The brunch club The brunch club (April 29, 2005)

Stacks' excels at waffles, pancakes

By Mandy Erickson

Waiting for a table at a popular brunch spot is a well-earned weekend luxury. For us harried parents and working stiffs, Sunday is the one day a week we can take our time with breakfast -- sipping coffee, reading the paper, not even checking our watches.

The only hitch is that often we stand in line for less-than-terrific food. Stacks', the newest addition to a four-restaurant Peninsula chain, is no exception. While the Menlo Park restaurant's pancakes and waffles were quite good, the egg-and-vegetable dishes managed to be both under- and overcooked. And the potatoes, though still tasty, were nothing to crow about.

On a bright Sunday morning, my son and I showed up at Stacks', where we met my sister and her two daughters. Told the wait was 20 minutes, we sat on the restaurant's sunny patio for what seemed like 10 minutes (though no one was checking the time), and helped ourselves to the coffee Stacks' provides for waiting customers.

After the intercom called us inside, the maitre d' seated us at a booth, always a preferable arrangement when you're with kids, as the bench seats provide a buffer between their shenanigans and other diners' conversations. Our server arrived almost immediately to order drinks, then brought us pots of both regular and decaf coffee ($1.95 each), as our table was swinging both ways.

The kids ordered a bananarama smoothie ($3.95) of strawberries, banana, apple juice and strawberry yogurt. We asked our server if we could split it three ways, and she brought it to the table in separate glasses, without charging extra. I found the drink overly sweet, and the banana slightly under-ripe, giving it an astringent effect. But the kids loved it.

One dish worth waiting for was the plain Belgian waffle ($5.50). Crisp and fresh out of the iron, with melting butter and warm syrup, it proved irresistible. The pancake was similarly good: My niece's Mickey Mouse version ($2.50), dotted with banana slices, was soft, slightly sweet and completely free of the bitter aftertaste that comes from the preservatives in a mix.

Another big hit on the breakfast table was the bowl of fresh fruit ($5.75). Stacks' served up a good selection for March -- pineapple, melon, grapes and strawberries -- and the salad was much the better for it.

But the egg dishes disappointed. Both the bacon avocado omelet ($9.50) and vegetable scramble ($7.50) suffered from the same problem: dry, overcooked, eggs. The scramble, incongruously, also suffered from undercooking: The veggies -- broccoli, onions, mushrooms, celery, zucchini and tomato -- were chewy and crunchy, not good textures for an egg dish.

Both dishes were served with shredded fried potatoes, which were well-seasoned but lacked the crisp, golden crust that makes hash browns so tempting. Our breakfasts also came with a lightly toasted plain bagel.

The cooks handled the eggs well in two other dishes: eggs Florentine ($9.75) and sunny-side-up ($4.50), in which both the whites and yolks were soft without being undercooked. But the eggs Florentine topped low-quality deli ham and raw spinach. The leaves were too chewy for the delicate eggs and English muffin and lacked the gentle sweetness of cooked greens.

The restaurant was less crowded when I returned on a weekday for lunch, so its decor stood out better. Street lamps and hanging baskets of fake flowers throughout the restaurant give a small-town Main Street illusion. Its maroon-topped tables, with matching carpeting and upholstery also shout "restaurant chain," which, of course, Stacks' is.

The lunch menu isn't as extensive as its breakfast selection, offering crepes, frittatas and "skillets" (fried potatoes and vegetables), in addition to the morning goodies. But burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads are available for lunch -- or at breakfast for that matter. Stacks' serves everything on its menu at any time. (Soups, which start at 10:30 a.m., are the exception.)

My Oriental chicken salad ($8.95) proved to be a filling, satisfying meal. Comprised of a huge bowl of spinach and cabbage tossed in a nicely balanced citrus-y dressing, it was topped with wonton strips, cucumber, mandarin orange and grilled chicken strips.

Another good choice was the king crab panini ($9.75), crab salad on toasted panini. The fish was fresh and sweet and lightly tossed in mayonnaise. But the accompanying spinach salad would have been better if the cooks had used a lighter hand with the balsamic dressing.

I found the guacamole burger ($8.75) to be a disappointment: The burger was well-cooked -- juicy without being rare -- but the beef was gristly and the guacamole was thinned with sour cream. The benefit to ordering a burger, however, is all the sides that accompany: fruit, potatoes and a well-dressed salad of zucchini, tomato and romaine.

The service on both visits was prompt, friendly and professional. Stacks' is clearly a well-oiled machine. The restaurant is also well-equipped to handle youngsters, with its many booths and inexpensive kids' menu.

This all makes for a fine family restaurant, especially on those weekend mornings. Waiting for a table, after all, is not really about the food. On Sunday morning, we stand in line because we can.

Reservations - for six or more Credit Cards - yes Valet Parking - no Alcohol - no Takeout - yes Highchairs - yes Catering - yes Outdoor seating - yes Noise level - moderate Bathroom cleanliness - OK
Stacks' 600 Santa Cruz Ave. in Menlo Park; (650) 838-0066.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

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