Eating at the Grumpy Grizz Cafe, Tok, Alaska

Well, we gave in and went to the Grumpy Grizz the other day. Actually, the last two days.

Yesterday, we had already eaten but the baby hadn’t so we drank coffee while she had a Mickey Mouse pancake.

“Mickey bear!” she said as it was placed in front of her.

Then this morning, I was hoping they were still serving breakfast after 11am because we got there at exactly 11:05am.

“Nope, breakfast is over,” we were told. Darn! Both the Grizz and Fast Eddy’s are pretty militant about ending breakfast at 11am. How hard is it to serve eggs any time? I personally find eggs easier to make than, say, a burger.

Yesterday, in classic “Small World” form, my husband started chatting with some Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club truck drivers who were on their way to Anchorage. One of them was from Missoula, Montana where my husband also grew up. Turns out the man was best friends with the younger brother of one of my husband’s best friends from high school. Of all places to meet – the Grumpy Grizz Cafe in Tok, Alaska. Small, small world.

The verdict on the Grizz?

I like the woman who waited on us both days. Everyone who works there does seem like they might be grumpy but are actually quite nice.

The food was fine. Today the baby had a cup of chicken noodle soup that she proclaimed to be “TAYSTEE!”

Burgers were on the small side compared to the mondo burgers at Fast Eddy’s, but I hadn’t had breakfast and was a little hung over from indulging in one too many little glasses of wine the night before so mine was “taystee” to me.

Today, however, the smoke in the designated smoking area in the back was permeating into the front room, and there are few things I hate more in a restaurant than smelling smoke while eating or leaving an establishment smelling of smoke. I don’t know when I became such a wuss about smoke, but I do tend to like smoke-free environments.

Still, I really like that waitress. She reminds me of the gals I used to work with in my waitressing days. Same with the counters and the short order cook at the grill. Going to the Grizz is a bit nostalgic for me.

First Day in Tok

It says 40 below

Busy first day in Tok. Woke up to 40 degrees below. Moving van had a frozen engine so the movers were late getting to the house (ended up getting a heater and warming up the oil pan to get it started).

Fast Eddy's, Tok, Alaska

Went for breakfast at Fast Eddy’s but it was 11:30am and the kitchen had switched over to lunch. So had to get out of my “breakfast state of mind” and go for something else – salad bar. Then we headed to the grocery store – Three Bears Grocery – for eggs, milk, and such. All the cars and trucks were left running outside the store.

Three Bears, Tok, Alaska

We recently met the manager of the Costco on Dimond in Anchorage who said that Three Bears, by far, is their very best customer. We recognized many of the items on the shelves but not the prices. This isn’t your urban Costco, baby. Welcome to rural Alaska! Then it was to the Post Office to confirm our PO Box, get some change of address postcards (yes, I procrastinated on that one), and purchase some postcard stamps. Felt like we met half the town at the post office but that is pretty typical in a small town – everyone sees everyone at the post office.

Post Office, Tok, Alaska

And everyone sees everyone driving around town when they do get out of their houses and drive around. In fact, my husband’s friend who has lived in Tok for several years saw our truck at the post office and stopped in to say hello. Next we headed to the AP&T (Alaska Power and Telephone) offices to pick up my wireless modem for my DSL connection. Finally, we headed back to the house and it was already starting to get darker, and it wasn’t even 3pm.