The Original Pancake House

Most mornings, breakfast for me consists of two slices of sweetbread toast, a cup of coffee and a banana.  Every now and then, I feel like something a little more elaborate and if I have the time, and the opportunity, I like to eat breakfast out at the Original Pancake House.

And even though there's a Pancake House right near my apartment, I will normally visit the location in Kalihi, if only because it holds some special memories for me.  Since I've been working a number of weekends lately, every few weeks I've made it a point to meet some friends for breakfast before going in to the office (or for brunch).

On one visit, we arrived shortly after 8:00 am, only to find the restaurant fairly crowded.  On that ocassion, we ended up waiting about one half hour for a table.  On a more recent visit, it wasn't nearly as crowded when we met for brunch.

On the first ocassion, it was the Swedish pancakes served with lingonberry butter (US$6.75?) and a nice hot cup of coffee.

The pancake itself has really crisp and crunchy edges with a slightly "chewy" middle that's still a bit tender.  The batter probably uses buttermilk as the pancake has a slightly tangy flavor to it.  It's one of my new favorites here.

Here's what the lingonberry butter looks like -- it's just a small bowl full of tart lingonberry jam with a scoop (or more accurately, a blob) of whipped butter in the center.  Most of the time I'll mix the jam and butter together, spread the mixture all over the pancakes, then roll them like crepes before eating.

The next time I was here, it was R&D's Favorite Omelette with three buttermilk pancakes (US$8.80).

The R&D is one of the house specialties.  Described as a baked omelette, the eggs are perfectly whipped and have a delicate, fluffy texture to them.  Stuffed inside was some spinach and ground beef that had been seasoned with Italian herbs, garlic and onions.  Spooned on top was some "Spanish" sauce that was tomato-based.  This savory omelette was perfectly seasoned and packed with flavor.  Satisfying.

Take a look at these light, fluffy, golden brown pancakes.  Need I say more?

The Original Pancake House may be a little pricey when compared to similar eateries around town, but the food, and especially the pancakes, are well prepared and are delivered to the table while still hot off the grill.  The service here is excellent, which makes dining here all the more enjoyable.  Just make sure you get here early, otherwise, you may encounter a long line (and a considerable wait) at the door.

The Original Pancake House
Waiakamilo Shopping Center
1414 Dillingham Boulevard
Telephone: 808.847.1496

Comments

[Kat]

I've never known about this place. Thanks for sharing!

[Chandler from Sisters]

O.K. Reid, now you're completely blowing my mind. In Bend, which is about 25 miles away, we also have the Original Pancake House. So how can they both be the original? This is totally freakin' me out. It reminds me of the Twilight Zone, or Back to the Future, or something along those lines. Or maybe there are just two restaurants with the same name...............Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. Bob

[Gail]

Your post reminds I haven't been there in a while and I love their sourdough flap jacks. So thin, tangy and chewy. Nice post, now I'm dreaming of pancakes!
Bob - Original Pancake House is a chain founded in Oregon in 1953. They won a James Beard award for best regional restaurant some years ago. We have two here.

[holly]

Chandler - The Original Pancake House is a chain! I love it there, too bad there are none near me.

[Marvo]

Had the taro pancakes with lilikoi syrup from The Original Pancake House. Oh, that was a good lunch.

[RONW]

da Original Pancake House is still there? Wasn't there also a Fish-and-Chips chain restaurant once right next door to it that closed.

[sherry]

yummy yum yum....my favorite is the bacon and potato omlette with sour cream sauce!!

[Reid]

Hi Kat,

This place is great and it's always crowded. If you're closer to town, there is one on Kapiolani Boulevard right near Gyu-Kaku and Shabu Shabu House.

Hi Bob,

As I understand it, the Original Pancake House is part of a chain. It probably started in the states and made its way here. I've been eating here since at least the early 80s. =)

Hi Gail,

I love pancakes and the sourdough flap jacks here are great. In fact, I think that over the years, I must have tried them all. I used to love the chocolate chip ones. Mmmmmmmmmmm!

Hi Holly,

Welcome to the blog.

I'm sorry that there aren't any Original Pancake Houses near you, but then...isn't it a good reason to go on vacation? =)

Hi Marvo,

Pancakes for lunch? Mmmm. I love eating pancakes at any time of day. They are so good eaten at dinner time too! =P

Hi RONW,

The Original Pancake House is still here in Kalihi, but I don't know about a fish 'n chips place. I'll have to dig deep into the memory banks to remember that.

Hi Sherry,

Welcome to the blog!

Bacon and potato omelette with sour cream....oh, you're making me hungry now! *sigh*

[billy]

Yo, I've been eating Swedish Pancakes at the Original House of Pancakes since about 1975. The place started in Oregon in the 1960s. I remember the ones in Hawaii when I lived there. Now I live in South Bend, Indiana. (Where Notre Dame is.) Guess where I went for breakfast last weekend? We call it OHOP, to distinguish it from the inferior IHOP chain. The place rocks, and they always have fresh squeezed OJ!