Kitsap man conquers the ‘Sounder Pounder’

Twelve photos are pinned to a cork board inside the bathroom of The Flying Pickle. The board, dubbed “Wall of Shame,” captures the final moments of those who failed to finish the Sounder Pounder Challenge offered at the newly established restaurant.

KINGSTON — Twelve photos are pinned to a cork board inside the bathroom of The Flying Pickle.

The board, dubbed “Wall of Shame,” captures the final moments of those who failed to finish the Sounder Pounder Challenge offered at the newly established restaurant.

Where 12 have failed, however, one succeeded. And in late October, Casey Hawthorn walked away the sole Kitsap resident — so far — to finish the enormous breakfast.

“He came in, sat down and said ‘OK, you’re going to have to order me a shirt, because I already know I am going to win this,’ ” said Jon Trunnell, co-owner of The Flying Pickle Cafe.

The Sounder Pounder Challenge is based on the television show “Man v. Food.” It is not your typical breakfast item.

The Sounder Pounder is approximately 51/2 pounds of food and includes  18 eggs, 1 pound of hash browns, one Roma tomato, one red pepper, one onion, 1 cup of spinach, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, a little more than 1 cup of gravy and two pieces of toast.

If the intimidating meal is finished in one hour or less, it is free. Those who brave the meal, but cannot finish it in one hour, pay $20 and their picture goes on the bathroom’s “Wall of Shame.”

Has Trunnell tried it himself?

“Yeah, My picture is on the Wall of Shame,” he said. “Of course, I came close, I got about 75-80 percent done with it.”

Two other people came close to finishing, Trunnell said. If they had about 10 more minutes, their pictures would be on the “Wall of Fame,” along with Hawthorn’s.

The rest of the challengers finish about 70-80 percent. One person, Trunnell said, didn’t finish one-third of the meal.

And then there are those people who are all talk.

“There’s always people that are like, ‘I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it,’” Trunnell said. They say “I’m going to wait until next Sunday and I’m going to make sure I’m going to do it right … And then we never see them again.”

If defying the limits of ingestion is not on the menu, The Flying Pickle Cafe offers a variety of other breakfast items as well as sandwiches, subs, salads and side dishes. The most popular breakfasts include the Eggs Benedict and breakfast burrito. The chicken curry sandwich and mammoth sub seem to be the most popular lunch items. And the baked potato salad is the most popular side dish. The menu currently offers six vegetarian items as well.

The Flying Pickle Cafe is located in the same building that was once the Coastal Cafe, 8208 NE State Highway Suite B102. The cafe is owned by Trunnell and his wife, Brandi.

Jon Trunnell said the two originally considered purchasing the Poulsbo branch of Whiskey Creek when it closed. He said The Flying Pickle’s current location is perfect for a first-time business owner.

Trunnell said they have worked to keep a similar “feel” to Coastal Cafe, including employing the same two waitresses. The Flying Pickle, however, now offers table service although many people still order at the counter.

Why call his restaurant The Flying Pickle?

“It was just a name that was tossed around,” Trunnell said. “Make it more upbeat and not so … blah.”

 

 

Tags: