There is nothing that brings a smile to my face like pancakes. Now, I’m not talking about the pancakes you get out of a plastic bottle from the supermarket that you add water to and have to shake consistently for a recommended one to two minutes to get rid of those large floury lumps that you know will still be present in ten minutes time regardless of all that hard labor and your newly discovered biceps. No, I am talking about real pancakes.
Now I have been made to believe a lot of things when it comes to the perfect pancake. Some have assured me that Bills make the best with their honeycomb and ricotta combo and I have also been told that Pancakes on the Rock (though a somewhat trashy 24 hour hot-stop for drunks and tourists) put together a killer short stack with the best butter to maple ratio. But more recently, a reliable source of mine convinced me to venture to Melbourne’s Camberwell to a little place called George’s for the height of pancake perfection. With the bar already set extremely high, I could only think that from here on it is going to be a big fall.
We bustle into the busy cafe restaurant and are welcomed into the modern, open plan dining room by the attentive waitress. The space provides sleek lines coupled with warm, glowing lighting that easily invites diners in from this chilly evening. We are seated in the middle of the dining area, which is surprisingly still cozy and intimate even though a number of keen pancake enthusiasts surround us, tucking into a glorious stack of something that is making me extremely hungry and jealous at the same time.
The blueberry pancakes immediately send me into frenzy, just by reading the description on the menu. All the pancake options – lemon delicious, maple (both $12.95), banana, blueberry and strawberry (all $14.95) come with a stack of three buttermilk pancakes, cream and ice cream: an absolutely indulgent plus combination that certainly gets my tick of approval. You really would not want head to George’s if you had just made a promise with yourself to start a health kick or diet. The menu is loaded with desserts and I’m not complaining but this is a warning to those trying to hold back on the sweets. For me I’m diving in headfirst- it’s all or nothing when it comes to desserts.
My blueberry pancakes achieved all the promised decadence and more. The three generously sized buttermilk pancakes are coated with a just-sweet-enough blueberry sauce with ice cream and cream dolloped on top and dotted with toasted almonds. The very spectacle in front of my eyes is amazing to say the least. I cut into the light, fluffy pancake and scoop a bit of each condiment onto my fork and prepared myself for either a dashed or living dream. Well, the good news is, it’s the latter. Although I am extremely disappointed when I have to leave some on my plate due to the fact I simply cannot fit any more glorious little morsels of pancake heaven in my stomach.
You cannot only get any of George’s wicked pancakes all day long but they also have pretty much anything on the menu. From risotto, breakfast, pasta, salads, soups- if you want it, it’s there. They’ve even got a bar.
After experiencing such culinary prowess in terms of the art of pancake making, I am certain that I will never be able to go back to my own sad attempts at whip up magnificence out of a bottle mix. I thank Georges for exposing me to a completely new world where pancakes melt in your mouth and come with all the naughty extras.
819 Burke Road,
Camberwell
Victoria 3124
(03) 9882 0777
Open daily until late
Image by Manon Dallée
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