Tony's Southern Comfort: a place for fatties

I really miss this restaurant. It was in a dirty, dingy part of East Austin that served up the best fried chicken'n'waffles in town. Plus they had their pies displayed up front. I judge most of my restaurants by the standard of: do they display their desserts on card tables in the center of the room? Tony's did. Anyway. I reviewed it in The Daily Texan. But apparently my review didn't draw enough fatties because it closed that same year. Sob.

Blink and you’ll miss it. Tony’s Southern Comfort Restaurant, located at 1201 East 6th Street, is a tiny joint with big, big chicken. If you want hearty comfort food, you’ve come to the right place.

Start your meal with the chicken “drumets”--a good-sized basket of fried chicken wings complete with spicy dipping sauce ($5.49). You’ll need it to prepare your stomach for the overload of fried meat headed your way. Tony’s boasts the infamous “chicken and waffles” dish ($7.59) and if you’re not careful, it can do you in. The golden chicken breast is hand fried and the perfect salty counterpart to the moist, chewy Belgian waffle it rested on. Be forewarned, it is not a dish for the weak of stomach.

If you’d like a little more variety, the “comfort entrees” come with two vegetables of the day and your choice of yeast rolls or jalapeno cornbread. Do not underestimate the sides, as they are just as flavorful as the main course. The mustard and turnip greens, a true Southern dish, are cooked in bacon with just the right amount of bitterness. Be sure to add some Louisiana Supreme hot sauce to them as well. Black-eyed peas, normally thought of as “New Years’ Day only” dish, are also excellent. My favorite had to be the decadent mac’n’cheese—truly a dish in which you can taste the home cookin’.

Fried pork chops tenderloin ($8.79) is also a dish unique to the South. Don’t knock it till you try it. You can get the pork chops not fried, but why would you want to do anything as silly as that? If you’re not a chicken fan, this is the way to go.
However, you can’t go wrong with anything involving the words “fried” and “chicken.” The fried chicken breast was an inch thick of perfectly tender white meat covered in crunchy batter. It was without a doubt the best fried chicken I have ever had, and I’ve had a lot of fried chicken in my time. It’s hand-breaded and deep-fried, which are two of my favorite adjectives involving poultry.

It sounds impossible, but at least try to save room for dessert. The banana cream pie, a steal at $1.59, has a creamy yellow filling topped with real whipped cream. The Nilla wafer crust is, of course, homemade. However, it might make deep breathing difficult by the end.

If you're in need of comforting--or just the best fried chicken ever—head on over to the east side of Austin. Be prepared for serious eating; skipping breakfast and wearing elastic waist pants are both highly recommended. Before you leave, be sure to admire all of Tony’s pies on the table in the front. You probably won't get to them all, but that's what next Sunday is for.