The Pancake Bakery

Amsterdam: 17^th March 2010

When we went for lunch, we didn’t have the pronunciation problems we had when we went to the Haesje Claes the previous evening. The ‘Pancake Bakery’ has an English name!

Actually, ‘pancake’ is a slightly inaccurate translation of the Dutch pannekoeken … these pancakes are well on the way to being pizzas, and make a belt-bustin’ meal all on their own. I’d tried Googling The Pancake Bakery before we arrived, and, strangely, it didn’t turn up their website, but a myriad of traveller’s blogs recommended it … and praised how inexpensive it was.

Tasty, traditional and doesn’t break the bank … could it get any better?

The Pancake Bakery is located in a former warehouse on the Prinsengracht, on the banks of one of Amsterdam’s main canals. Canalside frontage is at even more of a premium than land prices in the rest of the city, so the dining room is really more of a wide corridor.

One wall is bare, antiqued brick, and all walls are hung with old photos and prints. Were these tiled tables, or just tile-effect? I never got to investigate, because then, my pancake arrived.

And, it showed why ‘pancake’ is such a poor word to describe it … hot and crispy, it actually overhung the edges of the dinner plate it was served on. You can get ‘Traditional’ pancakes for €5.95 to €9.95. depending upon the filling you choose; for €11.50, there’s the ‘Specialities for the Pancake Expert’, again, with a large selection of sweet and savoury toppings available or, for €13.75 ‘International Pancakes: A Culinary Trip Around the World’ are on offer … everything from Norwegian, through Egyptian round to Thai.

We took the middle ground, and each ordered a ‘Speciality Pancake’, with a bacon, cheese and mushroom topping. What we’d disregarded was the huge tub of syrup on each table; we didn’t think it quite the thing for a savoury pancake. But, the waiter urged us to try a little.‘It’s made to our own recipe, and surprisingly good, even with savouries’ he said

To our surprise, it was … although it tasted more like treacle than the golden syrup we’re used to.

After such a repast, we didn’t even consider a dessert; it was lunchtime, and we still had some walking and exploration to do. But, we needed something to wash it down. Not Dutch wine this time, though. We ordered a glass another, better known product of the Netherlands. Heineken!

THE PANCAKE BAKERY

PRINSENGRACHT 191, 1015 DS AMSTERDAM

PHONE: 020 – 6251333. WWW.PANCAKE.NL 

Prices subject to change; they were accurate in March 2010.

Disclosure: I was the guest of The Pancake Bakery, but all opinions expressed are mine.