When we researched Kansas City, Kansas, we expected to find that the James Beard Foundation had bestowed the America’s Classic designation on a barbecue joint. But instead, the Beard folks have honored Stroud’s as “The Home of Pan Fried Chicken.”

Actually, Stroud’s did begin life as a barbecue restaurant in the 1930s, but introduced pan fried chicken during World War II when beef was scarce. The original Stroud’s, which sounds like a colorful joint, closed in 2006. But the pan fried chicken has demonstrated real staying power. The restaurant now has three locations including the one we visited in Overland Park (8301 West 135th Street, Overland Park, Kansas; 913-499-0135; stroudsrestaurant.com).

The modern restaurant sits in a little shopping mall. But our waitress told us that it is the closest to the original of the three. The red-and-white-checked tablecloths lend a homey feel. Moreover, the kitchen employs all of the original recipes. (They have made a concession to 21st century tastes by introducing a “spicy hot” version of their famous chicken.) Stick with the original version and the chicken topping is “pretty basic, nothing fancy,” our waitress told us. We appreciated the lack of hype. The chicken speaks for itself. We both had Southern grandmothers who made incredible fried chicken in cast-iron skillets. The chicken at Stroud’s gave us sensory flashbacks.

Stroud’s Traditional Family-Style Dinners offered us a choice of one, two, or three pieces of chicken, all white meat or all dark meat. Then we had to choose cole slaw, pasta salad, green salad, or homemade chicken soup with long, toothy noodles. As a late night TV pitchman might say, Wait – there’s more! Then we had our choice of mashed potatoes, cottage fries, or French fries. Everyone gets green beans, gravy, and a homemade cinnamon roll. Save the cinnamon roll for a sweet bite at the end of your meal before you begin packing up the leftovers.