100 Favorite Dishes: How the West Was Won at Dozens Restaurant

No 63: How the West Was Won, or Biscuits and Gravy at Dozens Restaurant 
Before delving into this delectable dish, it should first be noted that the Dozens Restaurant in Aurora is not exactly the same as the other Dozens downtown. In fact, it's been its own entity for 22 years, when Chris Miley bought that location and made it his own. And while the name and sign look the same, Miley revamped the menu to reflect homestyle recipes from his mother. This includes the whimsical-sounding item How the West Was Won — or, simply put, biscuits and gravy.

This is not the average diner's biscuits and gravy. To start with, Miley's version features a homemade biscuit — a dense, slightly flaky and very moist affair. Next comes the gravy, which incorporates a whole lot of secret herbs mixed in with the thick, sausage-studded substance. A gravy that, if one desired, could be eaten as a hearty stew or used to revive weak and hungry brunchers as they grip steaming cups of damn good coffee. You will want an extra side to make sure each morsel of biscuit is covered and the hash browns laced with wayward dollops.

It wasn't always like this, though. When Miley took over Dozens, the gravy came from a mix. But that all changed one fateful day when, while walking through the restaurant, he overheard patrons discussing the food. "The comment was, 'You know, this would be good if it had lumps in it, just like mom used to make,'" he recalls. "Right after that, we quit the mix and made it from scratch." The lumps, he adds, are a must when creating the home-style version. The result: a tangy, herbaceous and fulfilling gravy that has a won a place in this biscuits-and-gravy-loving heart.

Hungry for more? All the dishes in our 2016 countdown are linked below.

No. 100: Masala Beef at Biju's Little Curry Shop
No. 99: Bacon Shrimp and Grits at Bacon Social House
No. 98: Porchetta and Kimchi Sandwich at Brider
No. 97: Squab-and-Sunchoke Tortellini at Abejas
No. 96: Housemade Burrata at Viand
No. 95: Schweinshaxe at Rhein Haus
No. 94 Kimchi Jeon at Seoul BBQ
No. 93: Zuppa Pomodoro at Parisi Italian Market & Deli
No. 92: The Ocean Salad at Sushi-Rama
No. 91: The Signature Bowl from Churn & Burn
No. 90: Green Chorizo at Los Compadres
No. 89: The Diavola Calzone at Pino's Neighborhood Pizzeria
No. 88: Biscuits and Green Chile at the Noshery
No. 87: Chirashi at Izu Sushi
No. 86: Brisket and Ribs at GQue Championship BBQ
No. 85: The Tornado at the Chowder Room
No. 84: Korean Fried Chicken Wings at Yong Gung
No. 83: A Meatball Hero at Lil' Ricci's New York Pizzeria
No. 82: Shakshuka at Stowaway Coffee + Kitchen
No. 81: Late-Night Ramen at Brazen
No. 80: Potato Tacos at El Tejado
No. 79: Corned Beef Heart at theWay Back
No. 78: The Fried Bologna Sandwich at Snarfburger
No. 77: Sweet Corn Mezzaluna at Bar Dough
No. 76: Duck Confit at Table 6
No. 75: Croque Monsieur at Fire
No. 74: Tahini Cookies at the Preservery
No. 73: The Alferd Packer Salad at MAD Greens
No. 72: The Tuna Poke Bowl at Ohana Island Kitchen
No. 71: Mini Chile Rellenos at La Loma
No. 70: The Combination Banh Mi at Vinh Xuong Bakery
No. 69: The Falafel Waffle at Moxie Eatery
No. 68: Korean Fried Duck Wings at Chow Urban Grill
No. 67:  Spaghetti Alla Carbonara at Spatola
No. 66: The Classic Burger from Skirted Heifer
No 65: The Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado at Poppies
No. 64: Super Pass Key Special at Pass Key