Pumpkin Road Trip Surprise!: I’m always a little surprised when I come across a hidden pumpkin treasure during the off-season as it is, but to find something on the dessert menu during The Road Trip to End All Road Trips … well, that was just freaking awesome.
Setting the Scene: So there we were, enjoying a late brunch with my family up in Michigan before continuing onward on our 3-week, multi-national road trip, when I spotted her on the little flip-menu behind the salt and pepper rack.  Looking down at my never-ending Breakfast Bowl, I knew that I was going to be absolutely stuffed before dessert even arrived, and yet still, I couldn’t possibly pass up a treat such as this…
To Go, It Is!: With the knowledge that we did have a small cooler in the car that would keep it chilled for at least a few hours, I threw caution justly towards the wind and ordered a slice to go anyways.  It wasn’t until a few hundred miles and a border crossing later that I would finally dig in…
The Verdict: …to find that it was actually pretty tasty!  Granted, I was obviously a little distraught by the discrepancy between the clearly layered promotional photos and what was actually brought to the table, but the flavor was still rich and creamy, and ultimately made for a great dessert after having dinner at some random Subway as we made our way across the desolate wasteland that is Canada.
Recommend It?: To date Bob Evans has maintained a solid record in the pumpkin department, and I’m happy to report that this little treat continues on with that tradition.  I’m still waiting to sample that Pumpkin French Toast that I spotted a year or two ago on their menu, though…

Claim: Pretty much the best pumpkin bread that I’ve had to date.
Cause: The pumpkin flavor is both full and vivid, the consistency quite moist, to the point where it falls apart in pieces as you pick it up.  Perfect!
Cost: Frankly, unknown because my in-laws actually bought this loaf and then promptly forgot about it when it came time to leave, but it’s gotta be somewhere between five and ten bucks, I would assume.
Side Note: Although I’m not finding it in their online menu now, I remember hearing rumors last year that Bob Evans also offered some sort of fancy french toast with their pumpkin bread that I just never got around to trying.  That said, after having greatly enjoyed the bread this year, I think it would be worthwhile to pop in for breakfast sometime during the next month to see if the rumor holds true … and if nothing else, they’ve still got plenty of other yummy offerings to make the trip an enjoyable one, pumpkin or no pumpkin!

Reminiscence: I remember fondly looking forward to Bob Evans when I used to live up in Northern Michigan, primarily because we didn’t have any IHOPs or Waffle Houses around, so it was pretty much the only place you could go to have breakfast at 7:30pm and after a long day’s work, sometimes there’s just nothing better than a hot stack of flapjacks with a side of bacon and a smile to help soothe the soul…
But on with the Pumpkin!: As you can see, this was a relatively small piece of pie – my entire meal, in fact, because I’d actually just recently eaten prior to killing some time during lunch with my in-laws, but as they knew all too well, if there’s one thing that I can’t turn down, it’s a piece of pumpkin pie and thus here we are!
Size Isn’t Everything…: Although tiny in stature, this little bad boy packed quite the pumpkin – it was one of those pumpkin pies that has sort of a thick and sticky consistency, which I kind of like because it reminds me of the pumpkin pies we used to have around Thanksgiving.  The top of the pie even almost has somewhat of a pumpkin film over it – just a slightly thicker skin over the top that hardened over the inside, but still melds in with the rest of the filling when you cut through it with your fork.
Hit the Spot?: You betcha – probably one of the better pumpkin pies that I’ve had in the last couple of years, restaurant-baked or otherwise.  Nice job, Bob Evans crew of 10119 Horace Avenue; Tampa, Florida 33619!