HASH HOUSE A GO GO

 UNMATCHED SERVICE...BUT SHARE A PLATE, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE

When we realized this is a chain of about 10, we almost didn't go.

But we were park weary and breakfast food sounded comforting.

We were a bit surprised to also find out that a large part of the breakfast menu disappears around 5 pm (note to corporate, when your name is hash house, serve the full menu the entire time you are open -- even McDonalds has caught on that a lot of us find refuge in getting breakfast for lunch, dinner and late night).

So with these bits of trepidation, how did it earn 5 stars?

The manager, who became our server. I believe his name is Vince.

There were two huge parties being attended to by the wait staff. We went at an odd time, so the place wasn't very full but also didn't have much staff.

I'm a big eater, but when I read the stuff on the menu item -- tractor something such, one of the breakfast items available all day -- I thought I better share.

Then we thought about pesky sharing charges. We started our usual plotting.

The wife would order a biscuit or something and I'd order the big meal and we would pretend we weren't sharing, so we didn't get stuck with some stupid $6 sharing charge.

Then Vince told us you each get a giant biscuit, with all sort of jam and honey butter, on the house.

My wife said, uh, then, I guess order with a plate to share -- we'll pay the sharing charge. No charge for sharing, said Vince.

He didn't try to upsell us at all. No, well with saving money by splitting, you can afford an expensive drink...or order a cake or whatever. Just a mention that you really get four waffle square, meat, taters, eggs and those giant biscuits before the main comes out.

Even though it was not his table and we were probably making an order than brought in one 20th of the revenue the big parties were bringing in (we saw kids at those table ordering giant baskets of food they couldn't consume in a week), we got prompt service.

Vince even caught me out of the corner of his eye and brought more rich maple syrup so I could properly drown my share of those fluffy waffle chunks. We didn't have to dance or hollar to get the check -- as the country food hit us hard and demanded a rush to the hotel for a nap prior to I-Drive nighttime roaming.

He was prompt, efficient...even held the door to the parking lot so I could steer my wife's wheelchair without crooking my shoulder to catch the door.

Vince (and I sure hope you got your name right) you gave us the gold star service of a $100 per plate gourmet room -- for a bill that I'm pretty sure came in under 20 bucks even with a healthy tip. Good man.

THE ORLANDO EYE

 FIVE STARS FOR WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

The wheelchair access is great at the Orlando Eye.

It starts with free surface parking right next to the wheel (drive around behind the parking deck to get these if you have the parking placard).

As a companion to wheelchair user (my wife), I got a free ride "or flight," as they like to call it. 

Add in Florida resident discount and we were riding for less than half price.

The area where you watch the video on the wheel is super wheelchair accessible.The lobby gets high points for a family restroom, where a spouse can assist his partner in transfer from wheelchair in privacy.

The ride is smooth and the cars are big.The attendants don't make a fuss or make the wheelchair user feel awkward.

The wheel lights up at night and is quite beautiful.The only drawback is well, the view is Orlando.

No offense, but you see the tops of a bunch of mega hotels, the parking lots of I-Drive then the last of the scrub land beyond...that has let to be developed into a mall, theme park, or hotel complex.

You ride the London Eye, you see all the famous buildings in London.

No offense to Orlando, but the scenery doesn't match Big Ben and the Thames. From the Orlando Eye, even the Epcot dome looks a bit like a golf ball far off the the south.