How long does it take to master a new craft? For Pannenkoeken co-owner Linda Rodriguez, it took three years. She spent three consecutive summers at a Dutch pancake house in the Netherlands, learning how to make the famed delicacy. Armed with a new skill, she decided to open up this atypical breakfast spot in Euro-centric Lincoln Square with her daughter, Gina Salgado.
Keeping with the sleek nature of Scandinavian design, Rodriguez and Salgado decorated the interiors with lime-green paint, cushioned benches and wooden tables and chairs. Take a seat and order a Dutch pancake, a work of art that's 11 inches in diameter and thicker than a crepe. Not sure how to tackle it? Just roll it and chomp down, or slice it and take smaller bites.
The pannenkoeken (yes, that means Dutch pancake) comes in different varieties, both sweet and savory. Try the chocolate banana cake, which is cooked up with thinly sliced bananas, sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts, drizzled with Belgium chocolate then covered with freshly whipped cream and Dutch cocoa powder. The most popular item, the bacon cheese pannenkoeken, comes with imported bacon and Havarti cheese. Prices run a little steeper than, say, your average IHOP: expect to put down at least $6 for most of these creations. It's worth the extra change, though, and pretty soon those soggy American pancakes just won't cut it.
Centerstage Reviewer: Alicia Eler
