Restaurant Review

Friday, December 29, 2000

Serving down home meals for nearly 50 years

Andy's Kitchen offers hand-breaded chicken fried steak and homemade coconut cream pie

At a glance 5802 S. Staples Phone: 993-0251 Entrees: $5 - $7 Credit cards: All major Checks: Yes Wheelchair access: Yes Hours: Monday-Thursday: 6 am - 8:30 pm; Friday: 6 am - 9 pm; Saturday: 6 am - 8:30 pm and Sunday: 7 am - 2 pm Food: 2 stars Service: 2 stars Atmosphere: 1 ½ stars

A family oriented atmosphere and homestyle cooking have made Andy's Kitchen a survivor in the restaurant industry. The restaurant opened in downtown Corpus Christi in 1951 as Andy's Kountry Kitchen. Now located off the 5800 block of South Staples for 22 years, the establishment caters to multi-generations of family members. Crayon colored pictures hang in the lobby, miniature trains wind their way around a track overhead in the dining area, and pictures of the owner's grandchildren are displayed behind the cash register.
   The clientele is diverse, however, especially during the lunch rush, which attracts office and retail story workers, local politicians and high-school students.
   Homemade desserts
   The menu features a wide variety of homemade meals that range from the traditional Southern style fried beef, chicken and fish, to burgers, sandwiches, Mexican and Italian pasta dishes. The homemade desserts are so popular that you have to buy them early because they usually sell out by the end of the day. Breads and side dishes are prepared fresh daily.
   The restaurant also serves up a variety of soups that are made in-house on a daily basis. The split pea is surprisingly rich in flavor. The vegetable soup is fine, but offers no surprises. The restaurant prepares the basic soup stocks without over seasoning them, leaving the level of spice to the customer's discretion.
   Andy's Kitchen is one of the last places in town that breads their own chicken fried steaks, easily making it their No. 1 dish. A close second is the cheeseburger steak, prepared on the grill and stuffed with sautéed onions, a mild cheddar cheese, plus a choice of mild or hot jalapenos. It comes with rich brown gravy served on the side.
   Traditional side dishes
   Don't expect the chicken fried steak sandwich to be served with the traditional cream gravy. It is simply served on a bun with lettuce and tomatoes on the side. On a recent visit, the steak was a little overdone and slightly tough, but this may have been a rare occasion. The remainder of the burger and sandwich lineup is reliable, if not predictable.
   Andy's offers a variety of side dishes, such as steamed vegetables, french fries, or steak fries. On this occasion, the steak fries were a little overdone on the outside and underdone on the inside. Expect them to be a bit greasy. The french fries were the better choice.
   The coconut cream pie is by far the most popular dessert served up here. The Dutch apple pie is made with a crumb crust topping and the apples are drenched in a rich flavorful sauce of cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. The pie is good by itself, or a la mode. Andy's cheesecake is rich in flavor and calories, sitting high on a graham cracker crust and topped with a sugary white glaze and chopped pecans.
  
  

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Restaurant reviews are written by a team of freelance writers. The Caller-Times pays for the meals. From time to time, the writers visit previously reviewed restaurants to update the information.

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