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This past weekend, Karen Hundgen (star of Thanksgiving 2010: The Event), my sister Kimberly Hundgen and I all found ourselves in a very familiar neighborhood. Ridgewood, New Jersey, unfortunately nestled dangerously close to the homes of the Real Housewives of NJ, was our family’s home for nearly ten years of our lives. Just a short drive from New York City, Ridgewood is the quintessential American town. With a main street that rival’s Disneyland’s charm and a High School emblazed with the slogan “A Tradition of Excellence”, you’d almost expect to see Norman Rockwell on a corner painting a portrait.
With a few hours to spare before flights took off to our respective homes we had just enough time to fit in the two things my mother and I do best: shopping and eating.
Me – “Want me to blog about our breakfast?”
Kim – “Yea that would be great! I like being featured.”
Mom – “What’s a blog???”
Parents, they never learn…Smack in the center of Ridgewood Avenue sits the Country Pancake House and Restaurant. Sure, it might sounds like an IHOP ripoff, but I assure you these flapjacks are worth the trip back. Many of the businesses in town have come and gone, including the stationary store where I used to buy Beanie Babies (I swear, I had TONS of friends in high school…). Despite the turnover of merchants, The Pancake House has endured the decades and on this Saturday morning a line of fifteen families had already formed outside.
There are two distinct features involved in going out to a restaurant with my mother. First, she must carefully observe no less than five other surrounding tables to see what they have ordered.
Mom - “What do you think that is?”
Me – “I don’t know.”
Mom – “It looks delicious…maybe some kind of egg thing with…is that a hollandaise sauce?”
Kim – “I don’t know”
Mom – “Excuse me…EXCUSE ME”
Me & Kim – “Oh God…here we go.”
Mom – “WHAT ARE YOU EATING???”
It happens…every single time. Second, whatever you order as your personal entrée will soon become a shared entrée. This rule I agree with, I mean what’s the sense of just having one thing when you can try all three!
With over 112 pancake varieties, it was going to be very difficult to narrow things down. From Dark Cherry & Banana to Buckwheat & Hazelnut, when it comes to toppings, if you can dream it – you can eat it. We ended up going with the ultimate breakfast trifecta. Mom settled on the Banana & Walnut Pancakes, I went with the Strawberry French Toast and Kim decided on the Florentine Fritatta.
“Those pancakes are HUMONGOUS!” Kim said as we eyed the plates coming from the bustling kitchen. Have you ever measured the diameter of a manhole cover? Cause I’m pretty sure that’s the standard they measure the pancake size against. Served up 2 per order, these pancakes are so big, you cannot even SEE the plate they are served on.
Mom – “I don’t remember it being this big!”
Me – “That’s what she said!” [That one’s for you Michael Scott]
Filled with entire walnut halves and chunks of bananas bursting throughout, you almost don’t even need the syrup or butter to sweeten up this colossal concoction.
Not to be outshined, the French Toast is made with at least half a loaf of challah bread and comes out thicker than most porterhouse steaks. While most frittatas are made in a pan, Kim’s was served in the shape of a pan with melted cheddar sprinkled on top.
Forget about finishing your meal, just finishing enough to only have to walk out with one doggie bag is the goal here. Despite our best efforts, we ended up leaving with enough food for lunch and dinner that day. “Leftovers are the best part!” Mom insisted. “I like eating the pancakes after they’ve been in the fridge for a bit. It’s like a piece of cake!”
I forgot to mention the third ritual of eating with Karen: she always has to find out the personal details of the waiter or waitress’s love life.
Jasna (our waitress) – “No, no – he’s my brother.”
Kim – “Awkward!”
Mom – “Well lean in, let’s take a picture!”
Where does one woman find so many different patterns of animal print? The world will never know.
Country Pancake House & Restaurant
140 E. Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
