More than Waffles
Blueberry Pancake with House made Strawberry Jam and 1.7oz Vermont Maple Syrup (+ $2.75)
Half-Order Caramel French Toast – Sliced Bananas, Whipped Cream, Chopped Pecans, Caramel Sauce
Half-Order Tommy’s Peanut Butter Cup Waffle – Chocolate Dipped Belgian Waffle, Warm Peanut Butter Drizzle
Coffee
Returning to Encino just a day after Breakfast at The Nook failed to impress it was just after eight o’clock that I sat down amidst generations of local families at More Than Waffles, and setting aside some difficulty finding the somewhat secluded location in the midst of a small shopping center not a single aspect of my experience was short of exemplary, the sort of ‘down home’ cooking and setting that transported me back to a Midwestern childhood more than I’d ever expected from a spot in sunny SoCal.
Family owned and operated since 1975, with a throng of teenage girls providing service far superior to wannabe actors in Hollywood or Beverly Hills, it was mere moments after arrival that I sat at a small two-top in the main dining area and with not a seat in the house open by just after 8:30 it was amongst several tantalizing options that an order was crafted, my coffee and water refilled repeatedly with surprises presented not only in the form of pure maple syrup offered at a supplemental cost, but also from half-portions of all griddled options without upcharge, thus allowing a wide sampling of More Than Waffles goods.
Amused by a crowd that ranged from those just starting to eat solid foods all the way up to those old enough to remember when the Dodgers played in Brooklyn it was perhaps twenty minutes before three plates of food arrived and with a total tariff of just over $20 after tax and a good tip not a single bite was less than comfort food at its best, the buttermilk pancake fluffy and spotted with fresh blueberries while both the French Toast and Waffle featured crispy golden exteriors over a soft center, the bananas amidst caramel, cream, and nuts lighter that one might guess while the daily special waffle remained crisp and snappy despite a lacquer of chocolate and melted peanut butter drizzle that could have just as easily been offered as dessert somewhere far more fancy.
