Feeling Fab

Fab Hot Dogs is a restaurant with a strong local following. Located in Reseda, CA, they were famously featured on the TV food program "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" in 2009. The eatery actually sells T-shirts referencing Guy Fieri and the TV appearance.

I visited them in April 2011 in connection with a video project that hasn't yet materialized.

So.. Fab Hot Dogs maintains two Walls of Fame, one dedicated to customers who have sampled every item on the menu (in their lifetime), and another for the diner who holds the record for most hot dogs and buns consumed in a single 30-minute visit.  While eating everything on the menu in one visit seemed tempting, I was there to break the house hot dog record.

In 30 minutes, I pushed the record from 10.5 dogs and buns up to 15. It wasn't particularly difficult to put up such a number. The owner gave me the option of stopping at 11, since that would have secured the record and my spot on the wall. It seemed like a good idea to keep going since I still had time and room in my stomach.

How were the hot dogs? Well, delicious. Juicy. Flavorful. I don't eat hot dogs often so it's hard to describe their taste creatively! The dogs themselves were slightly bigger than a Nathan's competition frank. The buns were clearly larger and heavier than anything I'd run across in a contest. 15 hdbs at Fab probably equates to over 20 hdbs at a Nathan's contest.

Oh yes, I also received a T-shirt to commemorate my ascendancy as the new hot dog record holder. Its got a likeness of Guy Fieri's face on it and a really slick store logo. Hard to believe I have yet to see a single episode of his show.

Hog Attack

The Route 62 Diner in Yucca Valley, CA is home to one monstrous eating challenge: The Hogzilla Burger. In years past, the challenge was one huge 2 lb  patty. In 2011, the diner decided to switch the challenge into a "King of the Hill" patty tower. Devour a bigger tower than the previous champ and you're the winner.

Matt "Sweet Tooth" Cohen was the second champion under this format. He polished off a 9-patty burger and fries in 18 minutes, earning himself a t-shirt and a champion's poster on the wall. There's no time limit on this challenge but "Sweet Tooth" didn't dawdle.

Each patty weighs a quarter pound, thus Matt put down a 2.25 lb burger. I became the next champion (2.5 lbs) until I was dethroned by local eater John Rivera of Joshua Tree. We traded the title back and forth a few times, leading to a dramatic photo in the local newspaper.

Not sure why the Hi Desert Star News put this photo in the business section (I'm kidding - it was pretty far back), but it works. The photo was taken in October 2011, mere minutes before I tore into the burger, taking down a 15-patty burger to reclaim my spot at the top for the third time. John looked on as I finished my 3.75 lb burger with a side of fruit. No doubt he's hungry for another title. I'll be ready.

The diner is literally down the street from the school I work for. The posters of the first two challenge wins adorn my classroom walls, always leading to interesting comments from students and parents. For the most part, they want to know how I got into this and why I don't weigh 400 lbs.

So far I don't have a good answer. Maybe I should have studied biology instead of history.

72 oz Side of Beef

The Iron Hog Saloon, a few miles away from Victorville, offers a 72 oz steak challenge modeled with near exactitude off the Big Texan in Amarillo, Texas.

Getting to the Iron Hog is a bit of a journey. After reaching Victorville, you must drive through several miles of dusty desert road. At some point you wonder if you're going in the right direction. GPS says that you are, but in the desolation you begin to doubt that tinny voice telling you to drive ahead.

It's a biker bar, yes, but they take their challenge very seriously. Here is the competition table. Once time begins, you get one hour to plow through the steak and various sides or you owe them $100. This price tag is a bit steep. I'd say it's the biggest deterrent to any brave soul taking the challenge. On top of the table is an official rundown of the rules and some local trivia.

Now it's time for some backstory. Prior to my visit, I had never done a steak challenge. The idea of trying to eat 4 1/2 lbs of meat seemed intimidating. When I filmed with Adam Richman on the set of Man v Food Nation a week prior to taking this challenge, Richman made sure to sell the point that I'd never done a steak challenge. But, facing a 3 lb tri tip sandwich (which I did for the show) is a bit different from facing a 4.5 lb steak with assorted sides.

Yeah, it's that big. Easily the size of 8 or 9 ordinary steaks that a man or woman would eat for dinner. Before my visit, there was only one challenge winner. Her name is Stephanie Wu, an enthusiastic eating challenger who completed several challenges and operated a sophisticated website documenting challenges before mysteriously disappearing. I hope she's ok, wherever she ended up. Her record time was 59 minutes.

The cook brought out the platter, let me choose my knives, and we were off. I chose to focus on the meat first. In about 8 minutes the steak was over half finished, so I switched over to the potato and tomato slices. Though I didn't have to, I also finished the optional lettuce and cantaloupe slices. They were good for varying up the flavor.



My finish under 29 minutes caused a small uproar in the restaurant. It cut the record time in less than half, so I understand the shock, but there's many eaters who could have finished this challenge in under 15 minutes. Knowing how to tackle a huge steak now, I'm certain I could improve on my own time. It made me nervous when customers would crowd in to watch, but it's not everyday that someone rolls in and manhandles the biggest meal on the menu.

And without a doubt, this is a challenge that I would love to do a second time. It tasted phenomenal, the cut of meat wasn't too fatty, and there are several sides on the menu so there's plenty to choose from. Given the price tag there's no way they'd let me have another one on the house.

They even have a guest book! There's only been two challenge restaurants, in my experience, that offered that nice touch. The other, famous for pancakes and weary travelers, will be the focus of an upcoming post.

Video: Me and Kevin at the Stadium

In July, at long last, Kevin Ross and I went after the Big League Challenge at Stadium Pizza in Wildomar, CA. There were no winners so we went in and blazed a trail for future food warriors.

What's in the Big League Challenge, you ask? It's 7 lbs of total food. An 18" pizza with seven toppings, 12 hot wings, a loaf of garlic bread, and a pitcher of soda. The place has one of those soda machines that lets you mix and match flavors. Despite the huge array of choices, we independently decided upon root beer.

Kevin began the challenge with great speed. For a second I thought he'd leave me in the dust, but we evened out and finished with similar times.

Of late I've been busy with video editing. Lots of it. My next relevant post will include some photos from the restaurant.

Monster of a Burger, Part Two

Well, this is what was left of the Monster Burger Combo after 15 minutes. The manager does play-by-play commentary over the PA system as you chow down. He remarked that he never saw anyone tear into the burger the way I did. It only took me 6 minutes to demolish the massive hamburger, but the fries were too much. I stopped eating (and drinking) around the 13 minute mark when I saw it was hopeless.

The manager decided to credit me with his restaurant's first-ever challenge victory in 5 years. That got me a $25 refund and a t-shirt. He was impressed with the way I annihilated the burger and drained over half the pitcher. I was a bit crestfallen that I didn't finish it all.

In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have done this after waging a double cheeseburger war with Johnnie Excel. Lesson learned.

A few weeks later, Kevin Ross rolled in and got even closer to a 100% finish. He nearly finished all the fries! I don't have photos, but he was credited with the second-ever win over the Monster Burger Challenge. Maybe one day we'll both roll in starving and go for broke. I feel like I could take this one on an empty stomach.

Stephen Obar informed me that he also completed the burger within 10 minutes, but was unable to conquer the massive pile of stringy potatoes. This challenge is a beast.

So who's next? Where's winner #3?

Chile Red

Rancho Cucamonga is home to a very small Mexican restaurant with a very big eating challenge.

This is the Killer Burrito. It comes in several different variants, including one extremely spicy version. They all clock in at the $10-11 range. Eat it in one sitting and receive a free t-shirt as well as your picture on the Wall of Fame.

The restaurant staff on-hand was literally two people, the server and the cook. They insisted to me that the Killer Burrito weighed 3 lbs, but judging from previous food fights this was more in the 4-5 lb range. The burrito was flavorful and tender. Using a fork and knife I was able to get it down in 9 minutes.

The cook couldn't believe it when the server told him I was finished. He insisted on coming out from the kitchen to take a look, and yeah, it was legit. The server then told me the house record was 7 minutes. You know, I probably could have snagged it if I wasn't busy taking photos and fidgeting with my phone.

It might be possible for a mass eater to put away two of these burritos. Apparently one man made the attempt, but only got 25% into the second one before - uh - leaving his soul all over the floor. That was an hour-long effort as well. There are rumors of an upcoming burrito-eating contest at Chile Red, but nothing confirmed. These small places are usually a lot of fun and I liked my time there.

I'd like to go back and sample their spicy Killer. Decked out with jalapenos and hot sauces, it's sure to give a little rush. Maybe it'll help me break the 7 minute record.

Fenton's Creamery

There's a lot I could be reporting about. Maybe I lost track of the whole internet thing. At some point there may be posts every other day to get all the material up.

Two years ago, in August 2009, Fenton's Creamery in Oakland served as a stopping point for a visit to relatives more North. The restaurant was beautiful, the local shopping district was orderly, and the wait staff was courteous.

One waitress quietly warned me to avoid certain parts of Oakland and Northern California... well, that was thoughtful. I'm not sure it made much of an impression on me, since I live and work in San Bernardino County. Not two months ago a couple of armed men burst into an apartment across the street and gunned some guy down at 4 AM. It's like that in some cities.

Anyway, Fenton's Big Banana Split hit the spot. It's got strong helpings of rich ice cream, whipped cream, nuts, cherries, pineapple and strawberry sauces, chocolate sauce, and chopped peanuts.

Officially, it's a 20-minute challenge with a T-shirt on the line. I don't see this being a problem for any serious eater, or anyone with an appetite for that matter. Just keep eating until it's gone. The only problem could be someone eating too slowly, or not properly judging how large this dessert is. It couldn't top 3 lbs by any stretch.

Done and done. Onto bigger things with the next post.

No Pho'olin Around

The Sacramento theme continues. Pho Bac Hoa Viet is a small restaurant with two locations in California's capital city, and they serve up their own version of the 4 lb pho challenge.

Meet the Pho King Challenge (try saying it quickly). 2 lbs of noodles, 2 lbs of non-orthodox beef cuts, and a whole lotta hot soupy liquid. You get one hour to eat the solids. No broth drinking necessary to win. Winners get a $30 refund, a free t-shirt proclaiming "Pho King" status, and a picture on the Wall of Fame. Losers pick up the tab and join the Wall of Shame.

You get a plate of roots, shoots, and leaves if you want to vary the flavor, but there's no need to use them. I liked how they set out the big spoon, fork, and chopsticks so elegantly.

They called it a win in 30 minutes. At that time (June 2010) they only had five winners, so maybe they rushed to judgment. There's still a few noodles left here. The server explained that all the previous finishers needed virtually the whole hour. I wouldn't say that 30 minutes is a record to scream off the rooftops though. It's only a matter of time before Johnnie Excel rolls in and swallows this thing whole in 12 [I'm kidding, Johnnie. We both know you could do it]. 

In case anyone wonders, the photo at the top is tilted on purpose. Let's see if anyone paid attention. And, honestly, I won't pick favorites between this and Pho Garden. They each brought their own aroma and palatibility.

You'll definitely get your pho fix if you come to this place. It was a small establishment, but everyone was incredibly friendly. They're thrilled if you want to try their challenge... even more so if you succeed. 

This "Pho King" challenge is not to be confused with the 12 lb version you'll find at Pho King Way in Texas! I guess everything really is bigger in the Lone Star State. Even the pho challenges.

The Legend of Hogzilla

Yucca Valley is home to an interesting restaurant that shares space with a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle dealership. The Route 62 Diner is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch. The interior was comfortable, there were a couple jukeboxes, and I noticed a fair amount of 1950s and 1960s memorabilia.

And for those who like their food extra large, Route 62 Diner offers the Hogzilla Burger Challenge for $16 (as of November 2009). That's a 2 lb patty with all the fixings on an oversized bun along with a basket of fries.  The motorcycle theme was cool - how often do you find a burger named after a bike?

The burger looked really good. It comes with a lot of vegetables. There's a few slices of American cheese hiding beneath the onion rings, tomatoes, and lettuce pieces. Just think of it as a salad on top of a huge meat slab.

After getting through the burger, I emptied the fry basket onto the plate. Anyone familiar with restaurant challenges will testify that this isn't a huge pile of fries. It was barely a half pound. I've probably eaten more fries at Jack in the Box or McDonalds. Unfortunately, these fries didn't impress. The burger was much fresher and fuller of flavor.

If you finish the combo inside of one hour, you'll get your picture on the wall and take home a t-shirt proclaiming your victory over the Hogzilla. My visit was back in November 2009, when a leisurely finish in 36 minutes was proclaimed a house record. The "shocked" manager told me I was the 16th successful person to tackle the Hogzilla.

Honestly, this place is a little remote. I wonder how many people have eaten the burger by now. Maybe someone's eaten two. Just rode in on their bike, chowed down, and roared off.

Desperado Gang

That's a lot of food. This whole meal is called the Desperado Gang, and you'll find it in Marina Del Rey in a small, friendly eatery called Outlaws Bar & Grill.

Let's see what we have: 2 lbs of hamburger, a thick layer of chili, vegetables, custom bun, guacamole, and a plate of fries. Looking back, it doesn't seem like much, but this was also one of my earliest challenges. Probably in the neighborhood of 4.5-5 lbs, which is on the lower extreme of the eating challenges I take on these days. You have one hour to devour the mess for a free t-shirt and your picture on the wall of fame.

Greg "The Floss" Moss completed this challenge at one point, but I believe his venture came shortly after mine. It had been awhile since I had done anything like this, so naturally I wondered if I would come up short. The hostess had seated me across from the kitchen, and the taunts of the cook didn't help much: "Good luck buddy, there's no way in hell you can finish all that."

Well, I proved him wrong. Eventually. 45 minutes later. This was before I learned the art of pressure, so it was a good leisurely eat. It was actually a really flavorful meal, given all the different tastes, but I could have done without all that bread. The meat was a little crispy on the edges, but it's tough to complain when you get your beef in 32 oz slabs. Eat big and suffer for it.

As I left, the server told me about a really tall, bald guy who tried to eat two of these meals as his friends cheered him on.

She didn't have any names handy. I wonder who that could have been.

Sumo Roll, One and Done

Nothing lasts forever, especially when it comes to food. Nori Sushi Bar & Grill, located in eastern San Diego County, demonstrated that in the recent months.

This restaurant is a considerable trek off the beaten path. You'll find it in the city of Alpine, some 40 miles east of San Diego proper, in a large shopping center across the way from Viejas Casino.

The item of interest (for me, at least) at Nori Sushi was the barely advertised Sumo Roll. There's no mention of it on the menu. It's not referenced anywhere inside the restaurant. If you happened to stumble upon their website you might have noticed it, advertised as the "Sumo Roll Challenge." 

You get 45 minutes to consume a nearly 5 pound deep-fried monster sushi roll. Succeed, and it's free with a t-shirt. Fail to conquer the beast and you'll pay $36 plus tax. 

Since there was little information about this challenge, I decided to inquire about it with the sushi chef on hand that evening in June 2010. Apparently the owner of the restaurant came up with the idea for the challenge. That was simple enough. 4 people had attempted it before me, and they all failed by a wide margin.

Because the Sumo Roll was still unbeaten, I was given the option of ordered it deep-fried or normal style. I went with the normal roll just because I don't particularly enjoy deep-fried anything. Besides, this way it would weigh a bit less and pack fewer calories. Why not make things a bit easier?

It took awhile to prepare the roll, but once it was brought out I proceeded to throttle the entire platter in 22 minutes. The sushi chef refused to believe I had actually eaten it (come on, I wasn't even that fast), insisting instead that I must have fiddled with the timer or hidden some of the product. Restaurant patrons who were watching me came to my defense. My success was recorded at 25 minutes.

They were amazed that someone finally finished their challenge roll. I was told that I could come back and attempt the deep-fried version on another visit. However, future challengers would no longer be allowed to order the standard roll.

How the times change... as of March 2011, I discovered through a friend interested in tackling the Sumo Roll that the restaurant had canceled the challenge. Dreams of a future deep-fried challenge went up in smoke.

Maybe they'll bring it back. And, hopefully, they'll advertise it more aggressively next time around.

Gone Fishin'

Fishing is a frustrating activity. You do what you're supposed to do, but the surroundings don't always cooperate with you. Golf and bowling feel the same way at times. Not that I've ever golfed or fished. It's just an anecdote I remember from a bowling teacher at Cypress College.

Eating challenges have their moments too. Matt "Sweet Tooth" Cohen struck gold today, completing the Great White Whale Challenge at the Shakespeare Pub and Grille in San Diego. "Sweet Tooth" only needed 28 minutes to tear through 2 lbs of battered cod, 2 lbs of chips (french fries for the Americans), and a side of peas.

It's an even bigger accomplishment when you consider that the plate comes out scalding hot and they don't give you cooling time before starting the clock. You get a maximum of 45 minutes.

Perseverance pays off. Matt received his meal on the house and scored a cool t-shirt. And I'm sure it won't be long before he moves on to his next big win.

I know the nickname is easily overused, but there's no better way to sum this whole thing up.

Sweet....

EZ Take-Out Burger Record

EZ-Take Out Burger is a chain restaurant. Their internal dynamics are similar to In-N-Out, except here you can get deep-fried Twinkies and Oreo cookies. You can also custom-order massive burger towers. In-N-Out abandoned that practice some years ago.

You'd say "Take-4" if you wanted a burger with four patties. Now, it isn't common to find a chain restaurant offering a challenge. This one was posted on the Man V Food blog on the Travel Channel website. I visited last Sunday, February 14.

It's not offered at every location. But, Temecula's EZ Take-Out Burger maintains a Wall of Fame for the successful eater of the biggest burger.


Things started small. Take-7. Take-10. Take-19. This poster celebrates a behemoth "Take-30," successfully wolfed down on October 1, 2009 by a local customer.

I'd need to eat a 31-patty burger to dethrone the champ. That's nearly 4 lbs of beef, along with the cheese, bread, lettuce, and tomato that goes with it. Getting the new record also scores a nifty restaurant t-shirt as well my own photo on the wall.

So what does a Take-31 resemble?


That's one monumental patty stack. There's no way it's gonna stand up. Gotta come in a box... a box that's rapidly soaking up hot cheese and meat grease. Yum!


The burger was as wide as my midsection. Well, almost. I hadn't attempted this much ground beef since tackling the OMG Burger last summer. That hat was probably the most ridiculous thing about this challenge. I didn't keep it on long.

My strategy? Eat two patties at a time, leaving the meager bun toward the end.


It was mechanical. Repetitive. Boring. And finally cold.

The meat was incredibly dry toward the end. Ketchup and soda were my only friends on this one. Bite, drink, swallow... ad nauseam.

Around 45-50 minutes this beast was slain. New record! There was no time limit, but faster is better in my book.

I should point out that two hours before attempting this burger, I competed in the Cravory's first annual Cookie Eating Championship in San Diego and placed second to Johnnie Excel, eating 24 cookies to his 28. That was a close finish in ten minutes. Damn close.


It's not easy to go fast when you've got 4 lbs of cookies in the gut... but I still got it done. What a relief, too. Gotta send my thanks to Donsturdy.com for encouraging me with this challenge.

They're pushing me to make 2011 a year of gargantuan meals.

Next time, I will blog about the cookie contest in San Diego.

Facing Sancho's Challenge

Up in the high desert city of Hesperia, a small new restaurant named "Sancho's Tacos" has opened up. They haven't been around long, but I like their chances. The windows outside are extremely colorful, and the inside looks cozy. I'd say their menu offerings are authentic. They have lengua on the menu (tongue, for those of you who don't hable espanol), which is a definite plus in my book. If I have a hand in crafting my last meal on Earth, lengua will be in it.

But enough about lengua for now, we're supposed to be discussing Sancho! Sancho's offers a restaurant eating challenge - billed on the menu as a 4-lb burrito with the meat of your choice - that must be completed in 30 minutes. If you finish, the meal is on the house, your mugshot goes up on the Wall of Fame, and you get a nifty T-shirt advertising the nice little eatery on the long dusty road. Fail and you'll shell out about $20.

Unfortunately, your meat choices are limited to ground beef, steak, chicken, or carnitas. No lengua on this one. Oh well.... dream deferred, right? I went with chicken because past experiences have told me it is pretty easy to eat quickly. The cool thing is the burrito can be customized - if you don't like beans, you can swap it out for larger portions of cheese, rice, and the other stuff. I get it as is, because I like all the ingredients and I want to keep the challenge legit.

I'm suspicious as the burrito comes out. This looks a bit much for 4 pounds! Unless it's mostly hollow on the inside.... the server tells me that it's really just over 5 lbs. Is this a case of deceptive advertising? I'll let you be the judge. I came here to eat, and I'm going to let my eating speak for itself.

The inside of the burrito was stuffed with chicken, pinto beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, red rice, guacamole, cilantro and this bold enchilada sauce. I found the tortillas to be rather dry. I didn't enjoy the enchilada sauce much, as it tasted incredibly tangy. Not a bad meal at all. I was aiming for the 15-20 minute mark, but I got it done in 27 minutes. I was a bit disappointed. This was my first burrito in awhile, so perhaps I fell out of practice.


I became the second person (male) to complete this challenge in the time limit, and all I got was a full stomach and a T-shirt! I'm definitely going back to this place. The staff was friendly and warm, with better food to boot. Anyone who has a hankering for a burrito challenge needs to try this place out.

And in due time, my next post will FINALLY materialize: The Adventures of Endless Shrimp at Red Lobster!

Time Won't Stop

Once again, I have let my blog go unwritten for an extended period of time.... let me say that I am alive and well, and I am still consuming in considerable quantities. Sometimes life is a bigger distraction than we'd like.

Today, I am planning on visiting Sancho's Tacos in Hesperia to tackle their 4-lb burrito challenge. I found out about this restaurant from a recent posting in the EatFeats database. They opened shop in August apparently. I can't find anything about the rules or requirements - and the listed phone number doesn't even work - but finishers are supposed to get a free shirt and a refund on the meal. I will be reporting on this challenge this weekend.

And, in a first, I will list upcoming posts for this blog.... I will soon be reporting on a recent trip to Red Lobster, during which a friend and I took advantage of the Endless Shrimp special and each devoured 18 orders of shrimp over a two-hour period. Good times indeed.

There will be photos as well.

El Tepeyac: The First Visit

 El Tepeyac Cafe is a locally famous restaurant in Los Angeles. Situated in Boyle Heights among small neighborhoods and loads of other eating establishments, it is very easy to overlook. I was actually looking for this place so naturally I found it. That's one time GPS worked out right.

Viewers of Man V Food and other mega-eaters know about this place because of the huge Manuel's Special Burrito that you'll find on El Tepeyac's menu. It's billed as big enough to feed four persons (I guess that depends on which four persons you're talking about - it would feed one of me). I didn't bother ordering it because it cost nearly $20 and no prize was on the line. I felt little incentive to consume en masse.

I settled for the Hollenbeck Burrito con pollo, which is essentially the half-size version of the Manuel Special. The waitress told me that it should satisfy the appetite of two people, though many customers eat it without assistance.

As many other food reviewers have noted, the Hollenbeck is definitely a fork-and-knife experience. The tortilla is not so much stuffed as simply draped over the filling material. There's no way you could pick this thing up and eat it!

I'm no expert, but I'd call this grub authentic. I have a friend who needs to be the judge of this. I just go huge. Anyone who knows me well knows that I'll eat pretty much anything. But at least this tasted wonderful. 

The chicken was absolutely tender and flavorful.... that's what I remember most about my visit. I'd say the beans and rice were decent, but certainly not the star of the meal. The pico de gallo, guacamole, and green chiles added a lot of variety to the overall dish. I didn't regret what I sampled (their coffee wasn't bad at all), but I wasn't physically challenged either. I'd put this burrito plate's entire weight at just over 3 pounds.

Recently, I discovered that this place will give out store t-shirts and a spot on the Wall of Fame to anyone who can successfully complete the original pork version of the 5 lb Manuel Special.

About 10 photos currently grace the wall... no famous faces up there yet.

I'm not sure the prize entirely justifies spending $20 on a huge burrito and a shirt. I've been there before! And you really can't top eating for free.

Breaking Some Eggs

The most famous breakfast-style eating challenge in Southern California has got to be the Broken Yolk Cafe Special, which you will only find at the Broken Yolk Cafe. This small chain has several locations throughout San Diego County, the newest of which opened shop a few months back in San Marcos.

I made my first and only attempt at this massive breakfast platter in October 2009, as part of a family celebration. We went to the location in Carlsbad, which is right along the coast of California via the Interstate 5. It was a beautiful city. I regret not taking any photos of the town - apparently the thrill of the insane meal was just too overbearing. What struck me as most memorable were the constant, and goregous, views of the Pacific Ocean.

Anyway, this breakfast was recently made famous by Adam Richman on Man V Food. Adam did it in the more popular Pacific Beach location. I opted for Carlsbad just because it was closer to home. It's pretty much the same huge dish regardless of where you go....

A dozen-egg omelet filled with mushrooms, cheese, onions, and bell peppers, buried in chili and cheese, served along with a mountain of home-fried potatoes and two infamously dense biscuits. I'm not sure if they're buttermilk. The whole thing comes out on a 15" pizza pan for presentation value.

And yeah, everyone in my party was shocked at the size of the meal in front of me. Including myself. I hadn't done a challenge in a few weeks, and I really wanted to do this one because it sounded especially challenging. This would be a feather in my cap.... a jewel in the crown.

Or a hole in my poor stomach. I didn't realize what I was getting into. This was easily 6-7 lbs of sustenance. The over-cliched power breakfast: eat this one and sleep for a week. I was told that only one other person had ever finished this breakfast special at Carlsbad. The manager was hopeful that he'd witness a second.

I couldn't disappoint, could I?

Well, let's just say that it wasn't easy. It was a real show-stopper, requiring every last one of the given 60 minutes. I started with the omelet, which was piping hot but really tasty. Mixing it up with the home fries and chili was a delicious idea given to me by another eater, and I have to give him credit because it really gave the meal some variety. The omelet totally vanished in about 15 minutes.

Getting through the home fries was a harsh tale. They became starchy, very difficult to chew.... and eventually they tasted like asphalt. I relied on ketchup and water to pack them down.

My biggest mistake was saving the massive biscuits for last. They had hardened by the time I powered through the eggs and potatoes. I'm not joking about this - they felt like damn rocks. I could have used them for paperweights or baseballs at that point. 

Dunking them in water to soften them was the only option left, but that just made them really doughy and nasty. I struggled to get through these incredibly tasteless, wet, heavy flour lumps. Somehow I got them down by the 60 minute mark.

Honestly, I was incredibly relieved to have finished. I was #2 in Carlsbad, I had my free T-shirt, and my name would be on the plaque of fame.... and best of all I could walk away from the table.

This was one of the toughest challenges I've ever come across.

....as well as one of the most delicious. You just gotta do it a little faster to appreciate it.