Big E’s Kitchen

204 Patton St., Sulphur

It was a casual Saturday and my wife had driven down to Hackberry earlier that morning to visit her parents; I had agreed to join her there later, once my obligations had been met. As the hours ticked away and the cheese and cracker snack tray was depleted, I strategized my exit. I planned on grabbing a bite to eat at Big E’s on my way home.

When I pulled into the parking lot, there wasn’t as much activity as I’d anticipated. I looked to the front door to see the posted hours and learned my procrastination put my arrival just minutes before closing. I decided to cut my losses. (I refused to be “that guy.”)

A few days later, I returned, this time comfortably within the hours of operation. The menu offered a variety of southern entrées including fried fish, shrimp and crawfish étouffée, and rotating daily specials of red beans and rice, chicken and sausage jambalaya, and pork steak, all with a variety of sides. I’d heard plenty about how good the burgers are; the Big E is a popular favorite.

I was sold on the burger after reading the description. Big E’s Kitchen is a typical counter-service eatery, so I placed my order with the young lady, sat at the table and waited for my number to be called. Big E’s is a very popular lunch spot for Sulphur and it was busy.

After a wait, my number was called.  I raised my hand and the young lady delivered my order. The burger commanded my attention. It was stacked tall, layer upon layer. Sandwiched between two buns, the cheese melted over a grilled, seasoned patty, strips of crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms and grilled onions. 

Now, people have been putting fried eggs on burgers for a while, so it’s pretty normal at this point. What’s not normal is the thin crispy layer of hash browns that someone at Big E’s thought would be a good idea to throw into the mix.

At first bite, I knew this was an absolute game changer! As the yolk of the perfectly fried egg dripped through my fingers, the crunch of the hash browns added a dynamic texture and all the flavors just went together. It was easy to declare this one of my favorite burgers. 

As I speared my straw at the chunks of chewy brownie at the bottom of my salted caramel milkshake, I vowed to return.

I made good on that promise a few days later after scrolling through Facebook and seeing Big E’s Kitchen’s post about the fried pork steak daily special. Again, I placed my order at the counter. This time the young lady informed me they weren’t expecting to be so busy so early, so it might take a minute. I wasn’t in a rush, so it was no problem.

Later when my number was called I was in awe of the sheer size of the pork steak; it would be intimidating to any appetite. The breaded slab of pork sat atop a bed of fries and overhung the plate on each side. 

When I cut through the meat, I found it thick, tender and hot. At first, I thought how well suited it would be for a peppered gravy. However, after a few bites I decided it didn’t need gravy, between the seasoning and that little kick of heat.

I knew from the moment it was delivered to the table I wasn’t going to be able to finish it. Especially with the slice of pumpkin cheesecake sitting beside me. Now, I’m not big on pumpkin. While I do appreciate the cooler weather, I’m definitely not one of those people who look forward to fall and get all weird or giddy over pumpkin spice like we’re living in an L. L. Bean catalog. But, the little sign next to the register convinced me, and just like that, I became a fan of pumpkin spice.