Chicken-fried steak is served every Thursday with two sides during lunch.[/caption]

It is rare for anyone to make it in the restaurant business for 10 years. Operating for a decade without raising prices and with the same employees hired for the opening is almost unheard of, said Jessie Rhea, owner of Jessie’s Country Cooking.

But such accomplishments are what Rhea can point to during his restaurant’s 10-year anniversary in September. Menu prices have not changed since the restaurant’s opening in 2005, and two of the original employees—Tino and Alicia Navarette—still play a central role in keeping the restaurant running.

Cheesecake and other desserts for the day are announced each morning.[/caption]

“It’s been a good way to build trust with the customers,” Rhea said. “People know they can depend on us for good food and good service.”

The eatery’s menu covers breakfast and lunch and is distinct for how items cycle based on the day of the week. Certain sandwiches are available every day, but lunch specials are cycled on a weekly basis. Soups, salads and desserts are switched up and announced every morning.

Cheeseburgers were added to the menu as a full-time option earlier this summer.[/caption]

Rhea said he upgraded his kitchen earlier this year with new equipment and has been tweaking the menu to give customers more of what they want. Handmade cheeseburgers, previously offered only on Saturdays, were introduced as daily items in July in response to customer demand.

“People were waiting to come in on the weekend just to get a burger, so it seemed like an obvious thing to do,” Rhea said. “The whole idea behind the menu and the rotating specials is to make sure people get what they want, that they have a new reason to come back every day of the week.”

Rhea, who envisions his restaurant as a community gathering place, also puts emphasis on fresh ingredients. The meat for the burgers is ground fresh every morning, and chicken-fried steaks are hand-battered.

“I have had everything on the menu and have not had a single thing I didn’t like,” longtime customer Charlie Carpenter said.

The restaurant’s official 10-year anniversary is Sept. 9. Rhea said he may celebrate with special menu items or discounts.

 

Jessie’s Country Cooking
11600 Jones Road, Houston
281-517-5103
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-2 p.m.