MR PANCAKE HOUSE
Mr Pancake House
877 Wuding Lu (武定路877号)
Shanghai, China
PRICE: 元元
RATING:
One of my favourite American-style breakfasts, apart from waffles, are PANCAKES. Luscious, fluffy, buttermilk pancakes, to be precise. So it was with great interest and high hopes when I visited Mr Pancake House, which is in the Jingan area. Set up to look a bit like an American diner or cafe, it's clean and quiet inside, with 2 little tables outside to enjoy el fresco dining. We sat inside since it was a hot day, but enjoyed the sunlight streaming in through the big glass windows.
The staff were polite, and really efficient. I was surprised at how quickly the food came out, not just for us, but for other tables as well. One look at the menu and we were so surprised - their prices are EXCELLENT. Shanghai has this ridiculous notion that if a restaurant serves non-Chinese food, the prices are often exorbitantly marked up. I've witnessed many a restaurant charging in excess of 100元 (around US$15.00) for some pancakes, and we all know how cheap they are to make - especially considering the few ingredients are China made and cost about 1/50th of the price. However, at Mr Pancake House, a "stack of buttermilk pancakes" cost a mere 25元 or so - a total bargain!!!!
I opted for the Spanish omelette with homecooked fries and buttermilk pancakes which, if I remember correctly, was 38元. It was impressive. 3 eggs making a creamy omelette with mushrooms dotted through, and topped with a healthy scoop of salsa. The "homecooked fries" are actually just roasted potatoes, but they were sliced small and very tasty, albeit a little on the oily side. And of course, the buttermilk pancakes. I really enjoyed them. I wouldn't say they're the best buttermilk pancakes I've ever eaten in my life, but they were still delicious, considering we're in China. They were dense but still fluffy, moist, and had a beautiful buttery flavour to them. Dusted with icing sugar, slathered in butter, and topped up with maple syrup, they were a real treat. I assume the maple syrup provided isn't REAL maple syrup, and wished they'd give 100% pure Canadian maple syrup. But for the price of the set, I can't really complain.
The Hot chocolate was creamy and satisfying, though nowhere near the standard of Downstairs by David Laris. The Latte came out hilariously a cappuccino.. I think the staff had no idea what a latte was and what the difference was. Still, it was nice, no complaints there.
Mr Pancake House makes for a great, casual brunch. They also serve a selection of sandwiches and salads for those so inclined, but I wasn't interested. When I go back, I'm just getting the 3-stack of buttermilk pancakes with bananas, and smothered in lashings of butter and maple syrup. Now THAT'S a way to start a weekend! :)
Mr Pancake House
The sunlit interior
Hot chocolate and Latte (which was more like a cappuccino)
Spanish omelette with homecooked fries and buttermilk pancakes
Perfect for a lazy weekend brunch
