Foothill Flavors

The Waffle Shop is Full of Surprises

By Antoinette May Herndon

Where does one go for a juicy, flavorful, tender, “cooked just the way you want it” steak? Well, you may be very surprised to hear where I go.

Would you believe the Waffle Shop? Since April—the restaurant’s tenth anniversary—the Waffle Shop has begun extending its hours on Friday and Saturday until 8 p.m. They’re serving dinner now and doing it well. Charles and I have found the Waffle Shop to be a dynamite place to go for a quick, no frills, but reliably good meal.

Everybody knows what a great choice the Waffle Shop is for breakfast and, of course, it’s a natural for a casual lunch as well.

As of last month Charles and I have been going there for breakfast on a regular basis for eight years. You can believe me when I say, the food is always good, the wait staff invariably cheerful. Isn’t it a grand and glorious thing to start the day knowing that for at least one hour in the next 24 life will go absolutely right?

Yum! Think two eggs and corned beef hash ($8.75) or three eggs and a steak ($9.95) and there’s always two eggs and a sausage patty ($8.55). Sometimes I even go wild and order the Apple-Raisin Waffle mixed with raisins in the batter and topped with hot apples and still more raisins. It’s such a steal at $7.25 that I often end up ordering a side of bacon ($3.95).

But I’m not here to tell you what you already know. The exciting news is that the new kid on the block (dinnerwise) is actually an old standby

that we all know and rely on.

The other evening Charles and I decided to check it out. Happily, the restaurant itself hadn’t changed. It’s the same large, airy place decorated in restful shades of dark green and muted mauve. We settled back into our serene green booth and picked up our menus wondering what was in store for us.

Charles decided almost immediately on the turkey dinner ($6.50) Yes, it had all the trimmings: mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce. And it was cold enough that night to feel like Thanksgiving—hope it’s warmer when you read this. The choice seemed ironically appropriate. But then everybody knows that turkey’s always timely, always a favorite.

For a starter Charles picked the house salad. It looked very crisp and pretty and came topped with lots of goodies. Salad was included with the entrée price. I was feeling nostalgic that night and opted for chicken noodle soup. When have you had that before? I don’t want to tell you how many years it’s been for me. The Waffle Shop’s wasn’t quite the way I remembered Grandma’s but still tasted warm and flavorful. Perfect for a chilly night and also included with the entree.

Now for the exciting part. For a main course I ordered the 12 oz. T- bone steak. ($12.99. Charles advised against it. “This isn’t the place,” he warned. “It’ll be tough and they’ll never cook it as rare as you like.”

I shrugged, not expecting perfection. This wasn’t Taste, for heaven sakes. What can I say? The price was right and I was in a steaky mood. Maybe

it wouldn’t be a great one; but, worse case scenario, Chloe, our little girl dog, would get the bedtime snack of her dreams.

Well, forget Chloe! There wasn’t even a bite left for her. The Waffle Shop serves one wonderful steak. First of all it had a great flavor. Really, really good. Second, and most important, it was cooked exactly the way I ordered it—super rare. (Once I even thought I heard a reproachful “Moo!”) Thirdly, it was really tender, no gristle at all.

Dinner at the Waffle Shop turned out to be a true treat. The ambience is pleasant, the service excellent. I think the only drawback is the lack of a liquor license. As a waffle shop, why would they need one? Still with a steak like that, I would have loved a glass of cabernet. And for me, there’s always that martini that starts the evening off right.

Many people won’t care about this. The Waffle Shop is family friendly and the prices are very low considering the high quality of food and service. For party girls like me, there’s always the opportunity to enjoy a before dinner cocktail just down the street in Mel & Fay’s bar.

It makes for a pleasant Saturday night. Just try it and see.

VITALS) Waffle Shop, 543 South Highway 39, Jackson. Phone: 223- 4888. Dinner is on the menu from 3 p.m. to closing time at 8 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Credit cards accepted.

PICTURES

The Waffle Shop’s interior is attractive and inviting.

A tender, tasty steak at the Waffle Shop

Melissa Miguel serves a great steak.