24 Hours in a Waffle House

[tx 3 putt 78009]

12 hours ago, Hate said:

I ate at a WH just last on my way back from Baton Rouge.  I forgot about this thread or I would have taken pictures.  I had 2 eggs (over easy), hash browns, bacon, and a side of grits.  It was great. 

 

Sulphur, Louisiana ?

[tx 3 putt 78009]

12 hours ago, SimonBolivar said:

I've never been to a Waffle House but is that $4.25 for one single waffle with no toppings? What is this the Waldorf Astoria?

 

Holy hell, IHOP's website is telling me that their waffles are $7.99 each.

 

do the waitresses at the waldorf astoria have neck / face tats ?

[tx 3 putt 78009]

11 hours ago, TurkeyChew said:

Family Dollar is owned by Dollar Tree

 

ive seen some new combo stores, family dollar and dollar tree. just one big store, it's cats and dogs living together 

[hookemATL 12009]

The fattest human I’ve ever seen was at a WH in Alabama. I could not understand, nor look away from this marvel of human achievement. The amount of food I watched this dude consume would have gotten Ireland through the fucking potato famine. 
 

WH is perfectly fine diner food, but I’d seek out a mom/pop diner (which I fucking love when they are good) before going that route. I bemoan the lack of really solid diners in ATX proper. They are covered up with them in the Northeast and it makes me jelly. 

Edited January 4, 2022 by hookemATL
Slorch’ed!

[Guest]

Mom and poo diner, eh?

Better double up on the jelly…

[Guest Lobo]

25 minutes ago, hookemATL said:

The fattest human I’ve ever seen was at a WH in Alabama. I could not understand, nor look away from this marvel of human achievement. The amount of food I watched this dude consume would have gotten Ireland through the fucking potato famine. 
 

WH is perfectly fine diner food, but I’d seek out a mom/pop diner (which I fucking love when they are good) before going that route. I bemoan the lack of really solid diners in ATX proper. They are covered up with them in the Northeast and it makes me jelly. 

That is one restaurant type we are seriously lacking, at least the areas I frequent.  When working downtown, since Counter Cafe is gone, all there really is is 24 Diner and that's too damn pricey for diner food (even though they do it exceptionally well).  When working on campus, I've gotten to really like the Counter Cafe on the north end of the drag.  And of course, my old standby I lived just blocks from it during college---Star Seeds Cafe.  Though I have to admit, the flavor and portions at Star's have dropped off noticeably in the last few years.  I guess I need to give Phoebe's downtown more of a shot.

One of the many things about Austin real estate that evade me is how that iHOP on Chavez manages to stay in business.  Are Rainey Street people eating there ironically?  I'm sure it's a legacy lease from when you couldn't pay a tenant to open up a restaurant there, but surely some option period has been triggered in the last 15 years?  How does that thing survive?  And how fucking valuable is that site?

I really want to eat at a Waffle House this week now.

Edited January 4, 2022 by Lobo

[hookemATL 12009]

Agreed on Star Seeds. Last time I went it was just shitty, and more expensive than it should be.  Ideally we’d have more 24 hour places, with an expansive menu of standard diner fare at fair prices. I still haven’t found a place I really like nearby, closest I can get really is good Mexican breakfast which is admittedly not the same thing (though it can scratch the itch). 
 

I have a soft spot for IHOP but agreed that it has just gone off a cliff wrt cost and experience. Mainly I just loved that they left a full carafe of coffee on the table for you to go to town on. As an avowed coffee freak/addict (40 oz. a day habit), I always really appreciated that. 

[RPM 26433]

I'll take WH over IHOP every time. WH is straight forward, no BS food cooked in front of you. There's not a single rooty tooy fruity fuck given.

[Guest Lobo]

What about a fresh and fruity fuck given?  Or as I like to call it, the South Austin's Mom Skillet Slam Special.

I do like the coffee carrafe at iHOP, but the service at Waffle House is always better.  You don't need a carrafe because the server is always johnny-on-the-spot with more hot brew.  Also, the fucking menu at iHOP is literally the size of the ten commandments stone and there's always two bullshit promo addendums on top of that and it takes up your whole fucking table and she just leaves 'em there long after you've ordered.  And they give you that one token napkin made out of recycled tissue paper left out in the sun.  Waffle House has that dispenser right where you need it, chock full of napkins.  and those tepid syrup dispensers on the table that haven't been cleaned since the Reagan administration?  Waffle House brings you out a nice warmed container of syrup that was at least made this calendar year.  Waffle House, your check is dropped off the second you order so you can pay at your leisure.  iHOP, you gotta get a note from the manager to send a raven to find your server out back smoking so can begin her huffing and puffing drama show about how hard it is to ring your bill at the table/POS now instead up front like the old days.  

Now I realize why I never go to iHOP despite living right by one.  And why I really miss Waffle House.  Dammit, let's do a surly breakfast there with some day drinking in the parking lot.  Is that allowed?

[Hate 20167]

 
Sulphur, Louisiana ?

Beaux Bridge.

[tx 3 putt 78009]

6 hours ago, hookemATL said:

The fattest human I’ve ever seen was at a WH in Alabama. I could not understand, nor look away from this marvel of human achievement. The amount of food I watched this dude consume would have gotten Ireland through the fucking potato famine. 

you can double your hash browns for 50 cents !!!!

 

I wonder if you can triple them for $1 ?

[elfenix 34396]

4 hours ago, Hate said:

Beaux Bridge.

Edited January 4, 2022 by elfenix

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

On 1/3/2022 at 3:11 PM, Lobo said:

My 6yo saw this ad about "make your own spooky pancake" at iHOP in October.  I despise the place, but hey---it's a holiday.  I take her there because if you dine in, it's free.  It's jam-packed and not a single mask in the place.  So I place the order to-go and have a coffee outside while I wait.  One pancake, granted with fruit fixin's, and my coffee---$9.50.  One fucking pancake and a shitty coffee, $11 with tax and tip.  

I bag on chains and people push back, "Look man, it's trendy to make fun of Chili's or iHOP or Cracker Barrel or Golden Corral, but that's where working families go to get a good meal on the cheap.  You're out of touch."  Bull-fucking-shit.....$12-$15/person for breakfast at iHOP with beverage and tip.  That's not a "value" for working families, that's a fucking ruse.  Just because the place is filthy doesn't mean it's a good deal for your wallet.  Sure as fuck ain't worth protesting at the Capitol over, "Open up Texas so we can get us some Golden Corral!"  Those places are just as expensive as the mom 'n pop places, they just fool their customer base into thinking it's cheap...granted they do serve humongous portions.  /rant

Having said that, I'd tear up some Waffle House right about now.  I've driven by the one by the airport hundreds of times and never stopped.  I guess 'cause I'm afraid to shit in the sky.

I make pancakes for the family a lot. A pint of buttermilk (I always make buttermilk cause they're fluffy) runs about 99 cents at the Kroger/Heb. Small batch will use 1/2 while the large batch takes the entire pint. 1-3 eggs depending on batch size, flour, oil, yada yada.

So, you are correct that the price to eat that at IHOP is much higher than if a family can stay home and cook it up themselves. I bought 3 pounds of bacon for around 13.00 last week on sale, and even when the guys chow down on it, they aren't eating all of that package at one sitting. I usually cook a big sheet one morning and freeze the extra and then that  next morning I make pancakes and just zap the bacon in the micro.

[Kennythetiger 9503]

5 minutes ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

I make pancakes for the family a lot. A pint of buttermilk (I always make buttermilk cause they're fluffy) runs about 99 cents at the Kroger/Heb. Small batch will use 1/2 while the large batch takes the entire pint. 1-3 eggs depending on batch size, flour, oil, yada yada.

My buttermilk pancakes are flat as shit. Care to share your recipe?  

[Brisketexan 105700]

9 minutes ago, Kennythetiger said:

My buttermilk pancakes are flat as shit. Care to share your recipe?  

Helpful tip -- when you make the batter, let it sit in the bowl for a while, like 20-30 minutes.  It's kind of like bread, and it will start to get bubbles and such in it.  Makes the pancakes fluffier.  And don't overheat the griddle.  Be patient, use medium-low heat, and let the bubbles form slowly, then flip only once.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Brisketexan

[Mrs Whiggins 13050]

On 1/4/2022 at 5:54 PM, Kennythetiger said:

My buttermilk pancakes are flat as shit. Care to share your recipe?  

I missed this so apologies for the delay. Brisket's tip about waiting a little while is good. I don't wait quite as long, more like five to ten minutes but letting the chemical reactions take place prior to the heat of the griddle doing its thing helps raise the batter. Also, I run through baking powder quickly as I bake a lot. Check the date on yours if you do not.

Here is the small batch recipe:

Spoiler

Small Batch Pancakes

1 EGG

1 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1 CUP BUTTERMILK

2 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL

1 TABLESPOON SUGAR

1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1/2 TEASPOON SALT

 

Beat egg and then beat in remaining ingredients until smooth. I use a hand whisk.

Heat griddle until a few drops of water sizzle, ladle some batter onto the hot griddle and cook until puffy and a little dry around the edges. Flip and cook until other side is golden brown.

Notes: my griddle is old so I smear some butter on it while it's heating. Sometimes this makes the first pancake look a little weird on one side because of the extra butter but no complaints from the crew.

I use plain old regular buttermilk--the store brand. No idea if there are low fat versions and if that affects pancake height, etc.

I've made sour milk pancakes for the family, which is a substitute when you're out of buttermilk, but they're spoiled and aren't too fond of them. They also don't rise as high. We ate those growing up because mama didn't usually spring for buttermilk.

If you would like the large batch recipe, let me know and I'll try and remember to check back over here. It's got a few tweaks to the recipe above as it's my late MIL's version. She had to feed a large family, and is the one I used when we had everyone at home and eating a lot more pancakes! As the children have grown and are beginning to leave home, I've switched to the smaller version which makes plenty for the rest of us.

 

[EE2B 1565]

 
Sulphur, Louisiana ?

ABB put an office in Sulphur and started offering training out of it. I gladly chose Westerville Ohio over fucking Sulphur La. I know it’s close to plenty of refineries and about midway between Houston and Baton Rouge, but holy hell. I guess money makes the decisions on training locations.

[Helobious 9516]

When I was younger I always loved trips to Houston because we could go eat at Waffle House. We had none in the part of the state I lived. There was also this place there called James Coney Island I loved going to, don’t know if it’s still around.
 

Now I realize my mom & dad would really hype up cheap/mediocre places as being super good or fancy (Applebees), and we totally fell for it. Genius. So I can’t remember if those places were actually good or just cheap. WH seems like it’s legit though. 

[elfenix 34396]

  

15 minutes ago, Helobious said:

don’t know if it’s still around.

 

still hot doggin' it

Edited January 8, 2022 by elfenix

[mchookem 16593]

Jim's and Waterloo both have waaaay better pancakes than IHOP. 

those Waterloo pancakes, man...i literally don't even use syrup, just the whipped butter...

mmmm it's been a bit, i think we're going out for breakfast tomorrow 🤔😁

[Deej 77296]

3 hours ago, Helobious said:

There was also this place there called James Coney Island I loved going to, don’t know if it’s still around

[Helobious 9516]

3 minutes ago, Deej said:

I was a big chili dog fan. 

[Deej 77296]

1 minute ago, Helobious said:

I was a big chili dog fan. 

I wish JCI had lasted in Austin.

[Surly Bevo 25542]

On 1/4/2022 at 6:03 PM, Brisketexan said:

Helpful tip -- when you make the batter, let it sit in the bowl for a while, like 20-30 minutes.  It's kind of like bread, and it will start to get bubbles and such in it.  Makes the pancakes fluffier.  And don't overheat the griddle.  Be patient, use medium-low heat, and let the bubbles form slowly, then flip only once.

This.  The other tip, don't over stir it.  It's ok if still has some lumps even a little visible flour/etc in it when done stirring if you let it sit as Brisket suggest.  Stirring too much is just helping gluten creation and that is what will make your pancakes (or waffles, etc) chewy instead of fluffy.  

[Underdog 28891]

Neg trigger finger getting mighty itchy with all of this badmouthing of IHOP.  Back off, motherfuckers! 

[RPM 26433]

On 1/8/2022 at 9:05 PM, Underdog said:

Neg trigger finger getting mighty itchy with all of this badmouthing of IHOP.  Back off, motherfuckers! 

You think that scares me? I eat at Waffle House.

[shadow_operative2.0 16071]

Damn, their menu is really limited currently. There’s maybe 10 pics on each side of the laminated placemats. 

Double patty melt w/japs, hash browns covered & peppered. Copious picante sauce, S&P applied after the pic. Still slammed, yo. 

 

[Guest Lobo]

Bummer about their menu, I was gonna make Brisket order each item one by one and eat it all.  

Still that looks damn good.  Gotta get there soon.  I can't take these New Year's resolution breakfasts my wife is making me eat.