By Susie Timm, Head Cheese
When I was a kid, my dear old dad ruined pancakes for me. We had an “incident” circa 1985 in which he attempted to use margarine and skim milk in the batter. They ended up doubling as Chinese throwing stars.
I took a pancake hiatus for approximately 25 years. I am not exactly sure what has inspired me lately, but I have been on a quest to eat as many of these golden discs as possible. Perhaps I am making up for a youth filled with pancake abuse?
I digress. I’ve tried many pancakes in 2011. Some of my faves live at Perk Eatery and The Herb Box.
I was recently invited to try breakfast at the newly revamped “Orange Table” restaurant on the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall near SMoCA (look it up).
As I took my seat in the bright and cozy dining room, I was filled with a positive and cheery energy that I desired to spread through Scottsdale like glitter during a parade.
Makes you long for a handful of glitter. Admit it.
After assessing the menu, I settled in with a gigantic portion of French press coffee and was very grateful I brought my A-game appetite.
I ordered the chimichurri steak and eggs with olive bread and one singular chocolate chip pancake.
Though I have also been on a scratch cooking at home kick, that includes various types of chimichurri and pesto, I was secretly counting the seconds until my pancake arrived.
The pancake arrived. It was literally bathing in butter. It made me want to start bathing in butter frankly. I dug in (read: scarfed). It was delicious, albeit VERY buttery. To do it again, I’d order the butter on the side and apply myself, mainly because it was so rich. It was in my top 5 of all time pancakes in Phoenix. I am sitting here on my couch debating whipping up a chocolate chip pancake to pay homage to this experience.
My steak topped with chimichurri and with a side of over medium eggs arrived next. The steak was a little more than “medium” but still very tender and tasty. The chimichurri was like a great green cloud of wonder floating atop the steak. Spicy, savory and so freaking good. My eggs were perfectly done and perfectly round–that always makes me happy. I found the olive bread to be crunchy and salty.
I'd like to marry this chimichurri sauce.
There are a plethora of other breakfast and lunch goodies I’d like to try at Orange Table. My stomach was at max capacity after the delicious meal I experienced there!
Mucho props to Chef/Owner Elizabeth Meinz and Chef Aaron Ward for putting some crazy awesome dishes on the menu.
I’m hoping I can entice them into competing in our first ever Pancake Showdown!? Details to be announced very soon!
I’m still eating pancakes across the universe. Let me know where you think I should try next!
