:a_Top:
Haute Cuisine IHOP is not. But sometimes you just need something close, fast, cheap…and a little gluttonous in a trashy way. So, the WBC went to IHOP. We promise we’ll try to get back to more sophisticated restaurants in the near future.
Attendees: :jump_to_Sylvia:, :jump_to_Shelley:
:a_Sylvia:
I may have griped about this before, but the one thing I dislike about chain restaurants these days is the fact that they have to list the calorie count. I feel like I am pretty responsible when it comes to making choices about my caloric intake. Why do I need to feel more guilty about the one splurge I have all week? Although, I do have to say, even though I did eat well over 1200 calories in one sitting, it kept me full enough to not eat anything else for the rest of the day. I guess I got my money’s worth at the IHOP.
IHOP of Hartsdale has been there since I can remember. My siblings and I used to go there as kids, and we still go with my parents, who really enjoy it there. Same little blue roofed building that stayed exactly the same, even as the environment around it kept growing, literally. The parking lot was probably designed for cars a fraction of the size of the cars we drive today. Filled with minivans and monster SUVs, the lot is tight. There is a lot behind it, but it’s a municipal lot, and quarters are required 24/7. However, 75 cents for 1.5 hours is better than risking some SUV love marks on my car in the teeny free parking lot.
It was Sunday, so a wait was inevitable. But the turn over was quick and in less than 20 minutes we were in. The booths and seats are also made for people a fraction of our size. Shelley and I fit just comfortably on one side of a four person booth. We are on the smaller side of average, size wise. Not saying you can’t fit two Jeffrey-sized adults, but they better like each other.
On this lovely October morning, we were in time for IHOP’s Halloween all you can eat pancakes promotion. Score. Not that I can eat alot, but I like the option. So, I got the egg combo, sunnyside up. It came with two sunnyside up eggs, potatoes, and 2 pancakes to start off with. The potatoes were pretty good. Or at least they soaked up my egg yolks well. The pancakes were okay. I always forget to ask for them without the ball of butter on top, so I always end up scooping the butter off the pancakes and putting it on a napkin or extra dish. Even with a generous drizzle of the “Old Fashioned” syrup, I still find the pancakes too soft and too dry. They could use a little extra time on the griddle to crisp up a bit, but on a busy day, I’m sure they were just churning out pancakes as fast as they could. I did end up getting one refill (you get 3 pancakes for the refill). I ate one and called it quits. I got a box to bring home the other two for my dad.
The czar says: IHOP is great for families. It’s noisy enough inside that your over-excited children using their outdoor voices won’t be a problem, and the service is quick so you can be in and out before the kids get restless. The only issue is the wait for a table, but even that can be pretty quick.
:back_to_Top:
:a_Shelley:
Well, we finally caved and went to…IHOP. It’s close by (good), it’s convenient (good), and it has pancakes (good). Three goods can’t be wrong, right?
By 11:30 IHOP was hopping. The restaurant is small, and it was packed to the seams with diners and people waiting. I was told it would be a 20 minute wait for our party of three, so Sylvia, Jeff, and I headed outside to wait until we were called. Here’s a gripe about the way they call people: Names are called over a loudspeaker, but they only say the name once, for example, “Shelley, party of 3.” But, very often, the name isn’t completely clear over that loudspeaker. Several times we heard a name that could have been us, but we couldn’t really be sure. I’d suggest IHOP repeat the name: “Shelley, party of 3. Shelley.”
But enough complaining, on to the food.
We squeezed into a small booth (booths really should be bigger considering the gluttonous portions that IHOP serves up). The regular IHOP menu was a bit overwhelming, so I decided to first look at the smaller menu listing the October specials. And that’s where I found my breakfast. During October, you can order any reasonably priced combination plate and receive unlimited pancake refills. You get 2 pancakes right off the bat, and then re-fills of 3 pancakes a serving for as long as you can handle it. I selected the $4.99 egg combo plate; I got scrambled eggs, and it came with potatoes and the aforementioned pancakes.
The eggs were fluffy, but too salty. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, but too salty. The pancakes were a little dry…but not too salty. IHOP provides on your table 4 kinds of syrup: old fashioned, strawberry, blueberry, and something else which escapes me now. As an old fashioned kind of gal I chose the old fashioned syrup which was fine, but not genuine maple syrup. And despite the promise of unlimited pancake refills, my stomach just isn’t that big, and I didn’t get any refills. The eggs, potatoes, and 2 pancakes were plenty of food for me.
All in all breakfast at IHOP was what I needed it to be: cheap, convenient, and a passable quality. Nothing spectacular, but that’s no surprise. If you’re looking for a certain kind of breakfast, then IHOP could be your place. Not a place I’d say is worth a trip out of your way, but if you’re passing by or live 3 minutes away, then why not.
:back_to_Top:
Horizon at Fleetwood
December 6, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Sometimes you just need this kind of food, right? Your review’s very accurate and it’s definitely not fine dining, but if pancakes are what you’re in the mood for, IHOP’s the place to go. Especially if you’re already in Hartsdale or like you said, around 3 minutes away in Westchester.