Revisiting an Original

I have made plenty of memories at the Original Pancake House (Union Road in Orchard Park) throughout the years. I remember meeting with a member of my church’s pastorate at the tender age of 12 to discuss theological questions that plagued my young mind. Then there was awkward late-night breakfast with a [ex] female friend and her family. And how could I forget the pancake breakfast prior to my parent’s conference with my eight grade teachers (why I had to come along for this, I still don’t know…).

Quite a few years have elapsed since I last stepped foot in this storied restaurant, and I figured it was time for another visit. The Original Pancake House—not to be confused with rival IHOP—is a classy chain that has a few restaurants in most states around the U.S. They specialize in all kinds of breakfast creations, with pancakes being the focal point of all they cook. Salads, sandwiches, and a Friday fish fry are the only non-breakfast items seen on the menu.

The menu is pricier than you might expect at a place like this, but quality comes at a cost. Most entrees run between $7 - $10. Take the time to read the back of the menu, and you’ll find that Original Pancake House prides itself on using top-notch ingredients:

• Fresh-squeezed orange juice (servers claim it’ll make your cheeks rosy…)
• Only butter used in cooking
• No pre-mixed batters
• House-blend coffee that promises a truer, winey coffee flavor. (What the heck is winey coffee? Am I supposed to swirl it in the mug and sniff it like a fine-wine connoisseur?)

A little extra investment for those better ingredients is definitely worth it. For my breakfast, I ordered the vegetarian omelet (made from egg whites). My omelet came with choice of three pancakes or toast; I opted for sourdough pancakes. The omelet looked like none other that I’ve seen—I attribute this to the fact it was oven baked. This creation was very fluffy and puffed up at least four inches high, with a crisp, golden finish on the outside and tender egg-white on the inside. It came loaded with fresh vegetables too. Let’s see if I can recall all of them: broccoli, celery, red & green peppers, mushrooms, spinach, onions, and julienne carrots. While egg-white omelets tend to be bland, this one had a rich favor of its own—perhaps the butter it was supposed to be cooked in? Very little fat puddled on the bottom of my plate, so I really don't know for certain what gave it such rich flavor. Cheese is an add on to most omelets, and a hefty one at that—$1.65 was the going rate; so I declined.

My three sourdough pancakes arrived as four, but I wasn’t complaining. I paid a slight upcharge for "speciality" pancakes versus plain old buttermilk. Each 4-inch pancake was thin, and slightly tough, but bursting with rich sourdough flavor and a hint of sweetness. Butter and a dab of syrup made perfect complements.

The coffee—gratefully—was nothing like wine. It was a strong, but not overpowering roast and tasted extremely fresh. Well worth the pricey $2.20.

Service was prompt and very attentive, and the overall dining atmosphere is upscale-casual, with a pleasant two-way fireplace in the center of the dining room. All said, you do pay a little extra to eat at Original Pancake House, but the quality ingredients and homemade freshness make this place worth it.

There are two websites for Original Pancake House. The Buffalo-area franchisee has his own at http://www.originalpancakehouse.net/. It highlights the local restaurants' hours and menus. Nationally, the chain's website is http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/. It gives more general information and pictures that are (in my opinion) sorely unappetizing.