IHOP

I took my father to a doctor's appointment the other day and he wanted a little breakfast afterwards. It was around 11:30 at this point, when I am usually craving a burger or something, but figured if that is what he wanted I could suck it up and go along.

I wasn't really feeling breakfast on this day, so I perused the menu for some type of sandwich. Now I am one of those people that believes you are not going to find an outstanding burher at the IHOP, so I figured I was going to have to compromise and get a breakfast sandwich. I chose the Ham and Cheese Melt.

The Ham and Cheese Melt consists of ham, cheese, scrambled eggs all on grilled sourdough bread. I comes with your choice of hash browns or fries, but in an effort to keep with the breakfast theme, I chose hash browns. My dad got after a more traditional breakfast of eggs, sausages and pancakes.

The food arrived pretty quickly given that it wasn't that crowded at the time of our visit. My dad's food was cooked exactly as he ordered, which made him happy. My sandwich was excellently prepared. The sourdough bread was grilled to perfection, the eggs were nice and fluffy, the cheese melted and gooey and the ham plentiful. The hash browns were cooked to perfection as well.

I have never noticed this sandwich on the menu before, but now have it as a favorite of mine. I used to be a big fan of the Moons Over My Hammy at Denny's, but this sandwich crushes that one. I'll probably never get another Denny's breakfast sandwich.

I have to give my most recent IHOP visit four Stiffy's.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Hot Diggity Dog

My buddy Gary has been telling me about Hot Diggity Dogs out in Bunnell for quite some time. Given my current unemployed status, we finally had the time to head out there and give it a try. Gary's father has been going there for some time and has been a fan forever.

We went for lunch a couple of weeks ago to get our hands on some great hot dogs. When you pull up to the place, you realize this is a joint. There is no indoor seating, but they do have a great area off to the side of the building with talbes under umbrellas. The tables are large enough to fit about six people. I am not a big fan of al fresco dining, but in the day we visited, it was perfect weather and at this point in Florida, you don't have to worry much about being accosted by flies.

I was amazed at how extensive the menu is at this small shop. They may specialize in hot dogs, but the menu included burgers, chicken sandwiches and just about anything else you can imagine. I ordered two hot dogs with chili, mustard and onions along with an order of Freedom Fries. My guess is they're called Freedom Fries after the French failed to support our efforts in Iraq after 9/11. Yes, this place is a true slice of Americana. I also ordered a root beer to wash it all down and quickly realized I made a mistake as Hot Diggity Dog also specializes in ice cream treats including milk shakes. I guess I'll have to try that during my next visit. Gary opted for a footlong Chicago dog and chili cheese fries.

You take your seat at this location and they bring your food to you when it is ready. We hadn't been in our seats five minutes when a young lady came out and said she accidently put cheese on one of my dogs and wanted to know if I wanted her to re-do the dog. I hate wasting food, so I told her I would deal with it. Mistake on my part.

Our food came out a few moments later and everything looked great. The fries were crinkle cut and hot, just like I like them. The bun on my hot dog was nice and soft with the chili perfectly spiced. My first dog was great. The second dog with the unordered cheese was not so great. It had a melted cheese sauce at the bottom of the bun, which I found to be a bit too heavy. I am not a big fan of Cheez Whiz except when it is on a cheesesteak sandwich. Gary said his dog was great as well, but his chili cheese fries were covered in the cheese sauce and were rather messy.

Overall, this was a good experience and I cannot wait to get back up there to satiate my craving for a good hot dog sometime soon. I'll definitely be getting a milk shake the next time I go. I would encourage anybody looking to take a nice ride in the Florida country for a nice meal to check-out Hot Diggity Dog in Bunnell.

I have to give my visit to Hot Diggity Dog four Stiffy's for my most recent visit.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry