Perfect Hashbowns – Chicken Fried Steak – and Berry Pie, Oh My

I had enjoyed a fantastic Chicken Fried Steak at The Pine Cone Restaurant in University Place right before COVID hit. Soon The Pine Cone and most other restaurants pretty much closed their doors. When restaurants opened up again, The Pine Cone was one of the first places we returned to and the food was still excellent. It had been a while since we had eaten there again. I picked up Peggy after dropping her off at the Fircrest Golf Club. The meeting time and place had changed and she mentioned going out to lunch, “to a café type restaurant, not a McDonald’s type”. I suggested The Pine Cone, which was just a mile or so away. 

Our server, Robin, soon had us sitting and drooling over the menu. We already knew exactly what we wanted: Chicken Fried Steak with golden fried hashbrowns cooked exactly as we wanted them. The gravy was perfect, the breaded steak was perfect, and the fried eggs were perfect. I inhaled my lunch, while Peggy was more conservative. Actually, the reality was that she is much smaller than I am and doesn’t eat as much as I do . . . or can. She may finish everything off later, much later, for dinner. 

While we ate, talked, and laughed, I kept hearing whispers from across the restaurant aisle. A pie was calling to me. We finally gave in to the whispers and ordered four slices of an incredible berry pie.  

We were only a few blocks away from the home of our daughter and son-in-law. We bought four slices to cover us and our Andrea and her husband Rich, who often works from home. The berry pie with its golden and sugary crust melted in our mouths and the berries were absolutely wonderful. I was the first one to finish off their pie. I was so proud . . . I didn’t lick the plate . . . I thought about it, but one must have a little decorum, to be polite in company. Again, Peg didn’t finish hers; again, perhaps a later snack, or even tomorrow.

Robin came by several times to check on us. She’s a gem and worthy of a mention in and of herself. Thank you, Robin and the cook, for contributing to our splendiferous eat-out! The Pine Cone has a great reputation. Go in sometime and ask for Robin!

Visit The Pine Cone for more information: thepineconeup.com