Pancakes R Us -- 2282 N Garey Ave Pomona, CA 91767

My Meal Cost: $28.41 for 2 plus tip. Health Rating A. Yelp 4 stars

Breakfast, the most important meal of the day. For myself, I rarely eat breakfast at home but on occasion I do like to go out around 10 am, after I've gotten fully awake and had a cup of coffee, to have a special breakfast. Some of  my favorite places to go include the Twisted Sage in San Dimas where you can get a great Rosemary biscuit and sausage gravy, or Norms Hanger at Brackett Field where you can watch the planes and enjoy a good old fashioned diner breakfast, or BC Cafe (originally in Pomona but now in Claremont) where the breakfast is excellent and the portions gargantuan, with the same for Flappy Jacks in Glendora. I was pleased when Mr. D's opened on Foothill as they also have a very good, hearty breakfast.

Pancakes R Us opened on Garey a few years ago replacing a failing Sizzler which had been there for decades. A group that I belong to had their lunchtime meetings there for a few months and I was singularly unimpressed with the lunch options so I really didn't consider it for breakfast, a mistake that I will now rectify.

The space has been little modified since it was a Sizzler with the exception that the salad bar has been removed and tables installed. The space is comfortable and the service was pleasant. This is a place where you pay at the cashier on the way out. I've never really understood that. What, don't they trust the wait staff to be able to handle money?

First, one of the keys to a good breakfast is a decent cup of coffee. Norms Hanger for example doesn't have good coffee which sets the wrong tone--but the airplanes (and once even a blimp taking off) make up in ambiance. Pancakes R Us has a good cup of joe. The coffee is not Starbucks, but is a step ahead of most "diner" coffee. It's served in a carafe left at your table (ala IHOP) so you don't have to worry about flagging down the waitress for a refill.

For my meal I ordered the corned beef hash breakfast with two slices of bacon, two sausage links, 2 eggs, 2 pancakes, and hashbrowns. I didn't have to worry about lunch as this kept me full until dinner.

The hash was excellent with a lot of onion and peppers (if you like a lot of onion and peppers). The sausage was mild, the eggs cooked just as I like them (over easy) and the bacon was just the right amount of crispy. The hash browns were exceptional, crispy on the outside and tender inside. While, had I thought of it I probably would have opted out of the pancakes (I actually prefer toast and can't take all the sugar of the syrup), I forgot and I was very pleased with what I ended up with. The buttermilk pancakes were light and fluffy and took in the butter and syrup, but were not dry so didn't need as much of a dousing as I worry about.

The lovely Mrs. C accompanied me on this outing and she ordered the French Toast breakfast which came with two eggs and 2 sausage links. She likes her eggs "over dead," (she hates runny eggs) which she explained to the waitress who was able to translate the message to the cooks and got it "perfect." The French Toast was thick and well made with lots of butter and a dusting of powered sugar.

While I don't think this will become my "must go" place, it will certainly be in consideration for our next breakfast outing.

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