Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Penguin Point Review - Hot Dog

I'm experimenting with a lovely picture of the Penguin Point hot dog before I stuffed it into my gaping maw.
According to their calendar el Hot Dog was on special on Monday for a buck. I got everything on it that I could have without paying extra, which means onions, ketchup, mustard and relish. It took way too long after ordering to get the doggie, like four minutes or more. It's just a stinkin' hot dog! But it came in the paper holder that could probably double as a coffee filter, if times are hard, and a foil wrapper. There was nothing fancy about the bun. Just a bun. It wasn't even steamed or warmed which definitely detracted from the experience. The hotdog itself was on the skinny side but was nice seasoned instead of those pale greenish dogs you often get at restaurants.
Overall, well worth a buck but next time please do something about the bun!

Monday, January 27, 2014

New Series - Penguin Point!

For those not in the secret club, Penguin Point is a local chain based in Warsaw, Indiana, about an hour north-west of Fort Wayne. Growing up I would often beg to visit the Penguin Point when we visited grandparents in Wabash, about an hour south-west. How long to get those glasses? About an hour. I see a trend.
There used to be two locations in Fort Wayne but now there is just one, oddly surviving for decades on a semi-rural corner, flanked by a Dairy Queen and a Mexican restaurant. For me Penguin Point used to be a destination eatery in that I would have to drive way out of my way to patronize the establishment but now I drive by there twice a day most days of the week, each time resisting its siren call of fried chicken, tenderloin sandwiches, burgers, chili dogs, and crinkle cut fries. They pretty much have a little bit of everything, even ham and beans with cornbread which is a nice alternative to chili. Plus you can pull up outside and they’ll bring it to your car, though I haven’t attempted such a feat in the sub-zero temperatures we've been having.
I checked out their official web site and calculated that I could have one of everything on their menu for about eighty bucks. Eighty bucks over a year or two isn't much, especially since I now get their coupons at the new abode and they have daily specials. So I reckon I'll try everything off their menu and write about it. I'd take pictures but you don't want to see me eat. I could take pictures of their food but it's the same as everyone else. It looks amazing on the menu but once unwrap the sammich it looks yummy but not like the perfection previously postulated.
The other issue is that I'm not much of a foodie. I eat food and either it's yummy, yucky, or somewhere in between. There shant be any nuances with these stunted taste buds!
So far I've made three visits to this outpost of food stuffs.

Big Wally
How could I resist a Big Wally, especially with a coupon? If you've had a Big Mac then you've had a Big Wally. The secret sauce could be different but it was song mind of mayo-derived glob. Service was friendly.

Tenderloin
Oh how I loves me a tenderloin sandwich! Two for five bucks but oddly not very filling as I was hungry later in the afternoon. They were nice and crunchy with a meaty center, just like they should be. Some kind of goop was on top, either mayo or tartar sauce or hair cream, but it was minimal in amount and covered over with an ample portion of vegetation. Possibly shredded iceberg lettuce but it was big and chunky and had a crunchy texture so it could have been flavorless cabbage. And don't forget the slice of cheese. And the obligatory bun.

Vanilla Milk Shake
This thing was so thick that even an hour later I had to scoop it out with the straw. I'm sure the ten degree weather had something to do with that. Good flavor, good texture. I'm not sure if its a chemical shake like McDonalds has but I wouldn't be surprised if it's real either. After all, their Ham N Beans only had ingredients you can find in your kitchen, or your mothers kitchen if she's into beans. Hey, Penguin People, why not list the ingredients on your web site?