Phil Vettel Knows Where to Eat on 66-- Part 3

Someone else becoming aware of the joys of driving the old road in Illinois.


CHARLIE PARKERS'S-- 700 North Street, Springfield-- out-of-the way Quonset hut, about five blocks off 66 (turn west at the sad old Bel-Air Motel). Features two things: horseshoes and pizza-size pancakes. Horseshoes: white toast topped with your choice of meat, pile of fries (or for breakfast hash browns) and covered with cheese "enough to sate an ox." This for $6.95 (the pony shoe) to $7.95.

The single pancake, served on a 16-inch pizza pan, is $3.95. Eat the four-stack, $8.95, and its free if you can eat it all. (Liz and I once ordered one and couldn't finish it. It is quite thick in the middle.) A manager said only one guy has ever done it and most people don't get past the first one.

This is always a stop when Liz and I stay in Springfield. We usually get the chicken-fried steak and eggs breakfast special for $5.95.

Great decor as well. Very 50-ish diner.

We saw a kid try the four-stack, while his mom had a paperback to read. She said he'd always talked about trying it, and now was the time to put his mouth where his words were. He didn't finish the first one.

What About the Cozy Dog? --RoadDog