Useful Articles
The Magnolia Pancake Haus
By James Cary Jacobson Thu, May 14th, 2009
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Address: |
606 Embassy Oak, Suite 100, San Antonio, Texas 78216 [Google Maps] |
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Phone: |
(210) 496-0828 |
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Website: |
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Hours: |
7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Every Day |
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Cuisine: |
Specialty Breakfast / Lunch |
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Ambience: |
Neighborhood Pancake House |
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Reservations: |
Not Accepted |
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Cost: |
$15.00 per person (includes tax and tip but no alcohol) |
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Credit Cards: |
All Major Cards Accepted |
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Rating: |
Food |
9/10 |
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Whenever I travel I try to make every meal count and eat at as many different restaurants as I can. I try not to eat at the same restaurant twice, and I avoid those that have a presence in South Florida. On a recent trip to San Antonio I ate at a number of very good restaurants: Mexican, barbecue, steak. But the only one that got me to break one of my basic rules and eat at the same restaurant twice was the Magnolia Pancake Haus.
This is the best breakfast restaurant I've ever been to, and I've been to plenty. My breakfast Hall of Fame includes Sear's in San Francisco, the Original Pancake House in Chicago (before they opened branches all over the country), Eggspectation in Northern Virginia, and Skillets in Bonita Springs. When it comes to the Magnolia Pancake Haus, I'm not alone in my high praise. The Magnolia earned a Zagat's rating of 27 out of a possible 30, which is unheard of for a breakfast restaurant located in a neighborhood shopping center.
I first went on a Saturday at 10:00 a.m. There was a 35-minute wait for a table for two. There was plenty of seating outside and magazines to make the time go faster. My wife, Patti, had the Bananas Foster French toast-a little sweet for my taste, but Patti loved it. I had their signature dish, the "Authentic Munchener Apfel Pfannekuchen" (baked German apple pancake) and applewood smoked thick-cut bacon. The bacon was good, made the way I requested, but truthfully bacon is bacon. [Editor's note: Sacrilege!] The apple pancake was big, beautiful, and delicious. It covered the plate and was big enough for two but so flavorful that you won't be anxious to share.
The next time I went was a Sunday at 10:45 a.m. This time, there was a 50-minute wait for a table for two. Patti had cinnamon raisin French toast, the least special of the dishes we had. It was well made but not unique. I had a peach and pecan waffle and corned beef hash. The hash was clearly made on the premises. It tasted meaty, fresh, and perfectly seasoned. Once again, it was the best I have ever tasted. The waffle was crisp, and the peaches were fresh not canned. The combination of fruit and nuts was a perfect marriage of soft and crunchy, sweet and savory. This was one great waffle.
I don't drink coffee, but Patti said theirs was excellent.
Everything is of course made to order, and while we were waiting for our order I noticed the specialty egg dishes: jambalaya omelette (chicken, sausage, jack cheese, and Creole sauce), Denver frittata (green pepper, onion, ham, tomato, cheddar cheese, roasted red pepper salsa, cilantro salsa, and sour cream), Bodega Bay omelette (arugula, applewood smoked bacon, goat cheese, and crème fraiche) eggs Benedict, and perfect pancake platters (apple cinnamon, chocolate chip, blueberry, pecan, bananas Foster and buckwheat) that were being served to the diners around us. They all looked fabulous, well plated and properly garnished.
Both times, with two different waiters, the service was friendly, attentive, and efficient. There is a little bit of a wait since everything is made to order. Although there were still people waiting when we finished, we did not feel rushed. The ambience is what you would expect for and want in a breakfast restaurant: clean, bright, cheery, comfortable, and not cramped.
If you appreciate a special breakfast and find yourself in San Antonio, the Magnolia Pancake Haus is not to be missed.