David M.
Yelp
I visited Hash House A Go Go for the first time today, meeting up with an old friend for breakfast.
I arrived early for a 9am reservation and quickly realized that a reservation really was not necessary, as the restaurant was almost empty. Given that that side of I-Drive does not really get busy until later in the morning, I was not surprised, and I was definitely happy to be able to take my table 30 minutes early. My server was quite pleasant and quick to bring me a cup of coffee. The coffee was palatable -- not great but also better than many other breakfast places, so I was happy.
While I sipped my coffee, I looked around and tried to capture the feel of the large room. I would characterize the space as country-retro-deco. I am not sure that is a thing, but if it is, Hash House A Go Go captures it. In any event, the space is clean and comfortable.
After my friend arrived, I ordered a Veggie Skillet. As with everything at Hash House A Go Go, my skillet offered an abundant portion of sautéed mushrooms, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach over a pile of fried potatoes, and served with egg whites (my election with a slight uncharge) and a biscuit. The mushrooms and spinach were fresh and the overall presentation was appealing.
So far, so good, but that is where the good ended. The veggies and potatoes were bland so the visual appeal was not matched by the taste, and I found myself wanting more flavor. Despite that disappointment, the biscuit provided my main criticism. Not only did it lack flavor, but it also was extraordinarily dry -- so dry that I did not finish it.
Hash House A Go Go has a lot of potential, and I may have just caught the kitchen on a bad day, but in a market as crowded as Orlando, restaurants can't have bad days. Even an OK day just isn't enough.