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Community Corner

BITES NEARBY: Pleasing Pancakes in Town

Local eateries serve up the American favorite—the flat cake for breakfast or anytime.

If you have hankered for some pancakes lately, it’s probably because we’re right in the middle of National Pancake Week.

You can continue to lick your lips and consume these hot cakes up through National Pancake Day, two weeks away.

For those who favor a good breakfast to start the day, pancakes are certainly top on the list. The thin, flat cakes are typically made from a batter of milk, flour, eggs, salt, baking powder and oil, cooked in a pan until the desired golden-brown color is reached. Starting with this basic formula, it’s not too difficult to get creative—and that’s when the pancake fun begins.

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Like chocolate? Throw some chocolate chips into the batter and savor the melted chocolate inside the fluffy golden cake. Top it off with strawberries and a light syrup or sugar for a fresh, cool treat. Take some scrambled eggs, bacon and cheese and sandwich them between two pancakes. The versatility of this sweet or savory treat allows you to enjoy it anytime—breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Around the world, there are many variations in recipes, names and serving customs; johnnycakes use cornmeal and are still eaten in the West Indies and Rhode Island; yanikeke is similar to johnnycakes but are fried and eaten in the Dominican Republic; German pancakes or Dutch baby pancakes are eaten with lemons and powdered sugar, caramelized apples and jam;  panqueques, from Guatemala, are topped with fruit and honey; Chinese pancakes are made with dough; pooda from India can be sweet or savory; serabi from Indonesia are made from rice flour and coconut milk; in Vietnamese, by region, they are banh xeo, banh khot and banh can; crepe-like pancakes are found in Central and Eastern Europe; chataamari from Nepal have savory rice pancakes cooked with meat or eggs atop; hotcakes are served as snacks with margarine and sugar or condensed milk in Philippines; and the list goes on.

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If the idea of a hot-off-the-griddle golden fluffy cake topped with melting butter, syrup, whipped cream or some variation of that has whet your appetite, there are some dining choices in town ready to flip a flapjack for you.

: For 30 years, this local establishment has served breakfast, burgers and sandwiches in a cozy and friendly neighborhood dining spot. In addition to buttermilk and buckwheat, they also cook up blueberry, banana and chocolate pancakes. You can have pancakes all day during the hours of 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. If you're still hungry, the specialty breakfast with eggs, sausage, potatoes and toast should fill you up. Located at 2423 Old Middlefield Way. Telephone: 650-967-7477.

serves up whole-grain pancakes with buttermilk and blueberry specials. You can order a single pancake, two or three, served with genuine maple syrup. Child-size pancakes are available, too. Breakfast is served from 7-11 a.m. Tuesday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Located at 2098 W. El Camino Real. Telephone: 650-962-1700.

had its beginnings at the Mountain View location in 1974 and has expanded into nine locations, including San Jose, Stanford, Palo Alto, Redwood Shores, Campbell, Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Los Gatos. In the friendly, casual atmosphere, Hobee's serves students, businesses and families, with a special menu for children. In addition to its famous blueberry coffeecake, it serves whole wheat, sweet potato and, of course, regular pancakes, all day, every day from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Located at 2312 Central Expy. Telephone: 650-968-6050.

, a bistro-style café, is at the edge of Shoreline Lake with indoor and patio seating. You can take in the view while enjoying the Morning Favorite pancakes drizzled with pure maple syrup and complemented with fresh fruit. Served from 8:30-11 a.m. every day. Located at 3160 N. Shoreline Blvd. Telephone: 650-965-1745.

Pick your place for pancake pleasure, and savor the flavors with a hot cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, and you’ll be good to go.

Coming up soon: Foods of Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday 

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