I dont believe that a PhD in Mathematics is enough to figure out the exact amount of syrup required on any given pancakes. How often do we put too little, too much, way too little, way too much, especially if its something like Trader’s Joe’s frozen blueberry pancakes. And then there’s the butter. How much is enough. Its 2024, and I have plenty of life challenges on the plate.
And what kind of Syrup anyway. My Aunt Jemima daughters would rebel when we served anything else. For years we would put both Aunt Jemima and Maple syrup on the table. Until they both moved out, and we gradually got rid of AJ. But turns out, they eventually move back in, so we met them halfway. Yes to Nutella (especially during Matzoh season), but no to Aunt Jemima.
Turns out someone on the west coast figured it all out. In 2010 the first Breakfast by Salt’s Cure opened in LA, and the lines quickly followed. “Breakfast” is the spinoff to Salt’s Cure (sugar?), a popular LA brunch spot hailed for the item that was essentially spun off, the Oatmeal Griddle Cake. Chris Phelps, the brain behind this has been perfecting these “pancakes” since age two.
As you can see, these pancakes wont win any beauty awards. Maybe miss congeniality. But they are as good as any pancakes you’ll ever have. And they certainly dont need syrup. In fact its a “no syrup for you” policy in all four locations (two in LA, two in NYC). Phelp’s Oatmeal mix, available for purchase, includes the perfect amount of cinnamon molasses. Not too sweet at all.
I’ve been passing through the lines at the West Village location for many months now. Coming at 9 am on a Sunday meant a 10-15 min wait. By 10 am it was more like 30 mins. Once inside you order and pay at the counter, and wait for them at your table. You have the option of various flavors like banana and blueberry. I was partial to the Banana with nuts, while the rest of the family preferred the original.
The combos add eggs and sausages to the mix, but even those items are not your typical diner variety. The eggs whether soft scrambled runny, sunny or over, are perfect. With regular pancakes and a dollop of syrup, eggs usually need to be completely separated. The sausages are more like thin eastern European cutlets. Not a bad thing. I went for the pork, but there’s also chicken and chickpeas (like a falafel cutlet I suppose). The saltiness of the sausages compensate for the lack on the eggs.
While tourists, rightfully so, wait for the pancakes at Clinton St Bakery, locals these days go to Salt’s Cure. While the pancakes at CSB are indeed good, I think much of the flavor comes from their warm Maple Butter, and the pancakes arent really as unique as Salt’s Cure. According to the hard working EWZ historians this is my first (and probably last) Breakfast post. Which means its an obvious Go!
Eating With Ziggy 