Pancakes

I've been searching for the ultimate Pancakes/French Toast during my time out from the work-force. (someone's gotta do that, right?)
It hasn't been pretty. Some places just set out the basics, throw some blueberries and bananas on top and declare these the "special" or "ultimate" French Toast.
While I appreciates me fruit, and I love a good blueberry pancake, I don't find this all that "ultimate" or special in any way.
A good breakfast place worth its salt SHOULD have good blueberry (or other seasonal fruit) pancakes. This shouldn't even be up for discussion. I'm looking for basic competency--do they make a good plain pancake/French Toast first, and if they pass that test, then how about the specialty versions.
I'm talking Brie-Stuffed French Toast...Creme Brulee French Toast.
I'm almost scared to try those.
A little Gran Marnier in the batter, Brioche or Challah as the bread (thickly cut)
How about vanilla scented with maple butter...you know, the fancy stuff?

I've searched in my neighborhood and so far a couple of places really stand out, one in particular.


Honorable Mention goes to: Baywatch Restaurant Located on Lombard Street, in the Marina, this restaurant is located under the Cow Hollow Motor Inn.
The service is usually very good, the food comes out quite fast and they have a good variety of selections--scrambles, crepes, frittatas, omelets, pancakes, wraps.
I've been there a bunch of times and it seems to be slipping just a bit.
But, the apple-oatmeal pancakes there are great. Diced apples in the batter, good oatmeal flavor and texture, large sized pancakes. Not too heavy, not too fancy.
A good solid choice. Also, let me add, that if you go to Baywatch and order an egg dish (or something not pancake-y) make sure you ask for the special salsa, or home made salsa, if you prefer. The cooks in the back whip up this authentic spicy salsa. It's very hot, sometimes has avocados in it, and it has a full flavor that you rarely see in salsas. It's more chile based, rather than tomato based.

My current favorite pancakes reside at the Home Plate restaurant, also on Lombard.
This is the ultimate "don't judge a book by its cover" restaurant.
It's small, dingy, but always crowded, and the tiny kitchen is right on top of you.
There's one guy working the kitchen, cooking for everyone, and if you try to watch him, you'll just get dizzy. Sometimes it's not the cleanest place in the world, but
I am usually there on a weekend morning, and even I'M not the cleanest place in the world, so I feel right at home.
Check out the specials on the board, they're always the same, but they show the variety of dishes that this small kitchen and one guy can produce: (for example)
Polenta with Mascarpone
Smoothies
Themed scrambles.


So, you've put your name on the sign-in sheet hanging outside the door, waited the obligatory 15 minutes and finally gotten a seat, hopefully NOT next to the bathroom.
First things that you notice are the fresh scones and home made compote that are brought to your table, for free.
Hot, moist, sweet, these are some of the best scones I've ever had. Slather some of the strawberry/banana compote on them and you're ready for whatever's next.

On to the main point!
Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes.
I can taste these now (and I'm eating oatmeal!) and I can't wait until I get these again.
They're like sweet, moist cornbread crepes, in a way, but they're thicker than crepes, though, more like typical pancake thickness.
But they have a crispness on the outside that almost makes them crunchy.
I love these with some maple syrup, butter and nothing else.

My search is not over, there are some lemon-ricotta pancakes that I keep hearing about, but like the proverbial unicorn, I'm afraid that these might just be a myth too.