Kevin's Watch

So last night we went to La Porchetta, an italian-food restaurant chain im NZ ( and apparently Australia as well) hoping it would be better than Denny's.

In the five minutes after we sat down we were asked if we were ready to order by seven different waitresses, and the canneloni was obviously chilled and then reheated. Yuck!

Fortunately, there isn't a Denny's within 30 miles of me. There is an IHOP, and it stinks. A friend's mother owns a breakfast place. Good food, cheap. A winning combination.

DukkhaWaynhim wrote:My friend, Denny's is the corporate chain version of a 'greasy spoon'. It is a gloriously mediocre restaurant that is open 24hrs a day, serving underwhelming fare at all hours. It is founded on the premise that most everything tastes better either deep fried or grilled in old lard, if not both. It is not so bad that you would actively avoid it, but neither is it something that you salivate in anticipation for, unless you are drunk, hung over, or a victim of starvation.

It is simply the restaurant you end up at because nothing else is open.

Sounds nice - I think I'll come all the way pver to America just to try it...

There's one not far from where I work. Sometimes my coworkers go there after work to get pancakes after work in the middle of the night. I just cannot ever get myself to go with them. The food is no incentive to go there at all. When we have a get together after work at someone's house I always go. I sit and decorously sip my soda pop while they swig bourbon out of the bottle.

duchess of malfi wrote:There's one not far from where I work. Sometimes my coworkers go there after work to get pancakes after work in the middle of the night. I just cannot ever get myself to go with them. The food is no incentive to go there at all. When we have a get together after work at someone's house I always go. I sit and decorously sip my soda pop while they swig bourbon out of the bottle.

I heard that someone from America lived next to a soap factory and a Denny's restaurant - and he ran out of food - and would die if he did not get any sustanance quickly.

He was found dead 3 days later, apparently he choked on a bar of soap.

Lord Foul wrote:I heart IHOP and the Waffle House. Gimme a giant steak omelet and pour some blueberry syrup over it and I'm--*stops typing, goes to IHOP*

Scattered,smothered,diced,covered and chunked.(yes I have been to a Waffle House or 2)The pecan waffle is my favorite and I have to get a side of sausage with it.

IHOP is OK. I can't stand Waffle House, and I think I've only been to a Denny's 1-2 times in my whole life. For breakfast I'll take Cracker Barrel, they have great pancakes and real maple syrup.

If you want a real gut buster - food that will make you crap for a month - try Shoney's.

dlbpharmd wrote: If you want a real gut buster - food that will make you crap for a month - try Shoney's.

I do not think we have one of those around here - but we have White Castle to clean out your innards.

<whispers> sliders...

...eeeeewwwwwwwww.......


DW

duchess of malfi wrote:

dlbpharmd wrote: If you want a real gut buster - food that will make you crap for a month - try Shoney's.

I do not think we have one of those around here - but we have White Castle to clean out your innards.

IIRC Shoney's restaurants in the North were either called French's or Big Boys.

Really? I thought they were completely different chains. No buffet at either one, IIRC.

Big Boy usually has a salad bar, and is completely different from Shoneys. Not sure about Frenchs, but I think all of the above are on par with Friendly's (for you New Englanders).

Shoneys is a usually a gamble like Dennys (see my above description. But, there is a Shoneys on the south side of Louisville that has a magnificent breakfast bar---- the employees are helpful, knowledgeable, skilled, and easy on the eyes... and the food is pretty darn good, by buffet standards.

If anyone is interested, I will tell the story of why my best friend has not been to a Shoneys in over 10 years (and this is not really an anti-Shoneys story).

Also, in the south there is a nasto-fast-food chain called Krystal that is the rough equivalent (crampingly-so) of White Castle [DW makes sign of cross].

DW

I've never heard of a French's but we have a Big Boy here, and I have never heard of anyone getting ill from eating there. In fact, we often go there for soup and salad and sandwiches. Not wonderful by any means, but definately some steps up from Denny's.

DukkhaWaynhim wrote:If anyone is interested, I will tell the story of why my best friend has not been to a Shoneys in over 10 years (and this is not really an anti-Shoneys story).

With a lead-in like that, how can we not be interested. Tell all...

--A