A Waffle House Thanksgiving

Waffle House

I started Thankgiving breakfasting at Waffle House many years ago. My mom worked third shift and typically was in need of sleep on Thanksgiving Day while I cleaned the leaves out of my grandmothers gutters (traditions!). I also encourage my mom not to cook so dining out helps. One Thanksgiving morning we searched all over for a breakfast spot that was open - and we found every place closed except Waffle House. We have been back every year since and not just for the food.

Waffle House is open 24/7, 365 days a year, so it gets a diverse range of customers. The crowd of diners is even more diverse and entertaining on Thanksgiving. There are so many stories going on in a place like this during a holiday - the people watching is incredible. There are some people on their way to somewhere, others that can not get to where they want to be and some that have no place to go at all but everyone is equal waiting in line and passing the time. The servers soldier on although I am sure most would rather be somewhere else. I have always walked out after breakfast thankful for what I do have and that I can go to Waffle House by choice and not by nessessity. This year, while waiting in line, I chatted with a gentleman that goes to Waffle House every day at 10 AM - the employees and regular customers all knew him by name and he would not have chosen to be anywhere else any day - especially on a holiday.

Another thing I like about Waffle House is they have HOUSE RULES posted everywhere. The rules cover all types of things such as table selection, waiting in line, and how everyone should be treated - we might all benefit by reading these rules from time to time (am I becoming Andy Rooney in my old age?).

Fun facts about Waffle House

There are over 1500 Waffle Houses in 25 states and what they do they do well - cook fresh food fast for the masses without any apologies or excuses. I only go once per year but I will keep on going just for the experience alone.

CMH Community Blogging - When we blog it - will they come?

And now for something completely different.

Last Thursday, I met up at the Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails with Lisa from Restaurant Widow, Heather from Sopressata and Becke from Columbus Foodie so that we could finally met each other in person. We started a discussion about food blogging with Kevin Joy from the Columbus Dispatch. Keep your eyes peeled for an article about Columbus food blogs. I think Heather, Lisa, and Becke do a great job so I was honored to be included with their group.

Afterwards, Lisa, Heather and I went to the new Media Cafe at COSI for a meeting on Social Networking (blogging and similar technologies) and ways to build community in Central Ohio using blogging as a tool to encourage community communication. The event was hosted and faciliated by WOSU and COSI. We had a varied mix of bloggers as well as people from OSU, OCLC, Walker Evans from Columbus Underground and many others. We shared some great ideas. The group looks forward to growing this concept of helping people in all Columbus communities connect with each other while sharing information and taking action on community projects.

Here are some sources for more information

Social Media Cafe

Elephants on Bicycles

So on a personal level - what would you like to see on this blog and the other food blogs in Central Ohio?

How about using a blog for your community - such as Clintonville, Worthington or Grandview - to create a connection within your community - if you blog it…will they come? Or what about a community of like minded people that want to take action… recycling, local issues, etc.

We can easily disconnect from people with all of the electronic buzz in our lives from cell phones, computers, blackberries, etc. - but we can also figure out ways to reconnect too…

Definitely take a moment to check out the other food blogs I mentioned - we are not competitors - we are collaborators with a passion for sharing our love of food.

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An update based on our second Social Media Cafe meeting on December 10th - Urban In Fill

The Woody and Jo’s Experience

Woody and Jo’s (House of) Ribs
222 East 5th Ave (Corner of 4th and 5th Aves)
(No Man’s land - between Campus and the Short North)
614.291.0500

I do not recall when I started going to Woody and Jo’s Ribs. I can recollect that was always late at night and I was always alone. My guess is I started going in the mid 1990’s. It seems a little bit dangerous at this corner spot late at night. The place always looks like it is closed or condemned or abandoned. However, there is a true charm to the place and it always feels like an adventure or misadventure getting ready to happen when I drop in.

The hours are unique, much like the customers this cinder block bunker hut serves.

Hours:

Thursday 4:30 PM to Midnight

Friday 4:30 PM - 4:00 AM

Saturday 4:30 PM - 4:00 AM

Sunday 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM

As you transition from the outside to the inside some subtle things are noticable - iron bars on the windows, some possible bullet holes and a constant chatter in the kitchen area. Cracked plexiglass shields Woody or Jo or another family member from the customers or it is shielding us from the aroma of BBQ. There is a thin slit for sliding money one way and food back the other way.

Ordering is easy, the menu is small. The transaction usually goes like this:

“Whadda have”?

(for chicken)

“White or Dark” (and usually some clarification on what chicken parts)

“Hot or Mild”

$__.__

Some quick scribbling occurs on a ticket, an order is yelled back (about 5 feet) and a calculator comes out to add up the total. This is a cash business - no credit cards, no checks, and no bartering….I have a feeling Woody has something behind the counter in case the customers get a little restless.

The menu has remained the same for a long time - some new additions have popped up and are written on a paper bag - Peach Cobbler and Mac and Cheese.

You can usually expect your order in 3-5 minutes. Bread comes with some of the choices - two pieces of Wonderesque white bread in a plastic sandwich bag. Actually - this bread is for the “sandwich” - the rib sandwich is a cut of ribs with the bagged bread slices. The chicken sandwich is 1-2 pieces of chicken in the same format. So you do not really eat the sandwich as a sandwich, you use the bread to sop up the sauce from the foil and the bones. All of the meat comes wrapped in generous amounts of aluminum foil.

I have tried all of the sides. The best bets are greens (plenty of natural fat in these) and baked beans. One tip on the greens, if you don’t eat all of them just pitch the container, you do not want to see what the greens look like after a night in the refrigerator.

This is an experience. This is the type of place that you drive by and wonder..what is it like in there. So now you know.

Last Call for the Finer Diner

Formerly at:

4989 Cleveland Ave.

 

The Finer Diner closed doors for good on October 31st. Word is a hot dog and sausage outfit will move in.

The Diner built a loyal following in Columbus with a reputation for excellent pies, large portions and made from scratch home cooking for a low price. The Diner was small and cramped but it never seemed crowded since everyone was so friendly. Some regulars came in for lunch as well as dinner on the last day, almost all of them signed a farewell book so that they can be contacted when the Diner reopens someday. As a parting tip, two loyal customers gave a $100 GFS gift card for restocking the new Finer Diner.

 

Finer Diner Proprietor Abe Pendleton plans to continue on with catering while he looks for a new location in Columbus. Abe has been in the restaurant business for many years, this was his first outing on his own and it worked well for almost 4 years. If you are interested in ordering a pie (Pumpkin, Apple, Pecan, Key Lime, or one of many others), his famous Ho Ho cake, pasta sauce, or a catered meal from his fine Finer Diner Menu - give him a call. Abe can be reached at 614.397.3459.