Such a simple-seeming idea, the pancake: Pour a little batter onto a griddle, flip once and find a handy plate. But we were wrong. So, so wrong.
In our pursuit of the perfect pancake, we found there is much more to it than that. This breakfast basic can get downright complicated, available in all manner of tastes, qualities, shapes and sizes; finding the best plate of flapjacks isn't as easy as it sounds. Trust us. Jana Collier, the Dayton Daily News features editor, recruited the three of us, all editors at the DDN and healthy eaters, to test the area's top pancake houses. Over the last few months, we've visited 13 of them, from big chains to tiny mom 'n' pops, making our choices on the basis of local reputation, past experience, word-of-mouth and geography. You know, scientific stuff.
We Leadbelly Boys weren't truly disappointed anywhere. Bottom line: Every eatery offered at least a good, hearty platter of pancakes that will stick to your ribs and make you think twice about lunch. However, in addition to differences in cost, coffee, service, side dishes and atmosphere, not all cakes are created equal.
We definitely discovered some favorites, and not always in the spots we expected. In fact, the only rule of thumb we'd offer from our experience would be: The less assuming a place looks on the outside, the better the pancakes on the inside.
Just call it the Leadbelly Creed.
WHITE TOWER
East Fifth Street and Patterson Boulevard. 228-2721.
There's a place for greasy spoons - especially on a drizzly morning when you have time to sit and watch downtown Dayton passin' you by. Foodwise, the main thing here is simplicity - it's an old-fashioned diner all the way, with only 14 stools (15, but one was busted) and the sizzle and smell of the grill about 10 feet away. The nice ladies at the counter cheerfully served a steady stream of customers. And you know what? We found the most amazing pancakes here (three for $2.25, a single for $1).
* Eats for three: $18.64.
* Leadbelly note: Watery coffee? So-so. Syrup? Who cares?
* Cake rating: 5 (out of 5).
* Ron: I came with low expectations and found breakfast nirvana. Cakes like Mom makes. You're cheating yourself not to try the loaded hash browns - great hunks of tater, onion and ham, smothered with cheese and griddle-fried until it screams to be slapped on a plate.
* Ray: Whoda thunk it? A little white, smoke-filled building known for Butter Burgers may have the best pancakes in town. No way? Way. Try 'em. Incredible flavor. Light, fluffy and airy.
* Jim: Never seen so much food disappear so fast.
MOM'S RESTAURANT
Ohio 741 and Ohio 123, Red Lion. 746-0150.
Red Lion, a crossroads hamlet between Franklin and Lebanon, may not have much in it - but it does have Mom's, by gosh. The shortage of parking spaces suggests all of Warren County comes here for breakfast, which some people claim is just the case. The cakes, $2.35 for a stack of three, are straight-up and no-frills. The decor includes about 500 coffee mugs lining the walls, tons of University of Kentucky memorabilia (the owner's from Hazard, Ky.) and hundreds of autographed $1 bills left by customers. Like us!
* Eats for three: $16.28.
* Leadbelly note: The biscuits and gravy are what people come for, and small wonder. For $2.25, it's a generous plate of hearty, buttery biscuits smothered in the finest, drop-dead reddish-brown gravy this side of the Red River. It's rich with a smoky, pan-seared flavor and bits of meat.
* Cake rating: 4.75.
* Ray: What a way to start the day. Simplicity at its best. Simple surroundings. Simple menu. But nothing simple about the value or taste. Clearly, Mom's offers one of the best breakfasts in the area.
* Ron: Hey, did you hear about the biscuits and gravy?
* Jim: Save some of those for me. I don't eat them often, but these are the best I've ever tasted. The cakes rank right up there, too - cooked just right with no doughy aftertaste, and they soaked up the syrup like a sponge.
C.J.'S COUNTRY MORNING
3561 Salem Ave., Trotwood. 276-4552.
The wagon-wheel chandeliers, burbling fountain and red-vinyl booth seats harken back to the days of real family restaurants. The menu is charmingly old-fashioned, with little drawings of pancake stacks and cute descriptions (`delicately spiced . . . flavor gems fit for a king!'). We ate very well for low cost and didn't overeat. There's the usual banana, blueberry and Southern pecan - but also fruit-topped pancakes and dollar-size pancakes billed as `small and dainty,' $3.25 for 15. Tall stacks are $4.25, short stacks are $3.55.
* Eats for three: $22.93.
* Leadbelly note: Side dishes are abundant and good - try the excellent home fries, with bits of parsley and onion.
* Cake rating: 4.6.
* Jim: Well worth a stop. A solid stack of great-tasting buttermilks with tasty home fries and sausage. A fine meal made and served by real pros.
* Ron: Lordy, we did well here. For $5.25, you can get three buttermilk pancakes, hash, home fries and two eggs - and for a buck extra, sub the specialty cakes. I had three cinnamon cakes, so fragrant that Jim and Ray also had to have a bite.
* Ray: A very nice meal with terrific little touches. The wait staff leaves a pot of coffee on the table and the syrup comes warm. Buttermilk pancakes were a little doughy, but just the right size. Homey atmosphere and a pleasant staff that doesn't hover. Terrific value.
THE CORNER RESTAURANT
434 Cincinnati Ave., Xenia. 376-1783.
Quaintly hidden just south of downtown, the Corner calls itself `A Place Where Friends Gather' and exudes cheerful, smalltown charm. It also serves up (very quickly!) some of the best cakes this side of Jamestown. It's one of the few spots we found with smaller stacks: Short is two cakes (for $2.25), and a full stack is three ($2.95). We were nicely filled up but not stuffed - in fact, this was the only place where we could clean our plates and not feel numb. Very cozy, very nice.
* Eats for three: $23.95.
* Leadbelly note: Very good coffee, and syrup so hot it steamed.
* Cake rating: 4.5.
* Jim: The pancakes and side dishes were excellent, as was the service and atmosphere.
* Ron: The cakes were buttery and light - plus I didn't have to send half the plate away. Great home fries, with a gravy that's heavy on meat flavor.
* Ray: My waistline screams `thank you' after eating these superb cakes. After weeks of gorging, it's nice to find a place that serves sensible portions.
BOB EVANS RESTAURANT
7400 Miller Lane, Butler Twp. 890-5333.
Say what you will about big chains, Bob Evans is doing something right. It's hard to find one that isn't packed, like the one on the Dayton area's new `restaurant row.'
The country decor is lively, and breakfast is served all day long. Cakes come with plenty of warm Log Cabin in doable stacks of three, $3.39 for the buttermilk, $3.99 for blueberry and cinnamon, or hotcakes and eggs for $4.59. We loaded up happily.
* Eats for three: $28.65.
* Leadbelly note: Brand-named sides are fine, from Quaker grits to sausage gravy to exceptionally thick, flaky biscuits (99 cents).
* Cake rating: 3.85.
* Ron: In addition to very good blueberry cakes, we ordered (and split, thank goodness) Pot Roast Hash, $5.99 worth of serious heart-stopping fare: rich chunks of gravied meat with zesty home fries, topped with two eggs (we did over-easy) with a green-onion garnish. Heaven.
* Ray: I'd forgotten how good this place is. While a little pricey, the pancakes were light and sweet, the sides terrific and the coffee hot and strong. No wonder it's a favorite.
* Jim: And no wonder the parking lot is full. The pancakes tasted great, as did the home fries. Cooked just right. And I'll be back for more of that excellent Pot Roast Hash.
CHRISTOPHER'S RESTAURANT
2318 E. Dorothy Lane, Kettering. 299-0089.
They serve `Wake-Up Breakfasts' here, and you gotta love a place that tops the menu with the `Decent Breakfast' for $5.50 and the `Two-Good Breakfast' for the same price. Warm and friendly, plus we liked the noncontemporary music in the dining room - Sinatra was playing when we arrived, a nice change from the usual Top 40. The service is brisk and efficient. We filled up nicely without overstuffing.
* Eats for three: $25.84.
* Leadbelly note: Pancakes are thick, fluffy and full of body.
* Cake rating: 3.75.
* Ray: It's like walking into Ma and Pa's Breakfast Nook. Pancakes are thin, but firm and tasty, and the syrup is very warm. Terrific coffee and fried breakfast potatoes with little green onions. Yum. Bland sausage links, however.
* Jim: The blueberry cakes are loaded and succulent, with berries in every bite. The home fries were terrific, while the sausage links paled in comparison. Overall, a great meal.
* Ron: The banana pancakes are wonderful. A short stack is $3.95 ($4.50 tall). For those dandy home fries, instead of Tabasco (yuck), they'll bring Frank's to the table - and that's a treat.
BREAKFAST CLUB CAFE
601 S. Main St., 228-2179.
This sunny downtown nook is where business, government and arts folk do morning meetings. They find exceptional coffee and pancakes in a wide variety, from Michigan Blueberry (add butter and yell `Go Blue!') to Georgia Pecan. Tall stack of five: $4.25 to $5.25; short stack of three: $3.50 to $4.75, meat included. The short stack fed us well enough.
* Eats for three: $23.95.
* Leadbelly note: `Grandpa's Pancake Breakfast' offers three large buttermilk pancakes, three eggs and meat for $6.25.
* Cake rating: 3.5.
* Ron: The Banana Walnut pancakes were wheaty with soft banana slices and hearty walnut chunks. A dollop of butter, and you've got a surprising treat.
* Ray: Buttermilk cakes were light and airy, despite a slight doughiness in the first bite. Robust coffee, but syrup was - ugh - served room temperature in a plastic cup.
* Jim: The cinnamon raisin pancakes had just the right amount of spice, but the raisins were few and far between. A minor nit to pick: I would have preferred sausage links to the patty that was served.
DIXIE DINER
595 N. Main St. (U.S. 35), New Lebanon. 687-3004.
These folks know what side their pancakes are buttered on - the walls are covered with mementos from Dixie High School (greyhounds and a Confederate flag), which is just down the street. There's an old-fashioned counter and a hustlin' short-order kitchen, where you can watch 'em flipping your hotcakes. That's what they call them, too - hotcakes - and they sell a stack of three for $2.50. Breakfast is served anytime. Fun sides include Fried Mush, $2.50; Egg Sandwich, $1.45; Steak and Eggs, $4.75.
* Eats for three: $20.99.
* Leadbelly note: Try the `Kuntry Getup & Texas Toast,' scrambled eggs mixed with home fries and chopped ham, topped with a slice of melted cheese for $4.95. Went well with the extra-crunchy sausage links.
* Cake rating: 3.5.
* Jim: Home-fries heaven. Sliced thin and cooked just right. I normally add ketchup to my breakfast potatoes, but these spuds tasted great naked. Great-tasting hubcap-size pancakes, too.
* Ray: Finally, syrup the way I like it - thick, slowly spilling from the jar. The kind of syrup the pancakes slowly absorb, forcing you to pour on more.
* Ron: And this was the only place that serves my favorite hot sauce, Mexico's Cholula (look for the round wooden cap). Ole!
LINCOLN SQUARE FAMILY RESTAURANT V
1320 Archer Drive, Troy. 332-0222.
The `V' in the name is because there are four others of this neighborly chain in Indiana. This one is off Interstate 75 at Exit 73, and the inviting floral-and-ivy decor attracts locals and truckers alike. No, wait - it's not the decor, it's that you can get a Pancake Platter for $4.75 (or a very sweet $3.25 special) that includes a pair of cakes, two pieces of bacon, a link and two eggs. Before you can say, `Yikes,' they're hauling over a pile of food that'll get any driver to Toledo and back.
* Eats for three: $20.39.
* Leadbelly note: Short stack is two, tall is three. Smart sides include sliced tomatoes ($1.55), corned-beef hash ($2.35), cottage cheese and peaches ($2.50).
* Cake rating: 3.5.
* Ron: I'm a sucker for hash, and theirs is mouth-watering. It arrives on a big plate that whispers, `Share me with Jim and Ray.' Surprisingly hearty cakes.
* Ray: I have found the missing (sausage) link! Big, juicy and perfectly done, these would make pigs proud. Pancakes chewy enough to cut with a knife. Terrific sides.
* Jim: Big cakes with a big, bold taste. And the sausage links are awesome. Can I take some home?
FIRST WATCH
4105 E. Town and Country Road, Kettering. 643-4077.
In Town & Country's back yard, and in Fairborn across Colonel Glenn Highway from Wright State University. Also known for its `Egg-Cetera' dishes and ample omelettes, it serves enormous flapjacks, each eight inches across and half an inch thick. The menu includes plain, fresh apple cinnamon and oatmeal, blueberry, wheat germ and banana crunch with granola cakes; $3.95 to $4.95.
* Eats for three: $29.87.
* Leadbelly note: Sinful portions no human can (or should) finish. But try the good, chunky home fries.
* Cake rating: 2.7
* Ray: This is where big appetites come to die. Sadly, the huge, belly-bustin' pancakes were more pleasing to the eye than the pallette; mine were dry, and the syrup was warm, but thin. Unexciting coffee, alas.
* Ron: At least they leave the coffeepot at the table. My fresh apple cinnimon and oatmeal cakes were intimidatingly oversized. Very tasty, made from scratch, but just too big. I felt bad sending away so much food.
* Jim: Whoa! These cakes are bigger than the hubcabs on my dad's Olds. Nice and tasty, too, though a tad dry. Combine them like I did with excellent homemade home fries and two large links and you've got a major-league breakfast. Bring a big appetite.
THE GOLDEN NUGGET PANCAKE HOUSE
Dorothy Lane and South Dixie Drive, Kettering, 298-0138.
A weekend visit to the Golden Nugget means a wait in line. The place is that popular, and for good reason. The large dining room is a bit too pastel, but the impeccable service is lightning-fast, right down to the nice man who comes with a white rag and cleans little spills the moment they happen. (Don't forget the north location at 1510 Keowee St.)
* Eats for three: $27.22.
* Leadbelly note: Solid pancakes and decent, though not spectacular, sides. Very good coffee.
* Cake rating: 2.5.
* Ray: Oink. I've loved Pigs in the Blanket since I was kid growing up on International House of Pancakes. These blankets - buttermilk pancakes - were firm, but could have used a little more flavor. The best thing about the breakfast: It's filling.
* Jim: I had better luck with the cinnamon pancakes. They had just the right amount of cinnamon and were nice and big. Sides were so-so.
* Ron: The blueberry pancakes are not just overstuffed with delicious fruit, they're served with a bowl of warm blueberry compote that's a nice change of pace from syrup. Short stack runs $4.25, tall stack $5.10, and short was just fine.
HASTY TASTY PANCAKE HOUSE
509 Linden Ave., 254-8431.
Bunny's Hasty Tasty is celebrating its 50th anniversary (`Great Food/Good Times!' sayeth the menu), and it's easy to see why folks keep coming back. Breakfast is served any time, and pancake choices are regular ($3.15, stack of three), cinnamon, pecan, dollar cakes ($3.15/10), pigs in the blanket ($4.50/three) - good enough for a return trip. Sides are a mixed bag. The decor is pure, old-fashioned East Dayton vinyl, with a charmingly eclectic mixture of knickknacks.
* Eats for three: $26.15.
* Leadbelly note: Mmmmmmm. Try three cakes topped with apples, blueberries, peaches or strawberries, with whipped cream on top.
* Cake rating: 2.5.
* Jim: The cinnamon pancakes were good, but had a bit too much spice for my liking. The home fries didn't knock me over, either. What was cool, though, were the five motorcycles in the parking lot, including a couple of vintage Brit bikes.
* Ron: I got the peach-topped pancakes minus the whipped cream, and with the very warm syrup dribbled on top they were a treat. For pure oomph, try the hot jalapeno sausage, a long link with kick. Cakes were middle-of-the-road, but the rich coffee never stopped coming.
* Ray: It's always nice to find an independently owned restaurant thriving in the midst of cookie-cutter eateries. I'd go back again to support this Dayton institution.
THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE
1516 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp., 438-5720.
In Ohio 725's retail sprawl, it's easy to drive right past the Original Pancake House. Don't, though, if you're interested in a wide variety of pancakes unlike any other place we encountered. This coast-to-coast chain, newly opened in the Dayton area, offers (take a deep breath!) pecan, Hawaiian, bacon, buckwheat, banana, blueberry, buttermilk, Swedish, chocolate-chip, Silver Dollar and sourdough cakes - plus 49er Flapjacks, potato pancakes `sauteed to a lacy edge,' strawberry pancakes in season, nine sorts of crepes and seven kinds of waffles. Service is very fast, but sides are just standard and the coffee's stiff - and be forewarned, the prices are a bit high.
* Eats for three: $29.44.
* Leadbelly note: Also serving specialty cakes such as pancakes made purely from apple slices and the German, powdered-sugar `Dutch Baby.'
* Cake rating: 2.3.
* Ray: Well, there is a lot of originality in these pancakes - there are enough choices to make your eyes blur. But the large menu was the highlight. The pancakes were fine - light and fluffy - but didn't rise above the pack.
* Ron: Mr. Adventurous, I ordered the Swedish cakes: Wide, paper thin and cookie-crisp, served with a pot of tasty red Lingonberries. Only way I could figure to eat 'em was to break off little pieces by hand and dip into the berries, which was strangely unsatisfying.
* Jim: The pancakes were good, but no match for the bacon. Four big, thick strips cooked to perfection. Too bad I had to be nice and share them with Ray and Ron.
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