Bake ‘N Broil is a neighborhood classic for me. For a couple of years, it was my home, my desk, my hideaway every weekend. These days, I’m a few pounds lighter and can’t indulge in my go-to B&B dish (the whole wheat pancakes) as often as I once did, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love it. That I don’t miss it. That I don’t get sad when I drive past its bustling storefront on my way to Target.
(Yes, I have posted on this place before!)
It’s hard to say much else about Bake ‘N Broil (other than that it’s beloved by many in the LBC) because, aside from a couple of turkey burgers, the only thing I’ve had there (not counting red velvet cake – that’s a whole ‘nother story) are the whole wheat pancakes. So instead of doing a thorough write-up, posted below is a poem I wrote for Yelp! a while back, dedicated to my favorite short stack.
Drive by the Bake ‘N’ Broil
Just one thing on my mind
A short stack of whole wheat pancakes
But damn! There’s a line
So I set my alarm clock early
Don’t even change my clothes
Slip on my Uggs, throw on some lip gloss
Then I’m off
No line because I’m there with the sunrise
No wait, but still grab a counter seat
Order my pancakes
Hold the butter? No
With a side of hash browns? Sure
They arrive three-layers high
Puddles of butter so deep I want to swim in them
But no, not without the syrup
Yes, the maple-ee rich syrup
Each cake soaks it up, sponges it up
It flows within and between my criss-cross cuts
Assembly complete
Ready, aim…
Delight
Triplicate pockets of heaven
Bite-sized
I erase my plate
And it kind of makes me want to cry when it’s all over
But then I smile
Reminded that next Sunday
When the hangover crowd is snoring away
And before praise teams in the nearby churches get their warm-up on
I’ll be back at the counter
Behind another stack of whole wheat pancakes
Jongewaard’s Bake ‘N Broil
3697 Atlantic Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90807