Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Western Without the Staging

Here in Prescott, as in many western towns, the pressure to Offer a Western Experience to the tourons is palpable. The response occasionally verges on exploitation; some restaurants or saloons are thoroughly staged and some, but not all, are comfortable in their hokiness. Others are too precious for words. The thing I like about the Waffle Iron: it's not Old West, it's a piece of Prescott history. With a western theme. Our rodeo. Our cowboys. That sort of thing. Primarily pictures. Not overdone with artifacts.

In a word, the atmosphere is for real. A year round Christmas tree yet. No embarassment about a poster for the very un-PC Smoki dances. After all, they were a big part of Prescott past.

As was this cafe, for which ground was broken in fall of 1941. The Jack & Jill was a stopping off place for truckers and for cowboys on their way home from Whisky Row; the street was a gravel road.

From my point of view, two major features of the menu: the breakfast eggs are treated with great respect and the waffles provide a tasty underpining for a surprising choice of syrups. As a restaurant critic, however, I'm a flop because I've never eaten lunch at the Waffle Iron -- I always think of it as a place for a special breakfast!

And it's been in Gail's family for 27 years; always a real recommendation!

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:34 AM

    Nice place. Wish we had one here. I would probably be wondering around checking everything out while my food got cold.

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  2. A last bastion of Prescott Past and waffles too!
    Haven't been there for ages, but maybe tomaorrow..........

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  3. Steve -- you'd do the wandering the first time, but you'd be back & the next time, the food would be hot!

    Linda -- glad to remind you. The LH & I ate there often. It's just a hair beyond my walking radius for a regular visit, though I could get there on the little bus.

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