Earl & "Turkey" & Applebee's Anniversary Eats

Some time ago the restaurant chain that served our favorite burger, Applebee's, started closing restaurants near us. For a time, it was our favorite date night destination. Then,  as often happens, the nearest wasn't near at all. We tried several other places, to no avail. None could do it for us. Some did it for me, but none for both of us. We particularly liked an appetizer offering, but that left their menu before they started closing their doors. I think that was the key. Not just a good burger, but a good meal. They also had a hand cut potato chip that was great, which they also dropped.

Traditionally we eat out for our anniversary, so this year I was determined to make the drive and get us the meal we remembered. Three Applebee's in our vicinity had closed, including the original Utah location. But I found one that was not too far, and planned our anniversary dinner for there. I know this does not seem like a fancy anniversary dinner place, but we were both excited to reacquaint ourselves with the experiences we enjoyed so much.


We felt at ease when we walked in, and even better when we got down to the menu. The appetizer we liked was still not there, but my wife landed on one that sounded real good, their Grilled Chicken Wonton Tacos. We split this because it comes with four small tacos. This is DELICIOUS! It has a Thai-inspired slaw with crispy wonton wrappers and grilled chicken. This is our new favorite.

My wife had the Hand-Battered Fish & Chips which must have been good because she took the leftovers to have for lunch at work, but I didn't get to taste it. It comes with what they call their "signature" coleslaw and their fries, plus an ample supply of fresh lemon wedges. My wife let me know that everything, including most of the fries, reheated well for her lunch. Me? I try to never reheat fried foods. I'm glad she enjoyed it twice. It is a bit on the pricey side but well worth it, according to her.

And now for the reason I wanted to go back...my favorite burger. They call it their Triple Bacon Burger but that doesn't do it justice. It is a beef patty that they sear bacon into as it cooks, top with cheddar cheese (not American), then top that with a BBQ Bacon Ranch dressing and top that with two more slices of perfectly crisp bacon and the whole thing is between a toasted Brioche Bun. It is served with their classic fries. Maybe absence made my taste buds grow fonder, but I have missed this bite. As luck would have it, on Sunday and Monday burgers are  $4 dollars less than Tuesday through Saturday, I think to entice the football crowd, but football season is well over, but I didn't mention that in (case they didn'y know)!

To top the night off we each had their Hot Fudge Dessert Shooter, with me having Hot fudge, and "Turkey" having a mix of Hot Fudge and Hot Caramel. It is vanilla ice cream with hot fudge topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. It was the perfect size to complete the meal. Since we had mentioned it was our anniversary (hint: always mention if it is a special occasion when you eat out), we got our dessert FREE !

Overall
We have missed this place and they did not disappoint. Our server was young and maybe new, but very courteous and helpful. When my wife asked for some lemon for her water, she brought out a ramekin filled with freshly cut lemon slices. Although it was a bit of a drive, I think we will be going back often. It seems we have renewed an old acquaintance!

By The Numbers
Food ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Service ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price:
—Burger💲💲
—Fish & Chips 💲💲💲