As we get older, friends get married, start having babies, and start moving further away, causing us to shuffle around our once familiar traditions and routines in an attempt to keep hold of the strong friendships we have built. This very situation is what brought me to Addison this past Saturday morning. With one friend living in Addison, one living in Little Elm, and myself living in Dallas, we found ourselves somewhere in the middle at The Original Pancake House right off of Belt Line. I had not been here before and, I will admit, my expectations were not exceedingly high. I was picturing a big crowd, a very long wait (when I was extremely hungry), and typical pancake house coffee and cuisine. I was there for the friends, not so much the food.As I walked towards the entrance I was pretty sure I had this place pegged, passing couples and families sitting outside waiting, looking off into the distance with hungry glazed over expressions. Yet, from the minute I put my name on the list I was faced with one surprise after another. Here they are in chronological order:
First, there is a ton of comfortable seating for those who are having to wait - I'm talking two comfortable areas designated to waiting customers.
Second, there is a full coffee bar in the front so you can order any kind of coffee you want while you wait for your table (or you can eat at the bar).Third, it was less than the 40 minute wait time they estimated us.
Fourth, the menu has items that have been designated a "heart - healthy meal" by Medical City (very cool) - just look for the logo.
Fifth, I can be a picky orderer. The waitress was able to put together exactly what I wanted, no problem.
Sixth, my meal did not come out at the exact same time as everyone else (it maybe came out 4 to 5 minutes after) and so our waitress brought me a side of fruit, on the house, with everyone else's meals so that, as the waitress said, "you can have a snack while you wait".
Menu Mentions:
The menu here is pretty extensive. They have your typical waffles, pancakes, omelets, and breakfast combos but they also have specialty items and what was most impressive to me was their "heart - healthy meals" that I mentioned early. Menu items that are considered "heart - healthy" are designated with a symbol next to the name. Having this mark means that the item as been analyzed by Medical City and it meets specific nutrition criteria. There are a good 4 to 5 menu items with this designated mark.
Having gone on a long run that morning, I decided to start off the visit with a nonfat latte while I waited for my friends and our table. The milk in the latte gave me quality carbohydrates as well as protein to refuel my tired muscles and hold me over until we could actually eat. Once at the table I ordered the "One By Three" which is one egg and three buttermilk pancakes, but I substituted the buttermilk pancakes for banana pancakes, which were delicious. Now, I know I could have easily picked one of the heart - healthy menu items, but that is my typical selection and this morning I really wanted something that I don't normally get. So, I chose what I wanted, the banana pancakes, while still keeping things in check. The banana pancakes were a fun treat that I never get, but they also offered carbohydrate for depleted energy stores and the banana added a natural sweetness (although not overly banana tasting) as well as a nutrient boost. The natural sweetness that the bananas added was also able to take the place of lots of sugary syrup. To balance the carbohydrates I made sure to get an egg on the side. It's important to include protein in each meal to aid in satiety, among other reasons. Combining a protein with carbohydrate slows the digestion of the carbohydrate, allows your blood sugar to rise and fall more gradually, and allows you to stay full longer. Then I also got my small side of fruit as a bonus (fresh grapes, strawberries, and a little melon - substantial fruit - hurray!). So, it was a delicious meal that was probably made even better by the excellent customer service and efficient manner in which everything was run. Seriously exceeded my expectations.Nutrition Notes:
Protein... milk & eggs... aids in the growth, maintenance and repair of cells (including cells damaged due to sickness or injury from surgery or sports / exercise). 1 whole egg is equivalent to 1 oz. of a "meat equivalent", containing about 7 grams of protein.
Resveratrol... red grapes (the skin particularly)... antioxidant that can help prevent stroke and heart disease.
Potassium... bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe... helps manage blood pressure and proper nerve and muscle communication and may reduce risk of bone loss as we age.
Fiber... fruit cup & bananas... helps keep you full, promotes a healthy GI system and can help lower cholesterol.
Vitamin C... strawberries... antioxidant that promotes healthy joints, skin, hair and a healthy immune system by helping the body build collagen and protecting against infection and cell damage.
Beta Carotene... cantaloupe... a carotenoid (along with lycopene & lutein) and a precursor to vitamin A that helps build a strong immune system, is critical to good vision, and is important for healthy functioning organs like the heart, lungs, and kidneys.Lutein & zeaxanthin... eggs... antioxidants (and precursors to vitamin A) that can help slow the progression of macular degeneration, promoting eye health.
Vitamin D.... eggs... fat - soluble vitamin (needs fat to be absorbed in the body). Helps the body absorb calcium from food and supplements, aids in muscle movement, helps support a strong immune system, and, with calcium, helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. It's good to incorporate the whole egg now any again (as opposed to only the egg white) if eating without any additional dietary fat so that the fat soluble vitamin D, lutein, and zeaxanthin can be well absorbed.
Side Notes: Bananas
It's a known fact that a banana fresh and green from the vine is different than the yellow or brown banana that has been sitting in the store or on your counter for a week. People either like or dislike one or the other for valid reasons. While they still provide potassium, antioxidants and other nutrients with each stage, bananas actually do become sweeter as they ripen (or age) because there is a change occurring in their chemical structure. A fresh green banana is primarily composed of resistant starch. However, as it ages, this starch begins to convert to sugar giving it a much sweeter taste.
Even if you are not a ripe banana person, instead of throwing it out when it surpasses your preferred ripening stage, try using it to sweeten smoothies, or as a substitute for sugar and to add moisture in baked breads, muffins, cookies, pancakes and oatmeal. With bananas you get added vitamins. minerals, and fiber that you don't get with refined white sugar.*
*If you have a medical condition that restricts your intake of potassium, speak with your doctor before making any modifications such as the above.
My Conclusions: (based on a scale of 1 to 5... 1 = will not return; 5 = will return tomorrow)
Taste = 5
Nutrition = while my order was probably like a 4, there are certainly items on the menu with their "heart - healthy" meal mark that I think makes it deserving of a 5.
Service = 5
Overall Ranking = 5
