I used to like eating fried bread when I went away on holiday with my grandparents in the 1980's when I was still a kid, often had at breakfast with bacon + a pot of tea.
Until recently I could never get the damn stuff right myself, but now I seem to have found a way to make it without it being soggy - use a grille pan, like you can also use for cooking steak.
Set the pan to heat up with the hob on full heat until it starts smoking, get your slice(s) of bread (only space for one at a time) and butter them both sides (I've been doing it with FLORA sunflower spread).
Cook in the pan til both sides are golden brown, and it's ready.... Crispy on the outside, still soft below.... just like them frozen garlic breads you can get to finish off in your oven at home... So I reckon you could also use this trick to make your own garlic bread if you just mix some garlic in with the butter / sunflower spread before you butter both sides of the bread.
