Pancakes for all!

Dad and Rita took us to a very fun place for breakfast on Sunday morning, The Old Spanish Sugar Mill and Griddle House, located in the DeLeon Springs State Park.  Similar to a Japanese Steakhouse, there is a griddle on the middle of the table and you are seated around it.  Each table is given two kinds of pancake batter (one is whole grain, the other is regular) and you can order whatever kind of toppings you'd like.  Choices included:  bananas, apples, pecans, chocolate chips, peanut butter, blueberries, etc.  Also, you can order eggs, french toast, sausage, and bacon.  You make your own breakfast!!  Other than the meat, which is cooked in the kitchen, all food is made by you right at your table.  This was so cool!

Apparently this restaurant has been around forever.  I can't believe I've never been before.*  (*According to both my mom and dad, I had been there many years ago.) To my delight, they had a Gluten-Free pancake batter.  I made the most delicious peanut butter, banana, chocolate chip pancakes.  Yum!!

The restaurant is wildly popular.  It takes a little less than an hour to get there.  My dad said he wouldn't be surprised if there was an hour or two wait for a table when we arrived. Since you can't make a reservation, my dad suggested we have a light breakfast before we get there in case we had a long wait.  Jeff took this advice to heart.  He had not only one bagel to tide him over, he a second bagel with lox.  Yes, Jeff had two bagels before arriving at The Old Spanish Sugar Mill.  We arrived at 8:50am and was seated at a table by 9:05am.  There was practically no wait at all.  And Jeff had two bagels!  By 10:00am Jeff had eaten 3 breakfasts.  :)

I love, love, love this place.

Taking pictures on the way there.  We drove there in style -- The Motorhome!

Ian having fun while waiting for our names to be called.

Sam had a little pancake with her chocolate chips.

After breakfast, we got tickets for the boat ride and took an hour trip down Lake Woodruff to check out the wildlife.  We saw a few alligators, a manatee, some cranes and other birds.  It was a beautiful day! 

How nice we were the only ones on this boat trip.  What fun!