Real Life Flappy Jack's!

When I think of “Flappy Jack’s Pancake House” in Glendora, I think of a Family Guy episode where Stewie becomes crack-like addicted to the pancakes at a restaurant with the same exact name. With that in my head I wishfully hoped this version would look exactly the same. A diner worked by middle aged blue haired waitresses bustling back and forth, and standing behind the counter at the grill flipping pancakes old Flappy himself.

Unfortunately the restaurant in the fictional town of Quahog is nothing like the real life version in Glendora. But architecture and employees not withstanding, I was here for the food and not the atmosphere.

Entering sometime just before 9 in the morning this place was surprisingly bustling. It reminded me of a nicer Coco’s that pushed their Route 66 location in wall knick-knacks and murals of 1950’s movie and TV stars. We were seated quickly by a smiling hostess, but when I went outside for a brief moment to take a picture of the front I already saw people waiting to be seated.

The menu is extensive, covering just about anything you can think of. I was very tempted by the skillets, but after seeing that everything came in larger portions I moved towards the omelets. I needed to have room for a “Donut Man” donut from down the road. I asked for a rec from the waitress who suggested “Flappy's Favorite Omelette,” apparently their most popular. My girlfriend settled on their “Mediterranean” version. One thing I really liked was your choice between toast or two pancakes. Not really a tough decision. The omelets also come with their home style potatoes which I ordered well done, Jenn made a fruit substitution. Before you could say “Flappy” the food was on the table and my lord did it look great.

Described in the menu mine include ham, bacon, sausage, bell peppers, onions with monterey jack and cheddar cheese. Cutting into the omelet I was surprised at the amount of ingredients and the thickness. Flappy certainly doesn’t skimp. There was a layer of cheese on top and within, and I could see everything that was in the description. In all honesty this may have been one of the better omelets I’ve ever had. It was cooked perfectly and the taste was wonderfully semi-soft and not overly chewy. If there was any fault to be had it was the bacon. The cheese was strong tasting and abundant, and while I could certainly taste the ham and the sausage, the bacon was drowned out. I’d recommend forgoing the bacon and sticking to either ham or sausage to keep out meat competition. As for the hashbrowns they were as I asked, crispy top and great. Did the pancakes deserve a restaurant spotlight? They certainly did, very light and airy with a nice texture. These are something I’d think about getting just a stack of in the future.

Jenn’s egg creation included chopped spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and imported feta cheese. Sampling hers I was actually taken aback to the creaminess that the feta provided. Hers tasted just as fresh and great as mine, and even seemed lighter if you’re so in the mood to not feel weighed down after breakfast.

The food at “Flappy Jack’s Pancake House” has won me over and I hope that I’ll have the opportunity to return here in the future. I just wish it wasn’t so far away, otherwise I’d be here all the time. Perhaps that’s a good thing, I don’t want to turn into an addict like Stewie did.

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Flappy Jack's
640 West Route 66
Glendora, CA 91740
(626) 852-9444

Cici and Me

If there was one type of eatery I wish was more plentiful in the valley, it would be restaurants that specialize in breakfast. IHOP has been done to death, and while their smiley faced pancakes are cute, their food doesn’t surpass standard breakfast fare.

Looking for something different I stumbled into Cici’s Café, a somewhat new restaurant in Tarzana (right near an IHOP). Their breakfast menu certainly was extensive, offering a wide variety of pancakes and waffles with interesting sounding names, and at times bizarre ingredients. Take for example the “Pig in the Mud,” a pancake with chocolate and ham. They also offered a nice selection of omelets, as well as the usual breakfast items like oatmeal and fruit. Most breakfast items were in the range of $8-$10.

It took me a long time to decide on what to order. Normally when I go out for breakfast I look for egg white omelets filled with vegetables, oatmeal, and as a side I always get fruit if its an option. When asked about toast I always get wheat, but hardly ever eat it. It normally just sits pushed a safe distance away from me so I'm not tempted to eat two large and normally buttery slices. My decision finally settled on the "Ceec Omelet" as suggested by the waitress; an egg white optional omelet with turkey sausage, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, portobello mushrooms and boursin cheese. I hardly ever get cheese, but today felt like a special day.

My girlfriend opted for the "To Infinity and Beyond" waffles; waffles, banana’s flambé, and vanilla bean ice cream. The beyond part probably has something to do with a sugar high. I couldn't start the day with ice cream, but to each their own. If you do want to start the day with a waffle or pancakes check to see if the restaurant offers a whole wheat option, if not stick to the plain variety. Treat syrup like I treat dressings; on the side, and instead of poured on dipped into with your fork before picking up food. Or do one better and inquire if the place offers sugar-free syrup, or get a side of fruit to top off the waffle. This is a way to sweeten the deal without adding tons of calories.

The omelet was dense but fluffy, exactly what I wanted. The cheese which I was unfamiliar with wasn’t melted like I thought it would be, but plopped on top as well as partially spread on the inside of the omelet. I wasn’t a big fan of its cream cheese consistency, or its zesty herb taste, but luckily there wasn’t a huge amount of it to deal with. Sans cheese I found the omelet only alright. I was hoping it would have been crammed full of the mentioned ingredients, but primarily it was just chunks of turkey and some tomatoes (not sun dried) and mushrooms. It tasted fine, I just wanted more. The side scalloped potatoes that it came with were exactly that, scalloped potatoes. Nothing special to flavor it, they were just ordinary. Come to think of it that cheese probably would have been good with them.

Now my girlfriend’s meal was another story. Hers both looked and tasted great. A large and warm waffle with just the right amount of banana and ice cream, I should have gone for the waffles. They gave her syrup, but as she indicated there was no need. She also noted that because the waffle was warm she had to eat it fast; otherwise she’d be swimming in melted ice cream. Calorie wise it was probably off the charts, but as a once in the while treat it would be a nice reward.

The bill came to about $21 sans drinks, which seemed alright considering portion sizes. But would I go back? To try the pancakes and waffles yes, but I’ll steer clear of the omelets. It’s definitely a place worth considering when in the area.

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Cici's Cafe
18912 Ventura Blvd
Tarzana, CA 91356
(818) 881-6704