And Leslie isn’t exaggerating. The lines at The Original Pancake House can be looooooooong.
Hi Tom Cruise, I’m Jin Lovestoeat
I ask Tom to hold my spot while I walk around and explore the neighborhood. Tom says yes.
Tom is nice!
I know for a fact that this is an everyday sight in Chicago (because people are giving me weird looks for taking photos) But hello, Americans, we don’t have this kind of beauty in Hong Kong and Manila.
Tom signals to me that we’re ready to go, and when we walk in the door…
OOOPS! MORE WAIT!
(Tom doesn’t mind, he’s busy catching up on showbiz chismiz)
I do the puppy eye thing to the guy in red but he doesn’t give me the time of day
Thirty minutes later, we are seated face to face. And as per Leslie’s suggestion, I order the house specialty, the Apple Pancake.
Apple Pancake – oven baked with fresh granny smith apples and pure cinnamon sugar glaze. It is every bit as sinful as Leslie describes.
I wanted Tom to order the Dutch Baby and Corned Beef Hash, but he says Kate put him in this strict whachamacallit no-carb diet. Hollywood stars. Pffft!
Ham and Cheese Omelette – fluffy and light (and HUGE! Made with 4 extra large eggs if you wish to know) omelette filled with diced sugar cured hickory smoked ham and aged cheddar cheese. A little boring for me.
Tom’s omelette comes with three fluffy buttermilk pancakes which I happily devour
And I order this extra side of Southern Style Hash Browned Potatoes. Nothing special but it’s starch. And I love starch. Watch and weep, Tom. Watch and weep.
Leslie isn’t exaggerating when she says portions are huge. But I finish more than half of my apple pancake, and two of Tom’s buttermilk pancakes.
And still eyeing lustily thy neighbor’s Dutch Baby…
Thank you, Leslie, for the brilliant recommendation! 
The Original Pancake House: 22 East Bellevue, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Tel: 312-642-7917
Locate other branches here.
