Pittsburgh Chat Thread (Crafton, Ingram: motel, shopping center, park)

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Maybe I should put this in the Pittsburgh food thread, but could anyone explain to me what the big deal about Pamela's is supposed to be? I mean, being a vegan, I haven't ever gone there, but everyone I know who I have ever asked has said something along the lines of "It's just mediocre breakfast food - I don't understand the lines."

It's the pancakes. They're very thin and crepelike, with a nice, crisp edge. I've never had pancakes like these anywhere else. I usually get them with strawberries, brown sugar, sour cream, and whipped cream (not vegan, obviously--sorry). Unfortunately, they ruin the plain ones by serving them with fake maple syrup. They also serve "spread" as a default instead of butter (though that might be to your liking). Pamela's also serves canned soup. (Who would go to a restaurant and order canned soup?)

I only go to Pamela's when a particular friend really, really, really wants their banana pancakes. If I want to eat plain pancakes, I bring my own maple syrup and ask for butter instead of "spread" (they will accommodate this request). I often share my syrup with the people at the next table.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by greg42

I agree with the final statement, but I am quite tired of people throwing around the term "politically correct" where it isn't warranted.

Many local restaurants are far from politically correct.

I have to say, in all the discussions I've seen, Olive Garden does seem to inspire the most hate. I don't really .

I LOVE Olive Garden, great salads! Poor selection of beer.

I normally only frequent locally owned restaurants and strip joints. I hate those national brands, why should I give tips to strippers from out of state? Where does all those ones go?

What we need is a locally owned strip club that serves Primanti's.

[fleetiebelle]

My dad says that Pamela's pancakes are the only thing he agrees with Obama about (we don't talk politics much, obvs.) And I would marry their Lyonnaise potatoes if that were made legal.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Maybe I should put this in the Pittsburgh food thread, but could anyone explain to me what the big deal about Pamela's is supposed to be? I mean, being a vegan, I haven't ever gone there, but everyone I know who I have ever asked has said something along the lines of "It's just mediocre breakfast food - I don't understand the lines."

There are two modestly unusual and slightly famous (infamous?) things on the menu: the pancakes, which are made a little differently than anywhere else I've ever had them (hard to describe, some say they are sort of crepe-like, but there not THAT thin), and the lyonnaise potatoes. That I know of anyway. Those are the two items singled out. Everything else is just pretty standard diner-ish food.

President Obama (actually candidate Obama originally, I think) singled out the pancakes. He had the owners come to the White House and cook them too. I'm sure that notoriety gets noticed with out of towners, but it's been busy with Pittsburghers since before then.

But yeah, like anything, it is a favorite of some and not of others. In another thread Hopes was trying to talk up Primanti's, and we all know how that discussion goes. It's along the same lines.

Me personally, I happen to like how the potatoes and the pancakes taste. But I can't get out of there without feeling unwell it seems, not sure what it is but I remember that distinctly. I haven't been in a few years at least. These days I'd rather go to Waffles, Inc. http://www.post-gazette.com/life/mun...s/201309190357

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Don't ever badmouth The Hopester!


Eat'n Park Restaurant in the Los Angeles area on the HOT LIST

I have a feeling it is not the same Eat' n Park
http://goo.gl/maps/sVDy3

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Katiana

I'm not sure what you're saying about Big Boy. When I was a kid, one of Eat n Park's slogans was "Hungry? Try Eat n Park, home of the Big Boy hamburger". The Wiki article (yeah, I know) says this: "In the late 1940s Larry Hatch and Bill Peters were supervisors at Isaly's Restaurants in Pittsburgh. On a trip to Cincinnati, Hatch was impressed seeing the Frisch's Big Boy Drive In operation. He and Peters contacted Big Boy founder Bob Wian, reaching a 25 year agreement to operate Big Boy Restaurants in the Pittsburgh area, which would be called Eat'n Park.[4]. . . By 1974 interior dining replaced car hop service and other Big Boy franchises owned all territories surrounding metro Pittsburgh so Eat'n Park chose not to renew their Big Boy franchise agreement. The Big Boy hamburger was renamed the Super Burger."

Big Boy was franchised regionally. Big Boy Restaurants - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"In addition to the Bob's Big Boy name, the "Big Boy" concept, menu, and mascot were originally licensed to a wide number of regional franchise holders, listed below (with approximate licensed territories in parentheses). Because many of the early franchisees were already in the restaurant business when joining Big Boy, "Big Boy" was added to the franchisee name just as the Big Boy hamburger was added to the franchisee's menu. In this sense it is confusing when referring to a chain, as each named franchisee was itself a chain and Big Boy could be considered a chain of chains. People tend to know Big Boy not simply as Big Boy but as the franchise from where they lived such as Bob's Big Boy in California, Shoney's Big Boy in the south or Frisch's Big Boy in much of Ohio, among the many others."

[EveKendall]

Pamela's often has a sticky floor, one of my pet peeves. I realize this is a potential hazard for any heavily-syruped restaurant, though.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Copanut

I LOVE Olive Garden, great salads! Poor selection of beer.

I normally only frequent locally owned restaurants and strip joints. I hate those national brands, why should I give tips to strippers from out of state? Where does all those ones go?

What we need is a locally owned strip club that serves Primanti's.

Chain strip joints? Well, I guess that would standardize things, wouldn't it?

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by doo dah

Chain strip joints? Well, I guess that would standardize things, wouldn't it?

For sure, all the racks would look the same n'at.

[BarqCider]

strip club that serves primantis? I rather have chuck e cheese with strippers than that