Ask a Foodie: Panelists flip for pancakes, waffles

Matt Glenn

Waffles: The Cadillac standard of breakfast carb loading. It seems that the rule for going to eat waffles is that it needs to be at an establishment with the name "House" in it. If the establishment's name also has "Waffle" in it then you have a safe bet that you can get some "waffle" goodness. But alas there are no Waffle Houses in this area; Southeast Missouri is far too classy for the Waffle House. Around here there are Huddle Houses, which appear to be like a Waffle House but with cleaner standards ... Also, the Hickory House will scratch your waffle itch with a golden pecan waffle. Or if you want to take a trip to Charleston, Missouri, to the Pancake and Waffle House, they sling a pretty good waffle there, too. Get yourself fueled up with some breakfast before you go people watching in Boomland. Also for a pro tip, Waffle establishments are kind of like a speakeasy. If you nod-nod and wink-wink at the server asking for butter pecan syrup, the truly good places have the syrup in the back. Always ask.

Mary Anderson

Plot twist: my favorite waffle joint doesn't serve breakfast (well, unless you chow down on your first meal of the day after 11 a.m.) Heck, I'm not sure if my favorite waffle joint even serves coffee, nor eggs or buttered toast. They DO serve margaritas and gargantuan burritos, though. To get a taste of my favorite waffle joint, head over to Burrito-ville in Cape Girardeau and order their chicken and waffles burrito. This burrito features crispy chicken, bacon (duh!), their infamous ghost-pepper cheese, syrup and a fluffy waffle. All of this is wrapped up and tucked in with a warm flour tortilla. Are you seeking a handheld version of everything you love about brunch wrapped into one bite? This waffle burrito is your answer, having the perfect combination of savory and sweet. It's such a smart juxtaposition of textures and flavors: the juicy, crispy-coated chicken vs. fluffy waffle; the salty bacon vs. the spicy cheese vs. the sweet syrup. Every component synchronizes together to sing a song of perfect harmony for your taste buds. The MVP (or should I say MVI -- most valuable ingredient) of this brunch-burrito is the waffle. It carries the team on its crisscrossed ridged back, soaks up all of its teammates' flavors and drives the meal to food-nirvana victory. In all seriousness, putting all analogies aside, this burrito is dynamite, so go grab one the next time you have a waffle craving!

Rebecca LaClair

The strawberry fruit roll up at Sands Pancake House in Cape Girardeau is shown.Submitted by Mary Castillo

If a particular food item is in your name, it had better be good. For instance, if your restaurant name is Burger Land, your burgers better be fantastic. This is exactly the case at Sands Pancake House in Cape Girardeau. Their pancake batter is from a carefully guarded homemade recipe and it is near perfect. The pancakes are thick, moist, dense, but still somehow fluffy. They are cooked expertly with bacon or sausage grease, maybe a combo of the two, but I could taste it on the very edges where there was just a little bit of crunch and that slight zing of salty, meat flavor that syrup complements so well. Awesome and extremely affordable pancakes with an old-time diner feel.

Nick Johnston

I do not eat out for breakfast too much, but when I do, it is at Sands Pancake House in Cape Girardeau. This local, cash-only joint is the type of place I want to eat breakfast at! The service is quick, friendly and the pancakes are great! Plus it is better now that it is smoke- free. All in all, I have gone before, I will go back and recommend to others. Happy eating!

Jessie Asher

Some days, you just want breakfast for dinner. That craving for a heaping mound of syrupy, buttery, pancake goodness sets in -- and it's all you can think about.

On these days, I go to Cracker Barrel in Cape Girardeau. Not only are the pancakes prepared perfectly, but also you have an array of options. Tailor that order any which way you choose -- from chocolate chips to jelly on top.

And while you're at it, ask for a granola parfait -- the perfect, scrumptious and healthy breakfast addition!

Mary Ann Castillo

When my friends and family are craving "homemade" pancakes without the work, I take them to Sands Pancake House in Cape Girardeau. Sand's pancakes are golden, fluffy and enormous. I recently ordered the strawberry "fruit roll up." The menu describes an order of three pancakes, but the server suggested I order a single fruit roll up. I am glad I took her advice. When the plate arrived with a fresh pancake piled high with strawberries and whipped cream, I knew I was beat. I gave it the old college try. My taste buds were happy but, sadly, I had to throw in the towel about 3/4 of the way through. The portions are extremely generous and reasonably priced. Sands only accepts cash, however, there is an ATM on site. The restaurant seems to stay busy, so I recommend planning your trip around their peak hours or being prepared for a bit of a wait. It will definitely be worth it.

-- Compiled by Joshua Hartwig