Every city has those great hole-in-the-wall places that the locals love to frequent; if you want a great breakfast in Chattanooga (and I happen to be taking a break from cooking that day!), Aretha Frankenstein's will fit the bill. This place is small, so there is always a wait, but it is worth hanging around, especially if you have your heart set on the perfect Belgium waffle, topped with vanilla ice cream, chopped pecans in syrup, and dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Oh it is decadent; please decide before hand that there will be some strenuous physical exercise later that day, to help neutralize all those calories. On their menu, this breakfast feast is known as "Elephants Gerald". At http://www.arethas.com, you can read about this funky little place in a house in a neighborhood, and view their menu. They make wonderful breakfast burritos and huge biscuits. What they are most famous for, however, is their inch thick pancakes, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They have started marketing their pancake mix so that you can make them at home whenever your heart desires. Our son, Chris, is quite a fan of the mix; he adds blueberries when he makes the pancakes and wouldn't be caught dead using skim milk instead of buttermilk, as the warning on the back of the box cautions against.
I myself am partial to the Elephants Gerald. If you are going to splurge, go big or go home. And yes, I have successfully created this masterpiece at home as well.
Sadly, we saved none for you. Perhaps next time.
