Regular readers of these regular food reviews already know that I can never resist a hotel waffle. It’s not even about the waffle itself, so much as what it represents: the pinnacle of the two-star hotel complimentary hot breakfast buffet experience. No other item in the standard line-up is so coveted, so interactive, so hard-won after waiting in a queue behind at least half a dozen sticky-fingered children and adults, each of whom seems to consider it their individual obligation to take up all available machines at the same time. Yes, it is a formidable task to summit this peak. Only the most patient or the earliest of risers tend to find their suffering rewarded by a disc of pitted gold.
But sometimes Fortuna smiles upon us, and under her fleeting gaze, one might find the waffle station blessedly empty at some random time on a Monday morning after most of the weekend guests have already checked out, as I did on a long weekend this summer. And, even more infrequently, one might discover that that waffle station is, against all odds, above average. The batter flows free and at just the right consistency, the machine is hot enough to produce crisp edges, and the available toppings include not just maple syrup, but also strawberry sauce and whipped cream. In those rarest of instances, the only appropriate response is to thank one’s lucky stars and dig in to the bounty. Fortune favors the bold, but also, on occasion, me. 3.5/5 stars.
