Ma'amCakes

This weekend I had the honor of actress Jessica Luza (who some of you may know from “The Lost & Found Family,” and most recently from her guest starring role on “House”) join me as a reviewer for Ma’amCakes.

Jessica and I visited the infamous - and I say infamous based on the line in the photo above - Toast Bakery Cafe on 3rd St and Harper Ave in Los Angeles, CA. Toast typically is this crowded partly because it has been featured in TV shows such as “Rachel Zoe,”The Hills,” “Entourage,” “Rachel Ray,” and even the movie “No Strings Attached.” Or perhaps Toast is typically this crowded because of its fantastic food - especially, their pancakes!

When Jessica and I were deciding on pancakes, I immediately went with the Cinnamon Walnut Pancakes, while Jessica was debating between the Tri-Berry Pancakes and the Multigrain Pancakes - which happen to be Toast’s most popular pancake. “I definitely appreciate all their pancake options,” says Jessica, “I’ve been here a hundred times, but never even thought about checking their pancake menu!” Enter, Ma’amCakes!

After the waiter came and went several times, we finally decided on the Cinnamon Walnut Pancakes, and the Tri-Berry Pancakes. Good. Choices.

First of all, as Jessica and I were not starving, one of the main pros of our order was we had the option of choosing one specialty, or one Buttermilk, pancake for $5.99, as opposed to a full order of three pancakes. Keep in mind, though, this option is only included inside the restaurant, and not in Toast’s online menu.

The Cinnamon Walnut Pancake, a specialty pancake I’ve never had, was a perfect blend of cinnamon, walnut, and pancake fluff. The pancake was lite, not greasy, and tasted just as fresh in the first bite as the last. The Cinnamon Walnut Pancake was perfectly topped with extra fresh bananas - they couldn’t have picked a more appropriate topping. This dish was wonderfully tasty and creative.

Jessica’s Tri-Berry Pancake was a beautiful assortment of pancake, fruits, and pecans - but did it taste as good as it looked? “Wow, these are great. They’re definitely lite and airy, and actually taste healthy - but wait, is that even possible? I mean, they’re pancakes!” They probably tasted lite and airy (as did mine) due to the fact they weren’t first run through a butter churn - as many pancakes are  - before placed in front of us.

Jessica’s only note was “I’d actually prefer the fruit inside the pancake, only because it would make it less dry, juicier, and more flavorful.” When taking a bite of Jessica’s dish, I actually agreed with her. As per my review from Jinky’s Cafe, perhaps Toast should adapt the option of where to place the toppings. But in my dish, however, I did prefer the bananas on top only because the walnuts were already embedded in the pancake. While the Tri-Berry Pancakes look beautiful, at the end of the day, it’s all about how they taste! Ma’amCakes’ motto right there.

When asking Jessica which specialty pancake she’ll get next time, she replied “definitely the Banana Chocolate Chip.” All and all, while the restaurant is called Toast, fortunately for the pancakes, they’re lacking the butter! 

Thank you so much Jessica, for being a part of Presidents’ Day Brunch with Ma’amCakes!

Today I visited Doughboys Café on 3^rd Street between La Jolla and Crescent Heights, and decided to review their pancakes as my first blog entry. Until today I had only visited Doughboys once, and tried their absolutely amazing Challah French Toast (Bonaparte’s Breakfast)- so I was very much anticipating the taste of their pancakes. Although Doughboys has several tempting options, including Rice Krispy Pancakes, I decided to go with the Pumpkin Griddlecakes.

As I’m not such a fan of nuts, I asked the server if it was possible to have the meal sans walnuts; she explained that because the nuts are baked into the batter, this was not going to be possible. The server did, however, mention her dislike of walnuts as well, and assured me I wouldn’t be able to taste them. Boy was she right!

With a fantastic blend of pancakes, pumpkin, and walnuts, the first bite of Pumpkin Griddlecakes tasted like Thanksgiving morning. The pancakes were doughy but not heavy, and flavorful but not overbearing. While the pancakes were tasty with a hint of syrup, the scoop of whipped cream cheese on top sealed the deal.

The Pumpkin Griddlecakes at Doughboys are the perfect holiday breakfast treat; just steer clear if you are allergic to nuts!

*And as a side note, unlike many restaurants in LA, Doughboys serves breakfast ALL DAY LONG!