So, I didn't stop at any Marie Callender's in L.A. since the priorities were the somewhat more unique eateries, but the lady is back in my thinking and in my lexicon, and that is all to the good. It's still breakfast time here, so I want to tell you all (because I know you're waiting with bated breath) about my breakfast at Du-par's. And of course we owe BK for having placed that in the forefront of my mind, because just before I went out there he posted about the disappointing pancakes in the expanded and suddenly non-crowded Studio City location.
"My" Du-par's was the one on the other side of the hill, in Farmer's Market, so I started a day of checking out my old haunts by checking out the Market and eating breakfast in Du-par's. I am happy -- no, ECSTATIC -- to report that, while the room has undergone a face lift and several increases in price since I was last there, the food was still wonderful. But did I try the pancakes? Yes, that's what I had. The short stack with bacon, and about five cups of coffee. I initially ordered the full stack with side of bacon and the waiter came right to the rescue by telling me that was HUGE -- and that I'd have plenty of it to eat, and save many dollars in the process, by ordering the "special" short stack with bacon.
For my taste, the pancakes were still heavenly and were the right choice. Du-par's (at least this one) asks if you want them with butter, and they add it before bringing the order. That worked fine, as they were plenty rich. I do like more syrup than the little cup of it they bring out, and had to ask for a second. But the pancakes and the bacon were beyond delicious, as was the coffee.
My initial regret about the place was that face-lift (which thankfully is only interior, though they may have added a small outdoor seating area since I'd seen it), and the removal of the old counter where one could walk in alone and plop oneself down and dig right into something. The rest of the "dining room" is now of dark-ish decor and comfortable booths of a more upscale appearance than whatever was there before. I used to think of it as almost a roadside banging-screen-door type of jernt, which is probably a memory exaggeration, and this is definitely of the more upscale feel. While still a superb "coffee shop", it was more casual before. But it's fine, so no complaint. And since I LOVE TRADITIONAL COMFY BOOTHS (did everybody hear that okay?), they have done the right thing by me.
Prices seemed high, but I'm used to the ubiquitous New England diner where one can still eat a kingly breakfast for little more than five bucks. But nowhere around here will I get anything approaching those pancakes. I really thought they were tops.
BK, have you been back to Du-par's in Studio City since that last report? It still looks like such a great place, and I hope they weather their expansion (which I hope was in good taste) and thrive.
