetites; a large chicken fried ($8.25) is three-quarters of a pound. And if that isn’t enough, on Monday night between 6 and 9, you can have all the chicken fried steak you can eat for $7.50.

But it’s not the size of the steak that draws people off the interstate to Mary’s. It’s the great home-cooked taste. One group of Abilenians told owner Mary Tretter that they had heard about her chicken fried steak while they were on a cruise to China and just had to come see for themselves.

The last time we were there, I opted for the Mexican dinner for a change, an ample portion of two tacos, two nachos, two enchiladas, beans, and rice for $8. My companion stayed with the medium chicken fried.

The Mexican food was good, but the chicken fried is memorable, so next time I’ll probably go back to that. Although when I see on the menu fried oysters ($10.95 a dozen), popcorn shrimp ($6), a 16-ounce T-bone ($11), and chicken livers or beef liver ($7.25), or the enticing seafood combination for $11.25, it creates a dilemma for the palate.

It’s not every day that you are blessed with so many tantalizing choices. But you kind of hate to drive all that far and not eat the chicken fried steak. Life is just too short.

One option, says Tretter, is to ask her or one of the other friendly servers for a sampler plate.

“We do that all the time,” she said. “We aim to please.”

Glenn Dromgoole is an Abilene author who likes to find good places to eat and recommend them. He says he never writes a review unless he would be willing to go back to that restaurant and take friends. For previous restaurant reviews and a complete directory of Abilene restaurants, visit www.bigcountrydining.com.

IF YOU GO .....

Mary’s Café

Strawn

To get to Mary’s, take exit 361 at the bottom of Ranger Hill and go north for four miles. As you come into Strawn, look for Mary’s Café on the right.

Mary Tretter, who has owned the café for nearly 15 years, points out that Mary’s is not a fast food place. Service is good, but if you’re in a hurry she suggests you call in your order (254) 672-5741. You also can order a free birthday or anniversary cake by calling a day in advance.

Mary’s is open from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The only days she’s closed are Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Mary’s offers a child’s menu of chicken fried steak and hamburger steak but will fix younger diners a smaller portion of virtually anything on the menu.

Beer is available. Credit cards and checks are accepted.