Waffle House, the chain

Hi,

I clearly remember my first Waffle House visit. It was located just west of the Mississippi River within view of the pyramid styled stadium. I sat at a stool to watch the magic as my hashbrowns were assembled with onions, ham and cheese on top. It was my favorite Waflle House hashbrown experience, though none since matched that first.

On Sunday, just off the expressway near Fredericksburg, Maryland, I stopped in for my nostalgia visit to a Waffle House. Less than an hour before, I was eating a vegetable plate in Washington's Florida Avenue Grill. However it was the only Waffle House observed from the expressway from Chicago. It will be quite a long time before I have any opportunity to eat their hashbrowns, so the car accomodated me and parked.

I don't really need to read the menu, I know what I want. However when I caught a visual of a hashbrown hockey puck, my heart stopped for a moment. I quietly advised my friend, we might not stay if they changed their method of preparation. She's a chef who looked at the picture, then at the tools surrounding the grill. She suggested they were cooking the hashbrowns in a grill ring. I then asked the waiter who advised hashbrowns can be cooked scattered or in a ring. I placed my order for regular hashbrowns extra crisp, scattered, smothered, covered and chunked plus a sweet tea.



We then watched the grill man do his job, though I am not inclined to call him a grill master, yet. He began the hashbrowns by mounding them like a pyramid. I was wondering out loud how well they might cook shaped like that. I learned the potatoes are partially cooked already, they were just being heated through and crisped. Overtime he added onions and ham. Unfortunately he did not mix them into the potatoes, so they ultimately became the bottom layer. I would have preferred they were mixed inside with more crisp potato on the bottom.

While my hashbrowns were cooking, a new order was announced by the waiter. Part of the show at Waffle House are the waiters shouting orders to the grill man. I noticed with every order, plates were arranged with cheese and/or butter pats in strategic locations. In fact one plate was flipped upside down with some condiments arranged. I began to wish I would see the training manuals and films Waffle House must have revealing the plating system. I was just as curious if my hashbrowns were cooked to Waffle House methodology or by the grill man's experience. While the BBQ people always say it is pitmaster and not the pit. It can certainly apply to grill masters, too.

Eventually my hashbrowns arrived, not quite as crisp as hoped. I am not quite sure if it was an issue of the grill man or a missed communication cue from the waiter. I noticed another order was more to my liking, but a different choice of words were used. I ate my hashbrowns recognizing these were still not like my Memphis first, but maybe I have to accept what is.



I hope my next Waffle House visit, I'll have enough of an appetite to enjoy their pecan waffles and maybe some biscuits and gravy. However my biscuits and gravy standard belongs to another Southern chain: Grandy's.

Regards,

Last time I was in Florida, I visited a local Waffle House. Like Cathy, I had fond memories of greasy breakfasts of the past. Waffle House is one place that proves "you can't go home again". Either my memories are clouded by the haze of time, or Waffle House has gone seriously downhill since the old days.

Waffle House Waffle Station (5 irons, no waiting)


Perhaps I mis-ordered, opting for a non-breakfast item, but I got a patty melt with hash browns scattered, smothered, covered and peppered. As you can see by the picture, the hasbrowns were seriously undercooked despite having been ordered "crispy". The patty melt was adequate, but the use of thick "Texas Toast" overwhelmed the bread/meat ratio. (Where's the beef?)

Waffle House Patty Melt W/Hash Browns


The best thing about my visit was that when I asked for some hot sauce, I was presented with Casa de Waffle Picante Sauce, which, though not all that picante, put a smile on my face for its name alone.

Waffle House Hot Sauce


Cathy, thanks for reminding me about Waffle House.

When I drive down to Florida in June I am looking forward to a couple of visits to the Waffle House along the way down or way back. I have never had anything other than breakfast @ the Waffle House myself.

stevez wrote:Either my memories are clouded by the haze of time, or Waffle House has gone seriously downhill since the old days.

I think my Waffle House memories started out hazy. We had a rule when I lived in Atlanta that Waffle House was only to be enjoyed post-midnight. So, when I now have a daytime/sober Waffle House experience (RAB agreeably limits me to one per year), I don't expect it to be what it once was. That said, I still enjoy my grilled cheese dipped in ketchup with a double order of extra crispy hash browns.

I once witnessed someone spend $20 at Waffle House. He was seriously hungry and it was a seriously large amount of food. He devoured it all. I was 19, and I was impressed.

Ronna

Mmmmm. Waffle House.

My kids discovered Waffle House on our trip to Florida last March. They have been there before, but I guess they were too young and didn't remember it at all. My youngest was thrilled to find a restaurant that specialized in hash browns, and ordered eggs to go with her potatoes and sweet tea. I think we stopped three different times for Waffle House hash browns on that trip, just to make her happy. She still wishes she could find one up here, but I think the closest one to us is in southern Indiana.

Suzy

OMG...

And I thought this place was all about the supposedly discriminating palate...

"Good Morning" As far as my kids are concerned, vacation doesn't start until the first breakfast at Waffle House. Cheese n' eggs. hashbrowns scattered and smothered order of bacon, can't beat it.

Grizzly wrote:OMG...

And I thought this place was all about the supposedly discriminating palate...

No dude, it's just about food...

A couple of pecan waffles topped with maple syrup and accompanied with some fresh hash browns sounds really good right now ...

Last December, during my annual migration from KC to Montreal, I stopped off at Waffle House #420 on Post Rd. in Indianapolis. It was run by an entirely well-experienced crew ("So what can I get for you, hon?" she said to me), and the business was totally local and regular, everyone in the place was on first-name basis. Except me, of course. I ordered extra-crispy hash browns and what I got were perfectly executed extra-crispy hash browns. End of story.

I'll stop there any chance I get—they're about 26.3 seconds off I-70, maybe less.

Geo
PS. Anyone know the urban legend behind the black-and-gold color on the signs?
PPS. And yeah, I can hear the clamoring "You didn't go to Shapiro's??!" No, not at 06h30 I didn't...

Next time you're anywhere near Decatur, GA, call ahead and make an appointment to see the Waffle House Museum.

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday

*By Appointment Only*

Jay K wrote:

Grizzly wrote:OMG...

And I thought this place was all about the supposedly discriminating palate...

No dude, it's just about food...

Jay K,

Thanks so much. Friends and acquaintances often call me a "Foodie" I always correct them and remind them that I am a Food Lover. It doesn't matter to me if it is the Best Milkshake in Chicago at the Brown Sack, my own boiled peanuts, or a meal at Charlie Trotter's. If the food is good the food is good. "Foodie" has always conjured up images of foie gras, truffles, quail eggs, Dom Perignon, and caviar. Quoting Mr. Seinfeld (although out of context), "not that there's anything wrong with that".

BTW- There are also Waffle Houses in Illinois. I just went to the website.

Waffle House
(618) 931-6273
3244 W. CHAIN OF
GRANITE CITY, IL 62040

138.78 miles away
2
Waffle House
(618) 344-6343
505 BLUFF RD
COLLINSVILLE, IL 62234

141.79 miles away

In my hometown in South Carolina, there is one at the exit to my parents' (Argh, I only have one since my father died last fall, but I cannot say my Mother's house yet ).

My family used to go from time-to-time, although since the Cracker Barrel opened up across the way they go there instead. I don't know if that Waffle House's quality has gone down or what. It's funny, I don't even like Pecans, but a Waffle House Pecan Waffle sounds tasty right now. Hmmm, maybe it is this fasting.

Necessary context for the above pic is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickgray/378694469/

This is a photograph of a Waffle House grill cook's cheat sheet.

The photographs indicate the way in which a cook marks his orders. These secret plate markers allow a Waffle House cook to simultaneously prepare multiple customer orders at once.

much more if you follow the link.

ScubaChef,

Thanks for the cheat sheet. I knew there was a system from the way the guy organized the condiments on the plate. Later this evening I will follow the links to the additional information.

Regards,

When I lived in Atlanta, I lived in the same subdivision with one of the founders of Waffle House - a kind and gentle man (oh, and rich, too - they lived in the upscale part of the subdivision with a lakefront) - I suppose I should note that I don't know how he was to his workers, but he was that way to me. As a result, I developed a ritual fondness for Waffle House. Not so much that I would go there on a spur of the moment basis, but every year I spend a month in Western North Carolina. On the way down I spend the night in Tennessee, and the next morning I stop at the local WH for grits with cheese, hash browns, two eggs, toast, and sausage (and some not so good orange juice). And then I know I'm back in the Southland.

There's a Waffle House just up the street from the hotel. I'm in NC for a family reunion. Unexpected good finds between WH & getting the elusive unfrosted blueberry Pop Tarts.

Scattered, smothered, covered, diced, capped, extra crispy & Sweet Tea. Hope. Home. Heaven.

Maybe that should be my new signature

stevez wrote:Last time I was in Florida, I visited a local Waffle House. Like Cathy, I had fond memories of greasy breakfasts of the past. Waffle House is one place that proves "you can't go home again". Either my memories are clouded by the haze of time, or Waffle House has gone seriously downhill since the old days.

Cathy, thanks for reminding me about Waffle House.

Luckily for me, my Waffle House experience this morning was way better than I recall. Perhaps you can go home again.

I had perfectly sweet tea with a ton of lemon served up right by Max, a training coach, who has been with the company since 1998. She was straight, no chase, and when I asked for a refill of sweet tea to go, she brought me an entire half of a lemon.

My waffle was really good. They have a new lite waffle that is made with buttermilk. I made the mistake of ordering it with blueberries because the blueberries are inside. Unfortunately, they were already sweetened which made syrup too much. The waffle was lovely. I would definitely order it again, but plain.

My hashbrowns were scattered, smothered, diced, and capped. Those jalapenos were actually hot!

Waffle House's were all over the place in Kansas City when I lived there, age 5-21. I don't remember ever getting exciting about the food, in fact it was known to be pretty disgusting, on par with Denny's or IHOP. It's only redeeming quality was that it was open 24 hrs. Odd that there are people who have travelled out of their way to try it.

I dunno, I think WH is considerably better than Denny's and/or IHOP. The things they do with hash browns alone qualify them for that accolade. They also seem to vary more by store than Denny's--less standardization, and that's a good thing, at least on the high end. I've been in KC since '71, and I can't remember when the first store showed up. First one I remember seeing is just west of I-635 down in the train yards. google gives me an even ten stores now, from about the latitude of KCI down to Grandview.

Geo

bnowell724 wrote:Waffle House's were all over the place in Kansas City when I lived there, age 5-21. I don't remember ever getting exciting about the food, in fact it was known to be pretty disgusting, on par with Denny's or IHOP. It's only redeeming quality was that it was open 24 hrs. Odd that there are people who have travelled out of their way to try it.

This is interesting. It was very different in Georgia when I was in high school and college. Waffle House was an institution and pretty much everyone loved it. When I go back to the South I always stop in Waffle House and it always tastes great. Usually I get the cheese eggs which come with hash browns and raisin toast. My husband, who did not grow up with Waffle House, is now a fan as well.

I've never been to a Waffle House in KC though.

My experience is the same for Krystal and Waffle House -- kute and traditional in Atlanta, sketchy-skeevy late night dive in other places, mostly Florida in my personal experience. Village Inn was way on top of WH as a late night destination growing up, though nothing came close to La Teresita. Indeed, La Teresita might be the #1 24 hour restaurant in America.

Yeah, but what are there, *5* La Teresitas? and all in FLA? Not hard to be number 1 with those kind of dimensions!!

Scale it up to WH size, then we'll see how it stacks, so to say.

Geo

JeffB wrote:My experience is the same for Krystal and Waffle House -- kute and traditional in Atlanta, sketchy-skeevy late night dive in other places, mostly Florida in my personal experience. Village Inn was way on top of WH as a late night destination growing up, though nothing came close to La Teresita. Indeed, La Teresita might be the #1 24 hour restaurant in America.

Now I'm racking my brain to think what other states I've done the Waffle House visit in. I know I've been to a couple in Charleston, SC: one by the airport that was non-dive-y and nice, another one that was a little more dive-y looking but the food was still good. Other than that, I may have gone in the Florida panhandle and maybe around Savannah and probably somewhere in Virginia. I don't know, they all seem good to me but you have to take into account my complete deprivation from WH living in Chicago.

I was never a fan of Krystal but there are fanatics in Atlanta for it. That's an interesting comparison.

GAF wrote:I stop at the local WH for grits with cheese, hash browns, two eggs, toast, and sausage (and some not so good orange juice).

Yes, much as I love WH too, the orange juice from concentrate just doesn't cut it anymore. Back in the day it was improvement over the Tang I got growing up, but now I know better (at least about orange juice).

Each year (including this one) I stop in WH in Tennessee (Newport, this year), and those are classic WH diners: this year I did (I confess) cut back to one egg.

The last time I dined at a Waffle House it was in Clemson, South Carolina. If I like a greasy breakfast it's grits (with Tabasco not cheese), tons of butter, eggs over easy with the yolk running and oozing like a rapid river and accompanied by endless glasses of ice tea. If I want to over indulge I order a stack of buttermilk pancakes. Syrup of choice Alaga cane syrup (formerly the Alabama-Georgia Syrup Company (1906) now Whitfield Foods). I have been known to carry a bottle with me and will pass on Mrs. Butterworth etc. The fluffiness and softer edges of pancakes shall always remain so much more appealing than the lowly crispy waffle to whet my appetite.

Why Alaga? As a child I spent the summers emersed in chores on my great grandfather's farm. A trip with the sugar cane or the corn to be turned into meal to the local mill was like magic, the old men laughed while I walked around in an endless circle with the mule and the grinding stone turning. Plus my labor was free, the work play. After the syrup was processed we stored it at home in glass preserving jars. In stead of candy bars we coated our fingers and licked away. The syrup always tasted better when it was home made after the boiling. Alaga is the closest syrup for someone on the go who no longer has the time, means, or the family farm to play on. Our corn meal was used for corn pones, hush puppies and corn cakes all dosed with syrup.

My trip to the Waffle House with Cathy 2 was to indulge her nostalgic memory after having devoured a large breakfast shortly before. One thing I never order are the hashbrowns. Grits for breakfast - potatoes for supper.

Silver Spoon

Hi Silver Spoon,

I'm glad after my many encouraging conversations, you finally made the leap. I always learn so much from you whenever we interact.

I returned to Frederickburg, Maryland Waffle House on my way home from Washington, D.C. recently. I made a point of ordering the hashbrowns extra crisp that improved them quite a bit:

March, 2009 - ordered without comment on the doneness


June, 2009 - ordered extra crisp


Having no breakfast yet, I went a bit bonkers ordering grits, eggs and biscuits, too. In my defense, I did share everything with a friend:



I ordered sausage gravy as a side to enjoy with my biscuit. I also ordered a pecan waffle, too.



I like the theater of diners, especially watching the cook. At Waffle House you have a clear vision of the griddle and waffle irons.




Driving straight shot back to Chicago on the tollway system. Waffle House was the best meal that day.

Regards,

Cathy 2,

Judging by your recently posted photographs it appears your second trip to WH was more successful in securing a seasoned grill master (on the Smithsonian-Mars Chocolate Symposium trip I am convinced it was a trainee). The batch of hashbrowns depicted on your last posting have no resemblence at all to the albino version that was barely grilled nor heated through.

However, the best breakfast potatoes can be found at J. P. Spoonem's in Cranston, Rhode Island off Elmwood Avenue. The proprietor a graduate of of one of the first culinary classes at Johnson & Wales. I once had a musuem opening and rented a grill for him so he could serve his potatoes for his biggest fan Chef Louis Szathmary. Joe was leary, but we told him to grill them as he always does throw in chopped onions and the Hungarian Sausage referred to as "Boy Scout" sausage by the natives in exile and manufactured by Bende of Illinois (the only Hungarian company with a license to ship out of state) accompanied on request with White Hungarian lipstick on the side (sour cream) along with chopped Jalepeno peppers another mandatory staple.

At this event some pretty heavy hitting celebrity chefs were manning their tables and serving their renown specialities, but the longest line and the highest praises of all were reserved for J.P. Spoonem's breakfast potatoes from the corner neighborhood hole in the wall. The food editor of the Providence Journal was blown away and we all had a good laugh at the instant elevation in stature for our beloved breakfast nook. The aroma quickly flooded the galleries and escaped outside, so before you entered and during your entire stay one craved only this dish. People went back multiple times and it was hard to keep up with the demand. Although the restaurant closed at 2 PM, someone had to open up that night and pick up more potatoes.

It goes with outout saying, that you need to accompany the potatoes with J.P.'s freshly made corned beef hash which never saw the inside of a can or a mass production line. Had Joe lived in England he would most likey have been bestowed the honorary title of His Worshipful Lord of Potato Mongers and could hold court with the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers. I think his fare would do well at the ancient Fish Monger Hall along with their noble siver collection and fruits of the sea.

Silver Spoon


No man can be wise on an empty stomach. - George Eliott