The Olpe Chicken House has long been a treasure of the small Kansas town located on Highway 99 south of Emporia. It is also a beloved destination for the surrounding area residents for nice, hot meal that has not been changed or influenced by trends in food or cuisine. This diner that was established in 1958 has long been a favorite of many family and friends. There are many reasons to love this small town treasure and the food is just one of them.
The menu has not changed much over the years. Occasionally there might be a new addition but mostly this menu has stayed consistent through, at least, the last 25 years. Dinners always come with tea or coffee, rolls, salad, and potato choice (baked, hashbrowns or fries- with or without gravy ~mashed available on select days/times only). These are heart meals like grandma used to make. The restaurant is best known for the Fried Chicken (which is delicious) but you can also get the Whole Catfish (yes head and all) option which is also quite tasty. What is it that makes this place so good? Well that is a question that has long been debated among regulars. Some say that it is because they are using the same recipes they did back in 1958; others say it is the seasoned equipment that has been in that kitchen since the 70's (the restaurant burned to the ground in the 70's and was rebuilt). What ever the reason- fans of this diner are as die hard about it as any sports fan out there.
Now on to the food from this visit. My family has a bit of a tradition addiction in general and when we dine at the Chicken House, there is a tradition to our ordering. We are big fans of the appetizers that are offered at the Chicken House. On this visit we limited ourselves to three because there were only 5 adults dining (this is conservative for us). On the left are the ever popular Cheddar Crisps, in the center the unique Onion Rings, and on the right Fried Okra. I have always agreed with Joey from "Friends" that the best food group is fried stuff with cheese. The Cheddar Crisps are the right size to pop in your mouth and enjoy (though they are usually quite hot when they arrive, so caution on that). The Onion Rings are not your typical solid breaded number, rather these are very thinly sliced onion rings in a really delicious thin batter that are then fried to a perfect golden complexion. The Fried Okra is a staple from the farms of the area and is a delicious treat.
There is something about the salads at the Chicken House, there is a very unique flavor that you don't find with most house salads. The lettuce and cabbage are very finely chopped with thinly sliced carrots on top. our family is split on the perfect dressing as some like Dorothy Lynch and others the Creamy Italian (pictured here); personally I like the vinegar and oil option.
Over the years I have learned the hard way about our family tradition of ordering several fried appetizers. I used to order the Chicken Fried Steak diner with gravy covered hash-browns when I was younger and could eat that much. These days I have learned to opt for a liter finish to the meal. My favorite is a bowl of Cottage cheese and a BLT. This combo is a perfect way to balance out the grease laden first course yet still have a bit greasy goodness with the bacon. The toasted bread is layered with fresh lettuce, ripe tomatoes, a small dab of real mayonnaise, and perfectly cooked bacon. This is a common order and it has never been anything less than perfectly prepared. The cottage cheese is a nice counter flavor to all of the grease.
There are a lot of reasons that could account for the success of and love for the Olpe Chicken House. Personally, I believe that it is the loyalty of the staff and the highly respected family that has run it through the years. In the 25+ years that I have been going to the Olpe Chicken House, the faces that have waited on me have been significantly fewer in number than you would expect. Many of the staff are veterans of the food service industry that have been there for a long time. That is a phenomenon you do not see very often in food service. After working in that industry for many of my early years I found myself saying "If you really want to know if a restaurant is good, pay attention to the wait staff. Do they eat there? Do they want to stay there?" This will tell you more accurately than any review is the place is a winner. Evidently the Chicken House is.
Generally you are going to spend $10-15 dollars per person and it is well worth it!
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