Ray Charles' Favorite Chicken-Fried Steak Might Have Been From This Breakfast Chain

Some food is just worth singing about. Ray Charles loved Dooky Chase's restaurant and its red beans so much that he added a lyric about them to a song. But this Louisiana restaurant wasn't the only eatery that knew the way to Charles' heart was through his stomach. The "Hit the Road Jack" crooner had a penchant for Southern food, including chicken-fried steak. Once, when served the dish from Denny's, he allegedly loved it. Brian Lewis, a venue manager for Humphrey's bar and concert showcase on Shelter Island in San Diego, once told the San Diego Reader, "We served it to Ray, and he said it was the best he ever had."

Denny's is a diner-style restaurant that made its name by keeping its doors open 24 hours a day and serving up all-day breakfast. So, it helped Lewis when he needed chicken-fried steak in a pinch. He told the paper that during the middle of the first of two back-to-back shows Charles was performing at Humphrey's, his manager came to Lewis and said, "Ray wants a chicken-fried steak. And he wants two orders of it as soon as he comes offstage, before he goes on for the second show." But the ask was not as easy as it sounds. 

Unfortunately, the chef at Humphreys could not make chicken-fried steak. But Ray Charles still needed his food before he finished his set. Enter Denny's. Brian Lewis said, "It was close, it was quick, and we got it done."  While Denny's famous Super Slam breakfast is probably its most iconic menu item, the restaurant's country chicken-fried steak isn't far behind. This cube steak that is dredged in seasoned flour, fried, and smothered in black pepper white gravy comes with hash browns, two eggs, and a choice of bread.

The origin of this Southern staple is unknown, but it has a striking resemblance to German schnitzel. Its rise in popularity in the U.S. happened in states like Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and even Kansas in the late 1800s. At the time, it was a flavorful and delicious way to make use of less-than-tender cuts of beef. Why is it called chicken-fried steak when it has nothing to do with chicken? It's believed that the name came from how it is prepared, i.e., steak that is dredged like chicken and fried. But to quote Shakespeare, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." That is to say, a name doesn't define the essence of this steak, but it does get the taste buds churning. No wonder it was a favorite of this late, great singer.