Brunch Report: The Original Pancake House (West Chester)

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Until I started writing brunch reports, I struggled to get excited about breakfast food. I’ve always been a “just a cup of coffee” kind of girl. Occasionally, I’d meet friends for Sunday brunch—which is basically lunch, if, like me, you have completely given up on the idea of ever sleeping past 7 a.m., weekend or not—but even then, I was the one ordering a sandwich, wishing with all my heart for a lavish lox and bagels spread, the kind so often missing in this town. But I have a close friend (we’ll call her H) who is a die-hard breakfast lover. And despite H’s ardent dedication to local businesses of all stripes, her holy grail morning spot is the Original Pancake House.

First of all, go early. H met my son and me there at 10 a.m. on a Saturday and we waited 30 minutes for a table, followed by 30 minutes for the food. Fortunately, I was armed with kid rations and an assortment of tiny tractors, so the attention span crisis for one of our party was averted. But an hour can be a long time to wait at any age. Was it worth it? Let me just say this: If all-American breakfast standards are your religion, this is your Mecca.

The cinnamon-glazed apple pancake extravaganza is nothing short of a full-sized dessert for four. The four egg vegetarian omelette—studded with broccoli, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, tomato, and aged cheddar—probably meets the daily recommended allowance (both egg and veg) for two days, and arrives with a bowl of spunky Spanish sauce, a puree akin to salsa with possibly the addition of paprika. And the stacks and stacks and stacks of pancakes—available with a variety of toppings and add-ins such as chocolate chip, banana, pecan, and lingonberry—arrive topped with mounds of freshly whipped cream, and we’re not talking the canned squirty variety. Over the top? Yes, indeed. The only thing missing? Lox, bagels, and a mimosa or two.

The Original Pancake House, originalpancakehouse.com

9977 Montgomery Rd., Montgomery, (513) 745-0555

8555 Beechmont Ave., Anderson, (513) 386-7261

9403 Civic Center Blvd., West Chester, (513) 759-4300 

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