The Fat Daddy

For some reason you persist in reading the drivel I tap out here, and for that I’m grateful, but I’ve been delinquent in fresh mullings as of late, and for that I apologize.  It would seem that the real world precludes my entry into the blogosphere from time to time (oh sweet blogosphere, my escape!)  Yet,  I intend to rectify that with a fresh ‘un, because life is too interesting not to mull over.  So, without further ado…

As you know, we don’t eat just because we’re hungry.  Sometimes eating is an event, like a date or a family reunion.  Sometimes we eat to cope, though it’s not recommended (but a bowl of chocolate ice cream does help from time to time).  Sometimes it’s a competition, like Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, though fun to watch, is also not recommended.  And sometimes you eat just for the fun of it, and that is why I wound up at Munchies 4:20 Café!

Munchies 4:20 Cafe

I’d heard of Munchies on the Travel Channel’s show Man V. Food, where the show’s host, Adam Richman, travels the country sampling some of America’s unique dining establishments and participating in some pretty crazy food challenges.  I happened to be in St Pete, Florida this past weekend for the Salvador Dali Museum and thought it worth the 40 minute drive to Sarasota to take a gander at their menu.  And quite the menu they have, too!

The place itself is unassuming to look at from the outside and could qualify as a hole-in-the-wall, but I don’t use that phrase derogatorily, for I love to find and sample food from mom-and-pop restaurants and greasy spoons. Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten has come from such establishments; it must be the effect Anthony Bourdain has on me.  Upon walking in you're greeted immediately by the counter to order from and to the left two booths if you choose to eat in.  Mrs. Muller and I were fortunate enough to score one of them.  One the back wall hung a tee-shirt advertising The Fire in the Hole Wings Challenge, of which Adam Richman tried and failed after one wing.  The lady behind the counter at first acted as if she’d rather do anything other than take our order until I inquired about the wing challenge.  She became very adamant that I should not try it, that it’s just that bad.  I was informed that 9 out of 10 people who try it, regardless of whether they succeed or not, will throw up.  In fact, they don’t offer the challenge after 10 pm because that’s when the drunks roll in to take a shot, and they usually don’t make it back out when they start to ralph.  That’s a smart policy.  But In truth, I wasn’t there to consume food that could potentially cause permanent damage to my anus, I was there for their fat sandwiches!

The beautiful Mrs. Muller posing below the only wall hanging not a Dave Matthews Band poster or a participant in the Fire in the Hole Wings Contest.  Quite fetching.

A side note here: Mrs. Muller made a good observation about the name of Munchies 4:20 Café.  The café’s hours are 4:20 pm to 4:20 am, and would be the obvious reason for their name.  But, upon further consideration, the date April 20th, or 4/20, is also considered by some to be “Weed Day”, or “Pot Day” , as in marijuana, and seeing as imbibing in marijuana can give you the “munchies”, it would seem a double entendre is being employed here.  I think she’s on to something!  I should have asked for some of that “special oregano” for my sandwich, know what I mean…

Now, Munchies offers a variety of foods like burgers, dogs, philly cheese steaks and salads, even desserts, but they also offer such things called fat sandwiches, as well.  Some of the names for these fat sandwiches are; Fat Josh, Fat Mamma, and Fat Hippie.  I settled on the Fat Daddy.  Here is what’s in a Fat Daddy, as listed on their menu:

Behold! The Fat Daddy!

• cheeseburger
• philly works (as in philly cheese steak sandwich!)
• chicken fingers
• mozzarella sticks
• spuds (fried potato wedges)
• lettuce
• tomato
• mayo
• ketchup

Thanks God there was some roughage in that behemoth!  And it’s all served on a 12 inch hoagie.  And mine also came doused with cheddar cheese sauce!  It has to be one of the most ridiculous concoctions of food I’ve ever seen.  And it was very, very good!  You might be surprised to know that each element of the sandwich was discernable when I bit into it.  The fact that all that cheese didn’t make the fried spuds soggy was surprising.  I finished all 12 inches, along with a side order of spuds, half of Mrs. Muller’s philly cheese steak, and washed it down with orange soda.  I fully expected to enter cardiac arrest upon standing and didn’t, but I did suffer quite the gastric eruption later that night.  I think it was the orange soda, but I could be wrong.

Yeah sometimes we eat for the fun of it, and Munchies was fun.  In fact, I’d recommend it, just not on a regular basis; unless you think diabetes and heart attacks are living on the edge.  I told my brother-in-law about it and we’re planning a road trip just to eat a fat sandwich.  We’re crazy that way.  Next time I might go with the Fat Sandy, it has mac-n-cheese on it…