Review: Cracker Barrel Should Have Left 'New' Menu Items In The Past

Whether you're endeavoring to finally finish writing your novel or just trying to watch a little less TV, New Year's resolutions can vary. Bringing back a classic, for example, is as much a New Year's tradition as champagne toasts and ball drops. Thankfully, there's a way to actually enjoy the nostalgia this season, thanks to Cracker Barrel.

The Old Country Store has added two classic favorites to its menu: Hamburger Steak and Eggs in the Basket. An original dating back to Cracker Barrel's first menu in 1969, Hamburger Steak features seasoned beef topped with a savory buttery garlic sauce, which can be topped with sautéed onions and brown gravy if you're feeling extra cozy. Eggs in the Basket goes straight for nostalgia with two pieces of grilled sourdough cradling fried eggs, served with your choice of bacon or breakfast sausage and a classic side.

If you're craving something new, Cracker Barrel has also rolled out a syrup that pairs sweet with a little heat. The new Spicy Maple Sauce is ready to transform anything from a stack of pancakes to an order of Crispy Tender Dippers. Mashed sent me to my local Cracker Barrel to try out these fan favorites and the new sauce. Read on to find out whether the menu updates will be among the reasons Cracker Barrel is so successful, or if they're better left in the past.

You can order breakfast at Cracker Barrel any time of day, including the Eggs in the Basket meal, which currently costs $9.99 at my location. The Cracker Barrel website lists the calorie count at 430 for the dish itself, without sides. The meal comes with a choice of meat and one side, including bacon, smoked sausage, hashbrown casserole, fried cinnamon apples, coarse ground grits, or sliced tomatoes. Other favorites and meat options are available at an additional charge.

Like all of Cracker Barrel's entrees, the Hamburger Steak can be ordered with two sides for $11.99 or three for $13.49. The dish is offered after 11 a.m. for lunch and dinner. Adding gravy and onions is an additional $1.09. The main dish has 480 calories, while the optional toppings deliver another 80 calories. 

Both Eggs in the Basket and Hamburger Steak are also available on the Meals For Two menu. Available Monday through Friday, Meals For Two includes a choice of a shareable starter or dessert and two entrees for $19.99. You can add a cup of soup and a house salad for $5 per person.

The allure of Cracker Barrel is that it's comfort food that sparks images of grandma's home cooking. The simplicity is the charm, but there is such a thing as too simple, and Eggs in the Basket might be it.

Ultimately, there's absolutely nothing wrong with this dish; in fact, it's quite tasty. Two pieces of sourdough bread get a circular cutout removed from the center, which is then filled with an egg cooked to your liking. That's it, it's an egg in a slice of bread. Don't get me wrong: The toasted and lightly buttered bread is lovely and has a nice sweetness, even as a sourdough. I also appreciate that you get the cutout pieces so you can top them with jelly if you so choose, but I want more. Maybe some melted cheese or a sauce of some kind. Really, anything that would turn this into a meal I couldn't confidently recreate in five minutes at home.

Eggs in the Basket is proof that not all foods deserve a spot on a restaurant menu. Yes, it's a fun concept that's executed well. Paired with bacon and your choice of any of Cracker Barrel's best side dishes (I went with the pancakes), this is a perfectly fine meal that simply isn't exciting at all. If you're going out to eat, you can do better.

Believe it or not, the Eggs in the Basket meal was by far the better of the two returned classics on the menu. I love Salisbury steak, and I even make it at home. If you've never had it, it's basically a seasoned hamburger patty and onions cooked in a brown gravy. Served with a side of mashed potatoes, it's comfort food on steroids. I hoped the Hamburger Steak would be similar to my beloved Salisbury steak, but I was sadly mistaken.

I'll preface this by saying I don't think my Hamburger Steak was the most representative version of the dish. At least I hope it's not. Billed as "a half-pound hamburger steak in buttery garlic sauce," what I received was a dry, massively overcooked beef hockey puck. The outside was crunchy, the inside was arid, and the flavor was non-existent. If the garlic sauce was ever present, it soaked into the steak like a dried-out sponge and never made a dent in the moisture level. Thankfully, I ordered a side of grilled onions and brown gravy, which helped save this dish as much as anything could. The best menu items at Cracker Barrel are fun and homey. The Hamburger Steak is neither.

We finally have a winner! I put my side of pancakes to good use and doused them in the Spicy Maple Sauce, which is really maple syrup with some heat. First, I dipped my fork into the sauce to try a taste. I was expecting syrup with a little kick, but this sauce really leans into the spice. My first thought was cayenne pepper, which blows past the syrupy sweetness and hangs in the back of your throat long after a bite is gone. No one is going to want to drink this sauce (nor should they), but it sure isn't lacking personality.

On pancakes –– one of the better Cracker Barrel sides in my book –– the Spicy Maple Sauce is fantastic. It contrasts the rich, buttery flavor of the flapjacks and puts a fun twist on a classic dish. I would definitely try this out with chicken as well. If Cracker Barrel ever adds a chicken and waffles dish to the menu, this sauce should be a required pairing.

What's old should sometimes not become new again. The Eggs in the Basket meal is perfectly fine, but ideally, eggs in a basket should be left for lazy Sunday mornings at home. Meanwhile, the Hamburger Steak is the kind of nostalgia your great-great-grandfather waxed poetic about back when a can of beans was considered a well-rounded meal. Neither is worthy of an order from an otherwise overflowing Cracker Barrel menu. Thankfully, if you are selecting something better, a side of Spicy Maple Sauce is a fun way to turn a favorite into something new.

I visited my local Cracker Barrel and took advantage of the Meals For Two menu, ordering both dishes along with a skillet of cinnamon rolls. (One of Cracker Barrel's must-try items on your first visit if you're looking for delicious value.) I took pictures of the food before diving in, evaluating based on taste, texture, and overall presentation. The restaurant was not aware of this review when preparing the food. All prices are current at the time of writing and are dependent on location.