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Restaurant Review

Franny’s Family Restaurant & Pancake House

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Breakfast food is comfort food, and we are always searching for a great place to get that warm, homey feeling. Welcome to Franny’s Family Restaurant & Pancake house!

We were super excited to hear about a new restaurant in our town that seemed like a Waffle House style place with Pancakes instead of waffles.

We were so excited to try it out. So did we like it? Keep reading and we will let you know.

Franny’s Family Restaurant & Pancake House

The restaurant is tucked away just off one of the main areas of Stevens Point. This area is no stranger to great food as there are several other restaurants within walking distance.

Another great benefit is that the Holiday Inn is just right down the way if you are looking to visit. So what kind of food do they offer?

Well, it’s not just pancakes! Franny’s Family Restaurant offers a wide range of foods; you will find everything from Mexican to stirfry to good old fashioned breakfast favorites.

Enjoyments of the Experience

Breakfast food is comfort food, and we are always searching for a great place to get that warm, homey feeling. Welcome to Franny's Family Restaurant & Pancake house!

Since this restaurant is local to us, we’ve actually enjoyed it a few times. The first time we actually went to the restaurant to eat. On my visit to the restaurant, I was excited to try out a salad called the Oriental Chicken Crisp. Jason tried the Pancakes and French fries.

The pancakes were delicious, fluffy and oh so delicious. Even the fries were good with their golden brown crust.

Franny’s offers delivery through Eat Street and we’ve taken advantage of that now a few times. The food always arrives warm and delicious. I’ve found I really like the Beef Stir Fry and the Steak Chimichangas. At this point I’m not sure there is any bad food at Franny’s.

Things to Improve

Breakfast food is comfort food, and we are always searching for a great place to get that warm, homey feeling. Welcome to Franny's Family Restaurant & Pancake house!

The salad was good but misleading since it’s not really Oriental dressing instead some sort of southwest ranch. This must be a common misconception because the waitress told me right away. I was still happy to try it and it was really good.

Restaurant Conclusion

I love this place and can’t wait to return. If you are looking for a comfort meal in a cozy little restaurant you can’t go wrong trying out Franny’s.

Looking for other great food recommendations? Check out these recent posts:

We would love to hear if you’ve tried out Franny’s and what you thought. comment below and let us know.

  • Breakfast food is comfort food, and we are always searching for a great place to get that warm, homey feeling. Welcome to Franny's Family Restaurant & Pancake house!
  • Breakfast food is comfort food, and we are always searching for a great place to get that warm, homey feeling. Welcome to Franny's Family Restaurant & Pancake house!
  • Breakfast food is comfort food, and we are always searching for a great place to get that warm, homey feeling. Welcome to Franny's Family Restaurant & Pancake house!
  • Breakfast food is comfort food, and we are always searching for a great place to get that warm, homey feeling. Welcome to Franny's Family Restaurant & Pancake house!

Ri Ra Irish Pub – Las Vegas

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When meeting up with friends you want a restaurant that is enjoyable to sit in and the wait staff is friendly. That is exactly what we got at the Ri Ra Irish Pub when visiting in August of 2020.

Ri Ra Irish Pub Food

Ri Ra Irish Pub - A great place to eat with good food, good service, and AMAZING dessert.

When ordering my dinner, I decided to go with a classic. Check out their full menu for other great choices. I went with the Shepards Pie, which was a delectable loaf of potato and meat stew goodness. It was perfectly seasoned with lamb, peas, carrots, and of course the mashed potatoes.

Feeling a little indulgent, my friend and I to order and split a Whiskey Caramel Bread Pudding dessert. The dessert was sweet, warm, and an amazing way to finish off our meal. I am so glad we took the advice offered and decided to order it.

If you want this dessert, you really need to order it before you start eating your meal. It takes around 45 minutes to cook and be delivered to the table, so this is no last minute dessert option. You won’t be disappointed when you decide to get it.

Enjoyments of the Experience

When meeting up with friends you want a restaurant that is enjoyable to sit in and the wait staff is friendly. That is exactly what we got at the Ri Ra Irish Pub when visiting in August of 2020.

Anytime I’m visiting a new restaurant I want to ensure I understand the menu. Our wait staff was friendly, made suggestions, and offered what I felt were valid opinions on our food.

The great advice really made the overall experience at the Ri Ra Irish pub even more enjoyable.

Things to Improve

The restaurant itself is laid out a little odd, or maybe that’s where our table was. Due to COVID restrictions, we ended up at a huge table. However, this worked for us since we were really brainstorming, and having the extra table space came in handy.

Restaurant Conclusion

Overall, I would recommend you try out the Ri Ra Irish Pub. The food was great, the wait staff attentive, and the vibe was one of old-time comfort.

Looking for some other activities in Las Vegas:

When meeting up with friends you want a restaurant that is enjoyable to sit in and the wait staff is friendly. That is exactly what we got at the Ri Ra Irish Pub when visiting in August of 2020.

Finding the Best Regional Fast Food

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It seems like our teenage daughters phone is always attached to her hand.  That phone always, and I do mean always, has YouTube playing in the background.  My generation listened to the radio for background music; she watches YouTube.  With all that time looking at strange YouTube videos, one of the things that she has learned about is the different fast food restaurants. There are so many around the United States that seem to be more regional fast food options compared to the McDonalds and Subway options. 

Regional Fast Food Options

Check out our favorite Las Vegas Fast Food places to eat!

One of the things I realized over the last year or two is that Las Vegas has a lot of regional fast food options. There seems to be one on every street corner. Ever since our daughter found out In-N-Out Burger was located in Las Vegas, she has been asking to go back. Trying the food at In-N-Out Burger is on her ‘bucket list.’  Here in central Wisconsin, we don’t have that as an option. 

One of my personal favorites is the French Fries from ‘Steak and Shake.’  There is not even a ‘Steak and Shake’ located in the state of Wisconsin, but there are several in Las Vegas. Iincluding one just off the strip at Hooters Casino.  

Maybe Shake Shack is your preference.  That is based off the east coast, but they have a couple in Las Vegas, including one on the Strip and one also included inside T-Mobile Arena.  Closest Shake Shack to us is now at the Mall of America in Minneapolis. 

Maybe you are looking for White Castle?  I would suggest skipping it personally as I was never a fan. However they do have several on the Strip.  Several of these have just have opened within the last several years. 

There are many other regional fast food places and have added other sit-downs ranging from Tilted Kilt to Twin Peaks to a 24 hour Buffalo Wild Wings right on the strip.  I would not be surprised to see more of the regional restaurants open their doors to the Las Vegas area. 

Next Regional Restrauants?

I would love to see a Whataburger or even Waffle House in Las Vegas. Maybe they will move in soon. After all, there is money to be made from tourism. Many people visiting Las Vegas want to try these regional pieces of Americana.

Food in Hawaii – I can’t believe I paid $20 for pancakes to go

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Food in Hawaii is expensive.  There is no way around it.  There are ways to save, but towards the end of our trip, our options became limited due to Hurricane Lane.

Why we spent $20 on Pancakes to go

Let me start with the $20 pancakes.  When everything was closing due to the hurricane, most restaurants shut down.  Even Starbucks and McDonalds were closed down.  Some of the hotel restaurants would only serve you if you were staying with them.  The only options we could find was Burger King and IHOP nearby.
 

100% Kona Coffee

IHOP had a limited menu while they were open which means all deals were gone.  One order of chicken strips and two orders of pancakes for Joni, Cheyenne and I were just shy of $60 on the pickup order.  Under normal circumstances, there are some cheaper options.
 

Food in Hawaii – Food Trucks

Food trucks are very common throughout the island.  We had grabbed food at a couple of these along with some excellent snacks.  Cheyenne fell in love with the ‘rolled ice cream.’  I preferred to stick with the ‘Hawaiian Shaved Ice.’  Don’t call it a slushie; it is so much more than that.
 
If you find yourself up on the North Shore in Haleiwa during your site seeing, make sure you stop in at Matsumoto‘s Shaved Ice.  The line is usually long, but it is so much more than a slushie.  Also, make sure to add the condensed milk as it adds such a sweet option to it.  Well worth the wait.
 

Fast Food Options

They do have fast food in Hawaii as well.  Jack in the Box, Burger King and McDonald’s were close by the hotel we stayed at and found around Waikiki.  Cheyenne and I would walk down to McDonald’s for a $1.50 ice cream cone to help us cool down.  The costs are higher than back in the 48 states, but it was cheaper than some of the sit-down restaurants.  Some of the ‘dollar menu’ items are still cheaper, so there is a lower cost alternative.
 
We did also do IHOP on the cheap for one meal also.  IHOP loves to have them monthly specials they advertise for all their locations throughout the US.  We found them to be the same cost as the ones back in Wisconsin.  By getting the pancakes that were on special at that time instead of the general menu pancakes, it was the difference between $5 for breakfast for one of us compared to $18-20.
 

Convenience Stores for Quick Food in Hawaii

Cheyenne also learned about “ABC Stores.”  They are a set of convenience stores throughout Hawaii and in Las Vegas. If you pick up snacks and munchies here and bring them to your hotel, it saves on the urge for the expensive snacks throughout the day.
 
We also brought some snacks from home in our luggage.  Granola Bars and trail mix help cut out the snacking between meals. This is a great way to pay less for food in Hawaii.
 

Local Favorites

Koko Head Cafe

Sometimes though you do have to splurge, especially when we are talking about food in Hawaii.  Cheyenne and I have found our new favorite restaurant.  Cheyenne likes to remind me that I always let her pick where to eat for her birthday and she keeps telling me now its one of the local restaurant that a friend of ours recommended to us on Ohau.
 
Sooner or later Cheyenne should come to terms that she is not going back to Hawaii for her birthday.  If you have a chance, there is a small local joint that serves breakfast and lunch called Koko Head Cafe.  We loved it so much; we had to go here twice.  Cheyenne would keep trying to steal from my plate.
 
To get an idea of the indulgence for breakfast, the meal of choice for Cheyenne was Cornflake Crusted French Toast with Billionaires Bacon, Pepper Maple Syrup and Frosted Flake Gelato.  This eating experience and the fantastic food is worth the effort to go off the beaten path.
 

MAC 24/7

If you find yourself staying close to Waikiki Beach, MAC 24/7 is within walking distance to most of the hotels in the area.  It is located in one of the Hilton Properties and featured on Man Vs. Food.  You will find some of the best pancakes for breakfast here.
 
No matter where you get food in Hawaii, we hope you have an AMAZING time! If you have or find other local places to eat or tips others can use, please comment below!

KoKo Head Cafe in Hawaii – Restaurant Review

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This summer we were very fortunate and got to visit the island of Oahu in Hawaii. One of our friends recommended we try to visit Koko Head Cafe if we had the chance. On our second day, we decided we would give it a try.

Koko Head Cafe

The Koko Head Cafe merely is impressive. They are open from 7 AM to 2:30 PM every day featuring brunch style foods with a fun mix of items they are sure to have something there for everyone. Chef Anne Wong runs this little Pan-Asian inspired eatery.

I have to say this was probably the biggest surprise of our entire vacation. Not only was the food amazing, the staff was super helpful and catered to the locals and tourists alike. It was an amazingly refreshing experience.

Food

Cheyenne and Jason both love pancakes, french toast, and waffles. So when they found out one of the items on the Koko Head Cafe menu was a famous Cornflake French Toast, they were sold. This meal did not disappoint. They both gave it an A+ for amazingness.

KoKo Head Cafe meals

I had the daily dumpling special. My dumpling dish was the most fantastic meal I had for my entire vacation. When we visited the dumpling dish featured was beef and mushroom delightful dumpling, and while overall this is served as an appetizer it did not disappoint.

We loved this little restaurant so much; we made a point of returning before we left. All because we wanted to have our French Toast and Dumplings a second time. During our second trip, we tried the Coffee and Doughnuts which are a cinnamon sesame cake donut with a Kona Coffee Anglaise, and they were delicious as well.

Conclusion

The Koko Head Cafe is a must visit location. The food will not disappoint you and will leave you wanting more.