By Leslee Komaiko
For dineLA.com
Even if you don’t have the sort of life that lets you sleep ‘til noon, it’s comforting to know that plenty of places in Los Angeles are happy to serve you pancakes “after hours” — after typical breakfast hours that is.
Heck, at The Waffle, the stylish new Hollywood eatery where chef Scooter Kanfer-Cartmill (formerly of The House and Naya) mans the stoves, you can enjoy a stack of scrumptious buttermilk pancakes until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. If you’re feeling fancy, try her waffles studded with pieces of applewood-smoked bacon, topped with more of the same. Add an expertly executed cocktail and you can’t go wrong.
If you want a little less cool and a little more grease, consider an everyman place like the Original Pantry downtown, a legendary haunt that serves steak and eggs, omelets, French toast and corned beef hash 24-7. Or hit Roscoe’s House of Chicken N’ Waffles in Hollywood. If you’re in LA, this is a required pilgrimage. Chances are you’ll probably make the journey more than once because the chicken is judiciously seasoned and juicy. Who knew the waffle was the perfect poultry companion?
Canter’s is another iconic Los Angeles spot that will happily serve you breakfast when most folks are eating dinner — or are fast asleep for that matter. In fact, many local delis — Junior’s, Fromin’s, and yes, Jerry’s Famous Deli among them — offer their breakfast menus all day. Ditto diners such as Swingers, which has the additional lure of hot waitresses in short shorts, and Duke’s Coffee Shop on the Strip where both the banana pancakes and the clientele rock. (After all, The Whiskey and Rainbow Room are just a hop, skip and jump away.)
These choices might be old news for seasoned LA diners. If so, check out Juju, the recently opened cereal bar in Westwood Village. Open until 7 p.m. most nights, Juju offers some four dozen cereal varieties from the virtuous (Kashi Autumn Wheat) to the sugar laden (Eggo Waffles, anyone?) and just as many toppings. We can’t imagine putting gummy bears or Nutella on our flakes. But to each his own. You can even opt for banana or strawberry milk.
Prefer something a bit more sophisticated? Head to Pacific Dining Car, the clubby, old school steak specialist. We’re partial to the original location just west of Downtown. But the Santa Monica restaurant has plenty of fans. Both spots are open ‘round the clock, seven days a week. And the entire breakfast menu is available all the time. Good choices include classic eggs Benedict with plenty of sumptuous hollandaise, roast beef hash, and Joe’s Special, a stir-fry of eggs, onion, spinach and a choice of sausage or hamburger.
Other places breakfast hounds should put on their list for future a.m. or p.m. consideration: Jinky’s in Sherman Oaks, where you can enjoy the popular 2+2+2, two eggs any style, two slices of bacon and two pancakes or French toast for $8.25 until 9:30 every night and Blue Plate in Santa Monica, where healthy types can enjoy an egg white frittata.
Don’t forget The Griddle Café, which offers more than a dozen varieties of pancakes with names like “Sow Your Oats” and “Eyes Wide Open.” Shhh. This Hollywood hotspot has a secret menu that features a sweet, decadent riff on French toast. We’re not at liberty to give you the password to get it in your hands. But here’s a big, two part hint: Mary Poppins, 14 syllables.
The Waffle, 6255 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, 323.465.6901.
Original Pantry Café, 877 S. Figueroa St., Downtown LA, 213.972.9279.
Roscoe’s House of Chicken N’ Waffles, 1514 N. Gower St., Hollywood, 323.466.7453. Additional locations.
Canter’s, 419 N .Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, 323.651.2030.
Junior’s, 2379 Westwood Blvd., West L.A., 310.475.5771.
Fromin’s, 1832 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.829.5443. Additional locations.
Jerry’s, 12655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, 818.980.4245. Additional locations.
Swingers, 8020 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.653.5858. Additional locations.
Duke’s Coffee Shop, 8909 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.652.3100.
Juju, 1248 Westwood Blvd., Westwood Village, 310.474.8571.
Pacific Dining Car, 1310 W. Sixth St., Downtown LA, 213.483.6000. Additional locations.
Jinky’s, 14120 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 818.981.2250. Additional locations.
Blue Plate, 1415 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, 310.260.8877.
The Griddle Café, 7916 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, 323.874.0377.
