Hearty portions and friendly staff make Our Place

By Amanda Rogers

Mansfield Record

The Food: Southern home-style cooking, with fresh-made breads and pies

The Story: We decided to hit Our Place at the busiest time of the week, right after church on Sunday morning. We checked in, got a buzzer and had a 20-minute wait, just like the hostess promised.

As soon as we were seated, our server Sandy arrived to take our drink orders and returned with them immediately.

My dining companion wanted breakfast, while I was wanting lunch. Turns out, we both wanted chicken-fried.

I ordered the daily special (they have a whole bunch of them, different every day) with chicken-fried chicken with cream gravy, choice of two vegetables (I went with mashed potatoes and okra), cup of soup of the day, rolls and corn muffins for $9.99. There’s an option for a smaller size daily special for $7.99 that comes with just one side.

Our Place’s soup became infamous after a diner sued for his complementary cup after the kitchen ran out. Sunday’s soup of the day – loaded baked potato – would have been worth it.

The creamy base had lots of flavor, but the thick chunks of white potatoes were amazing and actually tasted like a loaded baked potato.

The chicken was a hearty, but not overwhelming, portion lightly battered and had just a sting of pepper flavor, while the white cream gravy was a perfect complement, not too thick and not too thin.

The mashed potatoes were thick and hearty, and the big chunks of okra were just right, lightly dusted in cornmeal.

My partner had the Breakfast-sized Chicken Fried Steak ($12.95) with two eggs, choice of hash browns, grits or home fries, and choice of toast, biscuits or pancakes. He went with scrambled eggs, hash browns and a pair of handmade biscuits with cream gravy.

He didn’t do a lot of talking, just mumbled “good” and cleaned his plate. The hash browns were golden brown and crispy on the outside and light and creamy inside. Our Place prides itself on its chicken-fried steak, which is lightly battered and flavorful.

Portions here are hefty, but not obscene. Still, if you go for breakfast, you’re not going to need any lunch. The restaurant is also famous for its pies, but I can’t imagine having room left for dessert. Going just for coffee and pie sounds like an awesome idea, though.

The Atmosphere: This is an old-fashioned family diner, where the servers call you “hon” and walk around with a pot of coffee to top off your mug. The place has added and expanded several times to handle the crowds, most recently building an enclosed patio. Murals on the wall honor the city’s co-founders, the old train station and law enforcement.

Our Place always seems cozy and busy.

The Details: 915 W. Debbie Lane; 6 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.

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