Phipps Feeding Fiasco

The experience

I’m writing this over a week after actually going there, so my recollection of the experience is not going to go so well.  I know that Ogre and Mina love this place and in the past, I’ve been a little bit “iffy” about reviewing it for childsplate.  Afterall, it’s Hooters.  That just doesn’t seem like it’d be kid friendly!  But honestly, we probably eat here once or twice a month and think it’s pretty good.  I don’t really care about the girls that work there.  Everyone has to make a living and if they don’t mind showing off their goods and having people gawk at them, I don’t really care either. 

Anyway, what I do remember is that Benji spent the whole day with my parents and did not nap, so of course he was out before we ever hit the restaurant and he stayed asleep the entire time…in fact, he stayed asleep until I put him in his car seat and promptly fell asleep again on the way home!

Mina just colored and did the puzzles on the activity sheet.  I got quite a few calls (I was on call that night) and spent some time in the parking lot on the phone because it’s very noisy in the restaurant. 

One time when we ate here, Ogre told me that he’d eaten here with some friends of his and the girls that work at Hooters were dressed extra scantily and he didn’t know why.  Well, it’s because they have “Dress Up” night some nights at Hooters.  Mina saw the sign for this and really wanted to eat here on a “Dress Up” night.  We left it at, “No, we won’t be eating here that night,” rather than explain that her idea of “dress up” and their idea of “dress up” are completely different!

And why the title?  Ogre would tell Mina that we would be eating at “Hoots” because she loves this place and always exclaims how much she loves “hoots,” which sounds better than exclaiming how much she loves hooters.   But now she can read, so we’ve given up on the fake name.

The food

Mainly a place for wings and buffalo shrimp, but they have a lot of other bar food (burgers, dogs, sandwiches). 

I ordered a Caesar Salad, which was just average and nothing to write home about…or write anything here.

We ordered the buffalo shrimp with Bentley sauce and Daytona sauce.  I like both of these sauces.   Ogre always orders extra Bentley sauce on the side.  I think the two different sauces break up the monotony and complement pretty well.  The Bentley sauce is very spicy (but in a vinegar-based hot/Tobasco -esque way that I can handle for some reason) and flavorful also. The Daytona sauce is a little more sweet, but not sickly sweet.  Even Ogre likes it and he traditionally does not go for the sweeter sauces.

Mina ordered a burger with cheese and bacon and ate pretty well tonight. 

The fries are served curly and not anything to write home to mom about, just average.

The service

It was average tonight.  She told us that everyone seemed to be sitting down in her section (it was open seating) as to why she was not that attentive  -not that we asked.  Food comes out pretty quickly, but refills on drinks are pretty slow.

The kids

As much as one might not want it to be, it’s actually pretty gosh darn kid friendly.  They have crayons with an activity page and coloring and they have a pretty good little kids menu to choose from. 

I think they have some great wing sauce here, and I can get past the…ambiance.  If you can, too, try it out.  Your adolescent teenage sons will dig it, I bet!

Related Fiascos

• Boston Market (must a be a week for Boston restaurants!)
• Steak and Shake and Sundaes, Too
• Benji’s Lunch at Jason’s Deli
• Les Phipps a La Madeleine
• Coloring and Coloring at Macaroni Grill