I could tell I'd be back the second I stepped into Fountain View Cafe for the first time last Sunday. Sure, I hadn't even eaten, or ordered for that matter, but one look at the chalkboard menu and the dining room packed with people of all ages was enough for me. The waft of bacon filling the room didn't hurt either.
I'd come for the pancakes, of course. I've been eyeing them ever since they made Katherine Shilcutt's famous 100 Favorite Dishes two years running. Now I'm just wondering how it took me so long to get there.
As we stepped to the front of the line, we ordered the stack of three to split along with a breakfast sandwich and some coffees.
We filled up our coffees at the counter (because Fountain View is cool like that) and found ourselves a seat. Now the waiting game. Good thing I grabbed a paper to read -- it was my only distraction from awkwardly drooling over the hot plates being plopped down around me. Crap, why didn't I order the hashbrowns?
Thankfully, it wasn't much longer before our own plates arrived. And to my extreme delight, the much-anticipated pancakes were just as incredible as I'd imagined -- even more, if possible. Round and wide as the plate beneath them, the thin (but still fluffy!) hotcakes came perfectly sun-kissed, with slightly crisp edges and what I can only describe as a heaping mound of sweet, salty butter oozing across the top. It certainly didn't need all of the butter, but damn was it good. I drizzled them with syrup and savored each and every gluttonous forkful.
Next was our croissant egg sandwich -- a classic that I've seen done wrong one too many times. Not this time, though. The flaky, buttery croissant managed to be sturdy enough to hold the light and fluffy scrambled eggs and piles of crispy, fatty bacon within. A gooey, thick slice of American cheese was the glue that held it all together.
Bravo, Fountain View. I can't wait until next time. I may or may not even know what I'm ordering...