JOINTS: Leona General Store Steakhouse

Texas has a very unique type of restaurant that I don't think you can find in other parts of the country...the small town steakhouse. Most are famous in their own area, though a few (like the Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap) can become world famous.

As I've traveled around the state, I've gotten the chance to sample the wares at these small steakhouses, from the aforementioned Pereini Ranch...to the Steak Shed in Jack County...to the infamous Country Inn Steakhouse in Somerville.

But my absolute favorite would also have to be the closest to me, and that's the Leona General Store Steakhouse, right off of I-45 between Dallas and Houston. Like all good small town steakhouses, Leona General Store is only open Thursdays (catfish night), Fridays and Saturdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, your choices are steak, chicken, and pork chops. The sides include a trip to the salad bar, twice baked potatoes, and hot buttered dinner rolls. And dessert, of course. But that's it.

Make sure you get there early, because EVERYBODY from a number of different towns around the area make this a must. We got there around 6pm, and didn't have to wait for a table. Once you're there, get ready to have some nice dinner conversation, because service is a bit slow, but they always refill your drinks, and if you get a waitress like Dee, you're in for a treat.

This is as typical of a small town steakhouse as you can get, and it has all the country charm. We sat in the "John Wayne Room" which has wall to wall pictures and posters of The Duke. I ordered the 12oz steak, and that's what I got. 12 ounces of meaty delicious goodness, with a fine spicy crust on the steak. There wasn't even any fat or gristle to trim off, and that which was left went straight into my mouth.

The twice baked potatoes are heavenly, with chives, bacon and cheese in them, and the buttered dinner rolls are slippery with butter, perfect for mopping up leftover juices. We finished dinner off with two orders of dessert for our table; some bread pudding with rum sauces, and blackberry cobbler with Homemade Vanilla Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Leona General Store Steakhouse

FM 977 & Hwy 75 Leona, Texas (903) 344 - 2202
*if you're driving between Dallas & Houston on I - 45, then take the Leona exit (FM 977) and go a short way until you hit Hwy 75. Make sure you get there before 6pm, or you're in for a wait. Only open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and only serve catfish on Thursdays.