If you've never been to Pancake Circus, the clown-themed breakfast house at 2101 Broadway in Sac, you've never lived.
Well, that may be a stretch. But, seriously, check it out. As most people feel about clowns, you'll either be scared to death or filled with joy and laughter upon entering the retro diner.
Really, besides the pancakes, the food is pretty average and the prices are decent -- $5 to $12 per person. Still, because I love to make lists, here are some reasons why Starving Artists should visit Pancake Circus.
1. The Ambiance. The place is decked out in orange, brown and yellow with "knock-off" Winnie-the-Pooh pictures, circus animals and lots and lots of clowns in both painting and doll form (the spookiest). They even have some type of glass case with bizarre flea market-esque clown toys as if they are all worth a fortune. This shelf is next to the huge lottery ticket dispenser. Yep. You can gamble at breakfast. There are bingo screens too. To sum, Pancake Circus feels like you've either been transported to the '70s or some dinky town in Arizona… today.
2. The Staff. Think “Napoleon Dynamite.” On Sunday, the host was some 14-year-old who looked like he might grow up to be Kip. All he needed was a ‘stache and an Internet girlfriend (which he may already have… I hope!) The busboys bring forth a necessary inmate-chic aesthetic and the cooks all wear those tall chef hats you'd expect to see at some high-end French fusion restaurant, which is both ironic and adorable considering this is a place that takes pride in its senior meal discounts. Oh, and the service is quick and perfect. We went in on an extremely busy Sunday and our waitress made it her mission to make sure we never saw the bottom of our coffee mugs.
3. The Menu. I've only ventured in for breakfast, obviously. Pancakes are important, which is why four plate-sized cakes come with nearly every meal here. Don't want something sweet? Substitute them for country potatoes and toast for no extra charge. For a basic combo, try the "Circus Special," for $7.75. It comes with a choice of ham, bacon, sausage or beef patty with two eggs and four pancakes. (You can also replace eggs with "egg beaters" for an extra 75 cents). Other items: French toast, waffles, omelets, crepes, eggs benedict and veggie benedict (with sliced avocado, tomato and onion), biscuits 'n' gravy, chicken-fried steak, hot links, pork chops and more.
They've also got the basic diner lunch food. You can replace the beef with chicken on any of their burgers. (The Teriyaki Mushroom sounded good to me.) Some of the more unique options include breaded veal served with mashed potatoes and gravy and the Denver Sandwich (ham, bell pepper, onion and egg on a French roll).
The clown on the menu exclaims via a word bubble that Pancake Circus recently converted to zero trans-fat frying oils. Wait, so does that lower my chances of a heart attack after eating here? Score!
Pancake Circus
(916) 452-3322
pancakecircus@gmail.com
Open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
(Crummy hours, right? This would be fun on a silly drunken evening on the town.)
3 comments:
I don't usually yell at people because I think it's mean and crude and rarely accomplishes anything.
I yell at people when they suggest I go to Pancake Circus with them.
It's fun to go every once in a while... mostly for the people-watching. I can't say it about the rest of their food, but the pancakes are good, I think.
I love, love, LOVE Pancake Circus and I'm bummed that they're no longer open for my late night cravings.
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