Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Pancake Time

Place

Aunt Emma's Pancakes

700 E Street, Chula Vista




She comes up, swings her -- What do you call it? Caboose? Back porch? Tush? LZ? -- whatever onto a stool, flicks back a lavish, '40s-style mane of wavy black hair, and bathes in the swoons of admiration escaping from the rest of the diners -- all men -- seated here at the semicircular counter. She's like a Lorelei.

At least, that's the way I read it. If this had been a straight counter, half of us would never have noticed her. Yeah. Let's blame our heartache on Robert Roland. He's the guy who started up this joint in 1959. Or maybe it's his Aunt Emma's fault. She's the lady who inspired the entire restaurant.

It's a miracle I found Aunt Emma's at all. I mean, I love you, Chula Vista, but you don't love us walkers. Admit it: You're bought and paid for by Detroit. What other explanation?

I got off the trolley at H Street, thinking I'd find some eatery I hadn't been to before, to, like, breakfast. I walked up to Broadway, was told by this gas-station worker to look on Third, three "blocks" up. Guess he thought I had a car. Man! Wanna know why your streets are so deserted? Because your blocks are bigger than some states back East.

I must have made a wrong turn. I ended up on E. Guy at a bus stop took pity. "There's a breakfast place down by the trolley," he said. "Ask for Aunt Emma."

Sponsored
Sponsored

"Do they do lunch too?" I asked, just in case.

By the time I arrive at Aunt Emma's, I'm so thin, I don't even have to open the swing doors to get through. But inside -- what an oasis. It has that stone-painted brick-timber look that makes you think "Fifties," and is all abuzz. Hostess leads me over the blue-green carpet, past a sea of busy tables and booths to the counter at the back. It's a sort of Hollywood Bowl, with an orange-red mosaic, populated by a semi-circle of gents, chowing into their pancakes, glancing at their papers.

I climb aboard a stool.

"Coffee?"

It's Annie. Maroon tee, black slacks.

I nod, too weak to speak. All that walking -- trolley, Anza Borrego, just about, then back to the trolley. I'm pooped. She comes right up with a cup and my own coffee pitcher. Love it. Soon I'm gluggin'. Coffee starts to course through my veins. That's when the Lorelei comes in. It's like Delilah cutting your hair. I'm all weak again. Can hardly hold up the big, glossy menu.

"It's always pancake time at Aunt Emma's," it says. And yes, they look good. Very Happy Days. Coconut pancakes go for $4.49 short stack (3 cakes) or $5.79 full stack (5 cakes). Oh boy. They have potato pancakes with sour cream or applesauce ($4.49/$5.79), peanut butter pancakes ($4.79/$6.29), cajeta crêpes (topped with cajeta, Mexican milk caramel, pecans, and cream, $5.29 for two). And of course they have other stuff, like French toast ($4.49, or $5.29 with bacon or sausage links), eggs (two "any style" with, say, hash browns or rice and a couple of buttermilk pancakes run $4.19), or omelets. The Californian ($6.79) comes with sausage, avocado, and jack cheese (same sides).

"Don't forget the specials," says Annie.

Oh, right. Looks as if they have two, at $3.49 each: two eggs any style, two pancakes, two sausages or bacon; or a two-egg omelet "any style," with two pancakes.

"You mean, I can have any omelet on the menu?"

"Sure," says Annie.

Wow. What a deal. "Ho-kay," I say. "I'll have the Californian."

"And if you want to upgrade your pancake, you can do that for $1.25 more."

Fact is, I'd had my beady eye on the chocolate pancake ($4.79/$6.29 as a stand-alone), "topped with chocolate chips, powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream." Never imagined I could get it through the special.

"Deal," I say.

It's all as good as it sounds. The full-size omelet bulges with chopped sausage, avo, and sprinklings of cheese. Nice salsa. The chocolate pancakes look like Granny, dressed up for a hoedown.

"Syrup?"

"Of course."

"Which?"

"There's more than one?"

"Maple. Boysenberry. Apricot. Coconut."

Lady who's come to sit on my left tries not to laugh when Annie clanks all the syrups down in front of me. Melanie. She squeezes in, not without difficulty. "I'm five months pregnant," she says. Turns out she's a jazz singer and karaoke sound technician. Loves Billie Holiday. Her favorite song? She gives a winning smile. "'God Bless the Child.'"

Huh. There's a beauty in a woman when she's about to have a child. She is the universe. She is time, hope, a fragile goddess, the giver of life. She makes us males look like stagehands.

Also, Melanie's ordering something close to my heart: biscuits and gravy ($4.39). "This is what I come here for," she says, attacking it. Must be a pregnancy craving. In what seems like two minutes flat, she's demolished the plate and left.

Man. I'm overstuffed. I've hardly looked up from the plate. But I wonder now where the Lorelei is. Oh no. She's getting up, too. She leaves without a glance back. Suddenly, the whole counter section feels empty. We're all poor pathetic drones once again, trapped in a world of newspapers and coffee.

Well, not quite.

"How was it?" says Annie.

I think about that question. And, actually, it was great. This generous place hasn't lost its '50s style. Maybe that's what makes you feel, just for a moment, like, say, the Fonz. Important.

Except the Fonz never had to walk megablocks to find his hangout.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Gonzo Report: Gentrification is scarier than Bandhaunt

But Queen Bee’s show still spooks North Park
Place

Aunt Emma's Pancakes

700 E Street, Chula Vista




She comes up, swings her -- What do you call it? Caboose? Back porch? Tush? LZ? -- whatever onto a stool, flicks back a lavish, '40s-style mane of wavy black hair, and bathes in the swoons of admiration escaping from the rest of the diners -- all men -- seated here at the semicircular counter. She's like a Lorelei.

At least, that's the way I read it. If this had been a straight counter, half of us would never have noticed her. Yeah. Let's blame our heartache on Robert Roland. He's the guy who started up this joint in 1959. Or maybe it's his Aunt Emma's fault. She's the lady who inspired the entire restaurant.

It's a miracle I found Aunt Emma's at all. I mean, I love you, Chula Vista, but you don't love us walkers. Admit it: You're bought and paid for by Detroit. What other explanation?

I got off the trolley at H Street, thinking I'd find some eatery I hadn't been to before, to, like, breakfast. I walked up to Broadway, was told by this gas-station worker to look on Third, three "blocks" up. Guess he thought I had a car. Man! Wanna know why your streets are so deserted? Because your blocks are bigger than some states back East.

I must have made a wrong turn. I ended up on E. Guy at a bus stop took pity. "There's a breakfast place down by the trolley," he said. "Ask for Aunt Emma."

Sponsored
Sponsored

"Do they do lunch too?" I asked, just in case.

By the time I arrive at Aunt Emma's, I'm so thin, I don't even have to open the swing doors to get through. But inside -- what an oasis. It has that stone-painted brick-timber look that makes you think "Fifties," and is all abuzz. Hostess leads me over the blue-green carpet, past a sea of busy tables and booths to the counter at the back. It's a sort of Hollywood Bowl, with an orange-red mosaic, populated by a semi-circle of gents, chowing into their pancakes, glancing at their papers.

I climb aboard a stool.

"Coffee?"

It's Annie. Maroon tee, black slacks.

I nod, too weak to speak. All that walking -- trolley, Anza Borrego, just about, then back to the trolley. I'm pooped. She comes right up with a cup and my own coffee pitcher. Love it. Soon I'm gluggin'. Coffee starts to course through my veins. That's when the Lorelei comes in. It's like Delilah cutting your hair. I'm all weak again. Can hardly hold up the big, glossy menu.

"It's always pancake time at Aunt Emma's," it says. And yes, they look good. Very Happy Days. Coconut pancakes go for $4.49 short stack (3 cakes) or $5.79 full stack (5 cakes). Oh boy. They have potato pancakes with sour cream or applesauce ($4.49/$5.79), peanut butter pancakes ($4.79/$6.29), cajeta crêpes (topped with cajeta, Mexican milk caramel, pecans, and cream, $5.29 for two). And of course they have other stuff, like French toast ($4.49, or $5.29 with bacon or sausage links), eggs (two "any style" with, say, hash browns or rice and a couple of buttermilk pancakes run $4.19), or omelets. The Californian ($6.79) comes with sausage, avocado, and jack cheese (same sides).

"Don't forget the specials," says Annie.

Oh, right. Looks as if they have two, at $3.49 each: two eggs any style, two pancakes, two sausages or bacon; or a two-egg omelet "any style," with two pancakes.

"You mean, I can have any omelet on the menu?"

"Sure," says Annie.

Wow. What a deal. "Ho-kay," I say. "I'll have the Californian."

"And if you want to upgrade your pancake, you can do that for $1.25 more."

Fact is, I'd had my beady eye on the chocolate pancake ($4.79/$6.29 as a stand-alone), "topped with chocolate chips, powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream." Never imagined I could get it through the special.

"Deal," I say.

It's all as good as it sounds. The full-size omelet bulges with chopped sausage, avo, and sprinklings of cheese. Nice salsa. The chocolate pancakes look like Granny, dressed up for a hoedown.

"Syrup?"

"Of course."

"Which?"

"There's more than one?"

"Maple. Boysenberry. Apricot. Coconut."

Lady who's come to sit on my left tries not to laugh when Annie clanks all the syrups down in front of me. Melanie. She squeezes in, not without difficulty. "I'm five months pregnant," she says. Turns out she's a jazz singer and karaoke sound technician. Loves Billie Holiday. Her favorite song? She gives a winning smile. "'God Bless the Child.'"

Huh. There's a beauty in a woman when she's about to have a child. She is the universe. She is time, hope, a fragile goddess, the giver of life. She makes us males look like stagehands.

Also, Melanie's ordering something close to my heart: biscuits and gravy ($4.39). "This is what I come here for," she says, attacking it. Must be a pregnancy craving. In what seems like two minutes flat, she's demolished the plate and left.

Man. I'm overstuffed. I've hardly looked up from the plate. But I wonder now where the Lorelei is. Oh no. She's getting up, too. She leaves without a glance back. Suddenly, the whole counter section feels empty. We're all poor pathetic drones once again, trapped in a world of newspapers and coffee.

Well, not quite.

"How was it?" says Annie.

I think about that question. And, actually, it was great. This generous place hasn't lost its '50s style. Maybe that's what makes you feel, just for a moment, like, say, the Fonz. Important.

Except the Fonz never had to walk megablocks to find his hangout.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Pastor Lisa Perry finds God in dive bars

Conversations about tattoos turn into conversations about grace
Next Article

World Naan Festival, Central Valley Reptile Expo

Events November 16-November 20, 2024
Comments
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Feb. 1, 2021
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader