El Rancho Grande

 Bob, Sam and I usually meet at El Rancho Grande a couple of times each year and enjoy the fine Mexican food and a chance to enjoy each other's company for a couple of hours.

 We usually meet at the location at 2008 S. Alex Road in West Carrollton. It's on the way home from work for Bob and Sam lives in nearby Miamisburg.

 Nachos and two bowls of hot sauces ... that's a great way to kill the time waiting for our meals. The nachos are bottomless and the wait for our food is minimal.

 Bob and Sam always share a pitcher of margaritas. Some years back I started with a "taste" but soon graduated to a salt-rimmed glass (just one!) of my own. I don't like to drive after drinking more than one.

  Sam (l) and Bob

Me!

 I always order a bean burrito with re-fried beans and rice. Yes, a dangerous combination.
 A great time was had by all three of us. I came home stuffed and was in bed by 8:15 pm. I suppose it was the margarita.

Return to IHOP

 It's been years. IHOP hasn't had a location in the Dayton for some time - why, I wonder? - and it's a place our family used to frequent. Yesterday Tom suggested we go there for brunch and it turned out to be a good choice.

 We went to the location on Marburg Avenue in Cincinnati.

 The restaurant was clean as a pin and the people working there - from the cashier to the waitress - were beyond friendly. That's always a good reason to return. But the food was what we mostly came for and it didn't disappoint us, either..

 Tom had a wonderful salad ...

 And something IHOP calls a "Strawberry Splashberry" ...

 And I had a Garden Omelette which filled a plate. Underneath were a few eggs and atop were tomatoes, broccoli and plenty of shredded cheese. It came with toast (I always order wheat).

 And I added a pot of regular coffee and a glass of water. The coffee was dark and rich and plenty hot for the entire meal. I understand it's endless, but one pot turned out to be enough for me.

 It looks as though IHOP is coming back to the Dayton area. It'll be a great place for a return visit.

Original Pancake House (again)

 Tom and I didn't have as much time today so we met at exit 19 (I-75) at one of the locations of The Original Pancake House. We enjoyed it the last time we went and Tom was lusting after their Dutch Baby, a German big-as-a-plate oven-baked pancake.

 I warned him: they're 730 calories. Didn't matter. He wanted one.

And he got one.

 Tom ordered fresh strawberries to go with it. The lemon slices and powdered sugar (yes, more) is part of the deal.So's maple syrup but Tom usually skips that.

 For myself, I ordered a lighter menu item, blueberry pancakes ...

(just 640 calories .... cough, cough). It comes with blueberry syrup.

 And then there's their wonderful dark, rich, strong coffee! I always need something to cut the sweet. A balanced life is everything, right?

 Here's Tom "before the bloat". No "after" pictures.

 And a shot of me (actually, I should be shot for eating that many calories in one sitting).

 This location of The Original Pancake House is much newer than the one we visited before. Want to read that original blog? Click here.
 Highly recommended if you love pancakes. Great food. Great people.

Those Beautiful Morels

 They come just once a year ... and few enough when they do. The days of Michigan trips and bushel baskets are over. Last year I found but one and was happy enough for that. This year I found six and was ecstatic. But a walk back to my favorite spot today (05/02) showed no more and I suspect the season has already ended.

 Still, this is what I found this year:

 This one on 4/28 ...

And the rest of these on 4/29 ...

 This one was the prettiest. I'd say it's a "yellow" where the others are likely "gray's".

 And so the season ends almost before it begins. But what a glorious few hours they were.