Denny's - Crystal River, Florida

Denny’s - Crystal River, Florida
2380 N W HWY 19, Crystal River, FL 34428
(352) 563-1177
http://www.dennys.com/

I suppose just about everyone has heard of Denny’s. They have had some bad press in the past to be sure but of recent there has been little to hear about them. I think it would also be safe to assume that most people think of them as a place where you can get familiar food, stick to the ribs kind (they have advertized their Grand Slam Breakfast for quite awhile) and perhaps a free meal on your birthday. Beyond that Denny’s doesn’t raise the excitement level, at least to me. They are there and sometimes they are just the most convenient place for a meal.

And so it was on out recent holiday to Crystal River to swim with the manatees. Denny’s occupied the connecting building to our motel. Now that is convenient. We took advantage of the amenity. We went for dinner after a long day touring looking for a quiet and relaxing meal.

Although it was the dinner hour, the wife wanted something different and chose to select from the breakfast menu. That is another thing that comes to mind when you think of Denny’s, breakfast served all day. She did the Build Your Own Grand Slam (You get to pick any four items from the list that includes: two strips of bacon, buttermilk biscuit, two buttermilk pancakes, two eggs, English muffin, grits (this is the South), hash browns, oatmeal with milk, two sausage links, two slices of toast. The list also includes some additional charge premium items: grilled ham slice; fruit in season, yogurt. I(t seems that all the fast food and restaurant chains have added healthier items to their menus and Denny’s calls theirs Fit Fare. The Fit Fare options include: one chicken sausage patty, two egg whites, two wheat pancakes, two turkey bacon strips.)

With all that to choose from, she selected two eggs, over medium, bacon cooked crisp, white bread toast unbuttered, and pancakes and syrup. That she cleaned her plate would indicate she did enjoy the meal. The cooks have it down very well; the toast very nicely browned, the pancakes also browned to perfection, the eggs cooked to order, the bacon crisp as requested. When asked later if she wanted dessert she declined. That would attest to the adequate portions.
In tune with the hour, I chose something more in line with the dinner hour. It was hard to pass over my favorites, like a burger and fries, I decided to try some of their “healthy choices.” In light of recent birthdays, I chose the Senior Fit Fare Grilled Chicken Dinner (a grilled seasoned chicken breast with corn, broccoli and a fresh garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette – A Fit Fare Light under 550 calories). I did ask the waitress if I could substitute the less fit fare Thousand Island dressing in place of the vinaigrette. It was a nice dinner salad with crisp lettuce, sliced red onions, cucumber slices, crunchy croutons, shredded cheese and grape tomatoes. A large serving of dressing was served alongside so I could add as much or little as I liked.

The chicken breast was nicely grilled, golden brown. I had a slight crust from grilling but was tender and juicy inside. The vegetables were whole kernel corn and broccoli. The broccoli was nicely cooked; a bit to bite on but tender, not overcooked and mushy. With the salad, the meal was filling and satisfying. Had I prepared this meal for myself at home I would have been pleased with the results.

The young lady serving our table was immediately there on our arrival, brought things to the table in a timely manner, and was aware of when beverage glasses needed refilling. We finished the meal and came away with a new respect for “good ol’ Denny’s.” Maybe this healthy food thing won’t be so bad after all. The food was good, well prepared, the facility clean and the service was excellent. It was but a short stroll to our room, comfortable beds and a good night’s sleep. What else could we have asked for?