...at a Waffle House?" says the guy behind the counter in a slow southern drawl with a somewhat creepy smirk on his face. Suddenly, I'm having a Deliverance moment, and I can almost hear the banjos playing in the background. Before we walked in, I thought perhaps we'd be able to blend in with the truck stop-chic motif, the orange pleather upholstery, and the faux wood laminate decor. 
But even the antiquated jukebox in the corner that plays old 45's about Waffle House and its food couldn't get that banjo twang outta my head. As much as I hate to admit it, it is our first time at this southern cultural icon and there's no avoiding the fact that the three of us stand out like warts on a sore thumb."Yes, this is our first time at a Waffle House." I reply.
"Where y'all folks from?" he inquires.
"San Francisco."
"Saaaan Fraaaan?? Wooo-wee! You's a long way from home!"
[insert banjo twang here]
Yes, we are a long way from home. Too long. But we couldn't resist the sign on the window that read "14 meals under $5"... or maybe it was that low rent, roadside curb appeal that lured us into this waffle cafe chain. Whatever it was, the waffles are actually pretty damn good...well, at least in that greasy truck stop, fast food restaurant kinda way. Yum. Slap on the butter, pour on the syrup, fry up the bacon! Wooo-wee! I think I'm gonna bring me my own banjo next time.So after eating at such a fine, rapid dining establishment, we're wondering what other similar culinary delights we might find here in Orlando. And find them, we do...
Chick-fil-A. No, it's not sportswear for women... and it's pronounced [chick-filet], not [chick-fil-ah] or [chick-a-fill] as Cindy likes to call it. This place is like any other fast food chain, but instead of beef-based burgers, everything is chicken. 
The chicken burger that's served up in an eco-unfriendly black styrofoam box isn't half bad and it's more tender and juicy than it looks. Think: Wendy's, McD's, and KFC ground up in a blender... oh, and add a bit of the 700 Club since it's closed on Sundays.
Bob Evans. This place sounds more like a realtor than a restaurant, but their chicken pot pie (which the waiter sells us on) isn't half bad. Throw in some warm banana nut bread, and you're good to go. It's kinda like a Baker's Square... that closes at 9:30pm.
Earl of Sandwich. The founders of this sandwich chain claim to be the 11th descendants of the actual Earl of Sandwich, the dude who invented the sandwich way back in 1762. I can't vouch for the validity of that claim, but I can tell you that their hot sandwiches are quite addictive, especially the All American -- roasted turkey, buttermilk ranch, cranberries, sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce & tomato. Yum. Imagine Subway, only better and fancier... but with a perpetually fat ass Jared. It's kinda like that.
Anyhoo, I dunno why we're so fascinated by what I like to call "new-to-you" fast food chains. I guess perhaps because...umm...they're new-to-us? Duh. Maybe it's the same reason why our east coast relatives always insist on stopping at an In-N-Out Burger every time they're here... or why having a White Castle is on my to-do list when I'm in the Midwest. Whatever the reason, I've come to realize that I'm happy to say that this is my first time at a Waffle House... and it definitely won't be my last.Random Stuff:
Today we bid adieu to our dear friend Cindy, who BTW hooked us up with a fab suite at the Marriott Orlando World Center. Another FOC [Friend of Cindy] benefit!- Funny street name: Seven Dwarfs Way
Seven Dwarfs Way
0 comments:
Post a Comment