Granny Joe's Ice Creamatorium — Restaurant in Vermilion

Wow, given how impressed I am with the nature of people in Northern Ohio (those folks are nice up there), I was REALLY disappointed in the customer service at Granny Joe's when I stopped in last Sunday evening to have a milkshake.

To put things in perspective, I've been on Weight Watchers since late September, and I'm four pounds from my goal weight (my college weight!). I haven't had a milkshake since September, so I was really looking forward to a splurge.

Truth be told, I wanted to go to Main Street Soda Grill just up the street (where we went last year, and where both the milkshakes AND the customer service are outstanding), but they were closed, and our host mentioned that the ice cream was good at Granny Joe's also. Turns out, they were open. So far, so good.

The three of us stepped in about fifteen minutes before closing time and ordered right away. For me, a vanilla malt--simple, elegant, and delicious. And it was, in fact, delicious. My problem is this: When the woman who made the milkshake poured it into my cup, she left easily an inch or more of room at the top, and what looked to me like a LOT of vanilla malt in the the blender cup. Hinting that I'd like the rest, I offered to help her clean out the blender cup while she helped the next customer behind us (e.g. I'd pour the rest of the malt, for which I'd paid and which I dearly wanted in MY cup).

Instead, she told me that there wasn't much in there, and disposed of it, tossing it into a sink, or throwing it into a cauldron of brew, or something like that. At any rate, she denied my simple request, and given the gravity of the situation, turned what should have been a glorious moment into a real let-down.

Okay, I'm dramatizing here, of course. It was a milkshake, just a milkshake. We all have bigger concerns, myself included. But no matter how long it had been since I had one, no matter how important it was to me, to her it was just another widget rolling off the assembly line. The point is, I cared and she didn't. Even though I asked nicely, she just brushed me aside and went on to the next widget-buyer.

And that's the point I want to make to readers: I expected our business to be appreciated, and it wasn't. Period. I did get a delicious milkshake, or most of one at least, but I sure didn't get the experience I went out for, and felt cheated...

Food great (try the cod stew with corned beef chunks) but the employees here went above and beyond to help me out of a really embarrassing situation.

As I was sitting down, my pants completely exploded along the seams (my wife did tell me they were too small) and my god-given big booty was flopping around like like two slugs covered in salt.

A couple of young folks with boomboxes and neon hats next to me started to laugh and said “MOON CRATER MOON CRATER” as they were pointing at me. One of the kids jumped up and yelled “I’m Neil Armstrong!” And slid a toothpick into my crack.

An employee ran out from the kitchen and took off his own pants and gave them to me. He didn’t ask for payment or anything, just walked back to the kitchen holding two plates strategically over his front parts and back parts while the entire restaurant clapped. I believe he may have been the head chef or a silent partner as I didn’t see any pictures of him on the wall.

I quickly left as I was a bit embarrassed, but I did wait around the corner and proceeded to show those kids what this moon crater can still do when they...

Fabulous, homemade ice cream, and an incredible breakfast!! First with the ice cream: My favorite is the peanut butter, which is chocolate ice cream with peanut butter all through it, peanut butter chunks, and chocolate chunks as well. SO DELICIOUS!!! This time I tried something different though: blueberry waffle cone. Blueberry flavored ice cream, with actual chunks of blueberry, and chunks of chocolate covered waffle cone throughout. Amazing!! Now for breakfast: It's the same for me every time: Caramel Apple, Pecan pancakes. They. Are. Amazing. I get one pancake, it's plenty. It comes topped with sliced apples that have been cooked in a thin, caramel sauce. The apples are on top of the pancake, and the sauce is drizzled on, soaking nicely into the pancake. It comes with 3 pieces of sausage or bacon. I always get the sausage. You can also get the Caramel Apple Pecan Pancakes with ice cream on top. I never have. I enjoy the pancake tremendously without...