A Wandering Sole

Sole Food: a Visit to Slappy Cakes

// February 23rd, 2010 // 6 Comments » // America, Food, North America, Oregon

Happy slappy pancake deliciousness. It’s National Pancake Day, and what better way to celebrate than to make your mouth water over delicious pancakes!

Slappy Cakes is a breakfast and lunch restaurant in Portland that allows patrons to cook their own pancakes right at the table. The food is organic, fresh, and most of it is grown locally. I first read about Slappy Cakes on Dane Carlson’s Business Opportunities Weblog. I passed on the info to my best friend in Portland, and we decided it was a must-eat. After all, we love breakfast food! I flew out to Portland recently, and the next morning we decided that Slappy Cakes would be perfect for Sunday brunch. The problem? Sunday brunch + Valentine’s Day = An extremely long wait. It’s obviously a very popular breakfast place in Portland, and it’s dining room isn’t very large. So, we rescheduled for Thursday morning, and I have to say it was well worth the wait.

First Impressions:
My friend and I both have design backgrounds, so the first thing we noticed was obviously the interiors. Slappy Cakes has a fresh and natural feel to the place. With a simple palette of finishes and a splash of orange color, it almost reminded me of diner-meets-mountain lodge. The natural wood and warm color is juxtaposed by the metal finishes. There are Ikea accessories dotted throughout, giving it a modern feel. Unlike our Sunday experience, there were only about 4 tables taken when we entered so the place was pretty quiet.

Menu Options:
Slappy Cakes offers standard breakfast and lunch fare. You can order food cooked in the kitchen, but in my opinion, not sampling the cook-your-own-pancakes would be like taking a trip to Disney World and not riding any rides. They have several choices of pancake batters including buttermilk, vegan, and pumpkin, and for $1 each, you can pick as many toppings as you like such as fruits, chocolate, and nuts.

My friend and I both chose the buttermilk batter, but when it came to selecting toppings, it was a tough decision! I had blueberries and bananas while she tried the walnuts. It was mmm delicious. The server oils the griddle for you, so unless you overcook the pancakes, it’s hard to screw it up. By cooking our own food, the build-up to actually eating them made the taste even better. Honestly, the batter was probably pretty standard. But the toppings were fresh and the experience was fun! We also had a side of their potatoes which were simple, but seasoned well.

Why pay to make your own food?
I’ve heard this comment several times. Some don’t understand why you would pay to eat at a restaurant when you have to do the cooking yourself. There are several reasons why I would persuade you to believe otherwise. First, don’t go by yourself. If you’re with friends, there are several of you cooking. Typically this can’t happen at home. We also used our creative freedom, as you can see pictured, which was fun. Second, my kitchen doesn’t exactly have the same atmosphere as Slappy Cakes. (Let’s ignore the fact that I don’t really have a kitchen at the moment). Slappy Cakes has a fresh, inviting atmosphere with friendly servers. Everything is pre-measured for you and ready to throw on the griddle. Third, you don’t have to have all those toppings on hand at home- you can make impulsive decisions and become a pancake chef!

If you’re going to visit Slappy Cakes, I recommend going during the week. It’s more relaxed and you won’t feel rushed to cook, eat, and run. Another thing to note- I’m not sure this is the best place to take your kids. I saw a very well behaved little girl in the restaurant, but I can only imagine if you brought little terrors to the place. Even if you don’t cook your own pancakes, the griddles stay on all the time. So watch out for those tykes that like to get into mischief. I’m no food connoisseur by any means, but if you like pancakes and trying a different type of restaurant experience, Slappy Cakes is sure to please.

Slappy Cakes
4246 SE Belmont St.
Portland, OR 97215

So I went for the bananas and blueberries. What’s your favorite type of pancakes?

More Photos:

Goodbye Columbia, Hello… Kentucky?

// February 9th, 2010 // No Comments » // Pre-Trip

Yes, I’ve quit my job just to move in with my parents in Kentucky. But the good news is- it’s temporary! I’m spending a few weeks at home and taking a few weeks to visit some of my favorite people spread across the U.S, before heading out on my trip. Over the next month, I’ll be spending time in Portland, San Francisco, and a couple of other little towns along the way. I’m excited to catch up with friends and family and start seriously preparing for my trip. However, even with all of these adventures in the works, I have to admit- I’m a little sad about leaving Columbia. It’s not exactly an up-and-coming hip place to be (no offense), but it definitely has its perks. So in honor of my move, here are some random things I will miss most:

1. Weekend trips to Charleston. The city has always fascinated me. Its rich history and old southern charm can be experienced through the architecture, the graveyard tours, the City Market (once the former slave market), and the food. Charleston has wonderful beaches, including Isle of Palms, and we’ve spent many weekends hanging out here.

2. Gourmet Shop Chicken Salad. Southerners love barbecue, chicken salad, fried okra, and sweet tea. If it’s fatty, sugary, or fried (or a combination of them all), we like it. I could do without most of these, but for the next 9 months I think I might spend some nights dreaming about the chicken salad from The Gourmet Shop. It’s soooo good!

3. Jenn and Adam (My sister and brother-in-law). You’re probably surprised that they made the list, and frankly, I am too! But keep in mind they did let me live with them for 17 months, and they didn’t kick me out! Sure, they threatened on multiple occasions to make me go sleep in the mini-house (i.e. the shed in the backyard), but luckily these threats were never followed through. I had a warm bed, was spoiled with homemade dinner most nights, and was even allowed to tag along on many occasions. Of course I had to put up with Adam dissing on my ‘hood car’… (Editor’s note: This was originally point #4, however Jenn was offended to be below donk cars, so I had to rearrange)

4. Donk Cars. Apparently this is the name for those pimped-out cars you see driving around town. Just do a google search and you’ll see how they’re gaining in popularity. It’s always entertaining to have one roll up beside you at a stoplight. I’ve spotted several cars around Columbia painted with cereals, Strawberry Shortcake, and even Cheetos.

5. Football Season. Although not unique to Columbia (pictured is Citadel Homecoming), football season is always a good time. Being in a college town, you can always find an excuse to tailgate. Good food and good company! And then of course there’s the football game.

6. And finally: Beckett. Perhaps the cutest Boston Terrier ever, (although his cousin Brigid rivals him) he’s a little troublemaker that loves visitors, any type of food except pretzels, destroying stuffed animals, and trying to get the last drops out of a beer bottle.

What’s your favorite thing about Columbia?