On my innumerable road trips throughout the great state of Texas, I find myself repeating a mantra coined by the inimitable Yelper Don B. of Kerrville: "Always hoping for serendipity." When passing through a town unfamiliar to me, I take a cursory glance at Yelp and end up dining at some quirky, family-owned hole in the wall. Will my Yelp brethren steer me wrong (e.g., The Local Fix in Uvalde -- scathing Ryan M. review forthcoming) or will serendipity prevail and lead me to a hidden gem? In the case of Shifters American Grill, the Yelp consensus is accurate; this is top-notch down-home cooking, comfort food given the respect it deserves.
Followers of mine know that I hold onion rings to a high standard. I expect nothing less than a shatteringly crisp batter speckled with cracked pepper and onions that teeter between soft/caramelized and crisp/astringent. The ones at Shifters (eight to an order for $5.99) rose to that standard, ranking among the best I have tried in recent memory. My dad and I both noted that not one drop of cooking oil was present in the basket, proving that the fry cook at Shifters is indeed a master of the Maillard reaction.
Burgers, chicken tenders, and various sandwiches sounded tempting, but I went with the chicken-fried steak dinner, a wise choice. The sprawling steak -- pounded out about 1.5 inches thick -- featured a tender cut of good-quality cube steak, a craggy crust, and a rich, homemade cream gravy resplendent with glistening meat drippings in the roux (no ersatz gravy cubes or powders here). The "loaded" mashed potatoes would have benefited from more cheese, bacon, and chives, but the potatoes themselves were smooth (not *too* smooth like instant mashers), buttery, and unquestionably homemade. Alas, the appeal of warm undressed lettuce and mealy tomatoes on the plate failed to resonate with me. The vegetation was likely intended as a garnish or perhaps an attempt to brighten the dish, but I would have been happier without it. Methinks I protest too much, for this is Texas; ignore that vegetable matter and give me more fried foods smothered in cream gravy!
I typically visit an establishment a minimum of three times prior to writing a review, but I'm not sure when I will return to Pleasanton for a followup meal. Will your experience match or exceed mine? I make no guarantees, but I have learned that if a small-town diner can execute the basics (onion rings and chicken-fried steaks in this case), then it will likely succeed elsewhere. If you don't trust my learned opinion (in which case, shame on you), then consider the opinion of our Governor, the Honorable Greg Abbott. He was apparently so impressed that he bestowed upon Shifters a signed letter of recognition for its "amazing hospitality" and "outstanding food." How did I end up at such a place, you ask? Serendipity! read more