Route 66 runs right through Vinita and one of the most famous attractions there is Clanton’s Café. On my first visit there, I noted that the couple at the table next to mine had a Route 66 tour booklet and were talking about their next stop. I asked where they were from and they cheerfully answered that they were from England and that they were in the US specifically to do a Route 66 vacation. I knew Clanton’s was a restaurant known by foodies all over the US; I had no idea the news had spread to other countries.
But on to the Chicken & Dressing. The Chicken comes shredded, a top a slice of bread and topped with brown gravy. I’ve never been a fan of dressing (it’s one of the many reasons I loathe the traditional Thanksgiving dinner) and the dressing, which comes on the side, didn’t change my mind, but the chicken was some of the best chicken I’ve ever had, no lie. This type of chicken is a dish much revered in the southern United States and I’ve had it a few times in my life; this was easily the best. The menu has a note next to the Chicken & Dressing that confirms I’m not alone in that assessment; Ronnie Dunn, of country music duo Brooks & Dunn, has said publically that Clanton’s Chicken & Dressing is the “best in the world.” I’m not a Brooks & Dunn fan, really; but ol’ Ronnie got that one dead right. Highly recommended. 4 stars.