The idea being that the pancake itself is actually a neutral dish, and not inherently a sweet one. We typically associate it in that manner because the very next word the mind conjures up when we hear “pancakes” is “syrup.” Of course, no one could be blamed for making the association because they work so well together. Just like cereal and milk, burgers and fries, or strawberries and cream, when you put the duo together they just dance in your mouth as if to their own music.

All that being said, this does not mean that one should not venture outside the boundaries of the norm to try and find new and exciting combinations of flavors. Because of pancakes’ neutrality, one can really introduce a variety of different partners, savory or sweet, and come out with something new and delicious. Although Flapjack cannot be credited as being the first of its kind, it can be commended for taking such a genre, and adding its own character and style.

The style and décor of Flapjack is quirky, to say the least. The walls are decorated with surreal artwork of children or adolescents with their mouths stretched open to an unnatural degree. The painted children are of a diverse crowd, ethnicity ranging from all corners of the world. The main message being that wherever one may be from, we all love pancakes, and we all want more. On the wall opposite the children on their sugar rush, is a giant tongue that extends from one side of the restaurant to the other. On the end of the tongue is a stack of pancakes just waiting to be consumed. Although the whole idea may sound slightly disturbing when described, Flapjack has actually managed to keep itself from crossing that line, so long as you don’t over think some of the underlying child obesity and diabetes issues inherent in such a message. The truth is, when you’re there it comes off as quirky, different, and fun.

Colors abound through Flapjack, keeping it lively, fresh, and interesting. There are deep blue sofas placed against the walls, with red and yellow chairs filling out the rest of the floor space. Instead of handing out menus, the dish items are listed on the table itself under the glass. It’s a nice touch and a kind gesture to the environment.

We started our culinary journey with an order of Caesar salad, in an attempt to have something green in our bellies before the main course arrived. The salad was well made with romaine, quality grilled chicken, bacon, and a creamy dressing. Although salads may not be their focus, I did think that they did the Caesar quite well.

For our main course, we had the My Flapjack Pancake and the Philadelphia Pancake. The two are essentially the chicken and beef variations of each other. Both are served with some cheese, onions, and peppers. The Philadelphia Pancake also includes bacon that the My Flapjack did not have. The pancake itself is thinner than a traditional pancake, but thicker than a crepe so that it can hold all the stuffing. I liked both, but personally preferred the Philadelphia as I found it to be more flavorful than the chicken. My brunch partner, on the other hand, was more inclined toward the chicken, so I suppose it really depends on the individual. Either way, they were both good.

For dessert, if you can really call it that, we had an order of the Jack Pancakes. These are the traditional pancakes one imagines when you hear the word, served straight up with butter and syrup. Needless to say, it was filling and delicious. Of course, so long as you get the timing right, a traditional pancake is honestly pretty hard to get wrong. Although we didn’t get to them during our time there, they did have a tempting variety of pancake mixes and combinations, including Nutella, Kinder, Galaxy, white chocolate, banana and apple. Even though I did not get the chance to taste these others, it is hard to imagine them not being delicious.

Overall, Flapjack: The House of Pancakes offers a joyful and fun experience. The environment alone makes it worth checking out at least once. The service was good, friendly, and fast. Although I cannot advise eating there every day given the heavy content of the dishes, it is a nice a place to stop by every so often for a weekend brunch.