IN THE MIX: Pancake Review with special guest, Co-Founder of Tinder, Jonathan Badeen

This weekend I was very fortunate to have Co-Founder of Tinder Jonathan Badeen join me as a Guest Reviewer for Ma’amCakes!

Logo

Tinder, created in 2012 by Jonathan, Justin Mateen and Sean Rad, is a popular dating app that facilitates communication between mutually interested users. The app encourages users to either swipe right (or press the heart) if you’re interested, or swipe left (or press the “x”) if you’re uninterested; the only way you can message a user is if you are both a mutual match. While this feature is beneficial to prevent communication with any crazies, one of the best components of the app is that it requires a Facebook account in order for you to register. Although Tinder has received some complaints about this, Jonathan informed me that the Facebook requirement was actually created to make its female users feel somewhat safer about using the app (i.e. perhaps you might be more inclined to meet a dude when you see that you have four Facebook friends in common).

iJonathan

On that note, I should mention that I actually met Jonathan because… we matched!

iItsamatch
Although Tinder was originally popular with students between the ages of 18-23, the demographic is slowly shifting to upper 20s-early 30s. In fact, because of these original demo statistics, the speculation began that the app was meant for just “hooking up.” Yes folks, the idea that Tinder is meant to be a straight version of Grindr is just a RUMOR! Jonathan mentioned that because college students have a (somewhat) easier time meeting their relationship candidates, students typically use Tinder strictly for hooking up, thus the rumor began. Like I suspected, Tinder can be meant for everything: finding new friends, relationships, or even a special someone you can share pancakes with. So there you have it people; calm down in those initial messages, and maybe keep it in your pants a little longer!

By definition, Tinder is “dry, flammable material, such as wood or paper, used for lighting a fire,” hence the origin of its name. As a result, when choosing a spot for this pancake review, I thought we’d keep it thematic, and visit 3rd St. hotspot Toast!

unnamed (4)

Upon choosing our pancakes, I decided to go with the Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes (btw, it should be noted that the chocolate chips are sprinkled into the batter, while the bananas are on top of the pancakes):

unnamed (3)

These pancakes were delicious, and considering they were filled with chocolate chips, they actually tasted rather lite. I will admit I did use syrup (which, as you can recall, Ma’amCakes’ motto is that a truly delicious pancake doesn’t need syrup) BUT, what can I say, I like chocolate chip pancakes with syrup! It’s my go-to. The cherry on the cake of this pancake were the bananas on top. De-lish!

After asking the waitress which pancakes she recommended, Jonathan decided to go with the Multigrain Pancakes topped with fresh berries, bananas, and candied pecans:

unnamed (2)

“These are definitely healthier pancakes,” said Jonathan, “they don’t feel too heavy.” Jonathan needed some syrup on his pancakes as “the fruit is a little tart,” but he otherwise enjoyed the meal. “I really liked the candied pecans- I’ve never had pecans in pancakes before.” I guess when you’re developing a super popular app, you don’t have time to get out much! “These definitely don’t feel gluttonous, so I won’t feel bad after.” Agreed – in fact, that’s the best part about (well-made) Multigrain Pancakes!

Thank you so much Jonathan, for being a part of Sunday brunch with Ma’amCakes! When I suggested there be a “back button” feature to the app, Jonathan said Tinder is working on it, and that while he is sworn to secrecy, we should “stay tuned for exciting new features that will allow you to engage with your matches to a new level!” Swipe right.

So Grateful for All the Yelp Compliments!

HUGE thank you to my FanCakes on Yelp for all of the wonderful compliments; I am so appreciative!

MCY

Check out our Ma’amCakes Review Tweet on Jeff Margolis’ Website!

JMP-Tweet

Check it out!

IN THE MIX: Pancake Review with Special Guest, Renowned Television Director and Producer, Jeff Margolis

Last weekend I was extremely fortunate to have Jeff Margolis join me as a Guest Reviewer for Ma’amCakes!

Although Jeff recently (two weeks ago, to be exact) directed AND produced the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, (to which he proudly mentioned, “we finished one second under!”), his resume is richly compiled of popular television shows ranging from “The Sonny and Cher Show,” to HBO’s “Michael Jackson: One Night Only,” “President Clinton’s 50th Birthday Celebration,” and ABC’s “Quincy Jones…The First 50 Years.” While Jeff has worked in television for over 40 years, his award show credits include The Oscars, American Music Awards, The Golden Globes, The Emmy Awards, The Miss America Pageant, and The Academy of Country Music Awards. With that said, as we are right in the heart of Awards Season, you can imagine my astonishment when Jeff agreed to join me as a Guest Reviewer!

JMDirecting1

JMDirecting2

MJJMThrowback to the “Michael Jackson: One Night Only,” special.

As Jeff announced that he wanted to dine at Mel’s Drive-In on Ventura Blvd. and Kester Avenue in Sherman Oaks, CA, I quickly realized this choice was somewhat ironic. Throughout that weekend my dad was back home in NYC celebrating his 60th birthday, and his father (my grandfather, who passed away years ago) was actually named Mel. So, needless to say, this restaurant suggestion was quite sentimental for me. Ok ok, let’s all say a collective “awwww,” it’s alright!

To be honest, Mel’s Drive-In is a spot in which I’ve only visited late-night, so I was looking forward to trying their pancakes for the first time!

MDI-Menu

PnckMenu

In spite of the above choices, I decided to ask the waitress if there were any other pancake options just to double check – sure enough, not listed on the menu were Whole Wheat Granola Pancakes!

WholeGranolaP

While I honestly was expecting diner-pancakes that were trying to be “healthy,” I was pleasantly surprised just how good these pancakes were! Not only were they cooked to perfection but they tasted lite, and I didn’t feel disgustingly full after. I then asked the manager how these pancakes tasted so good while still tasting so healthy, and guess what their secret ingredient is? Cinnamon! The Whole Wheat Granola Pancakes might just be the best thing on Mel’s menu – that is, if they ever get added to the menu!

BMP

For Jeff’s breakfast, he chose the classic Buttermilk Pancakes with bacon on the side. “These are really good,” said Jeff, “I’m really enjoying the flavor, and the syrup!” Although Jeff liked his pancakes, I think after seeing just how much I enjoyed mine, we quickly Sonny and Shared so he could do a pancake comparison. “Oh yea, these are great. I do enjoy the Whole Wheat Granola Pancakes more. Both pancakes are good though – mine are very fluffy, and yours have a fluffy inside with a crispy outside. Yeah, both of these are great!” It was only after we both cleared our plates that Jeff informed me he normally doesn’t eat pancakes – he ordered them just for our review. Now that’s a true FanCake right there!

Overall, the pancakes at Mel’s Drive-In were much better than I anticipated. To the Manager, (or Mel): ya might want to think about adding the best meal on your menu to your menu! And speaking of menus, “American Food at Its Best?” You can say that again!

Thank you so much, Jeff, for being a part of Saturday brunch with Ma’amCakes!

jefffinal

Check Out My First Citysearch Guide on (What Else?!): The Best Pancakes in LA!

Guide-BPLA

Did your favorite spot make the list? (Once you click the link, be sure to click the “Guide Tab”) AND keep in mind, I can always add to the list…!

IN THE MIX: Pancake Review with Special Guest, Actor, Michael King

Dec 23, 2012

Last weekend I was very excited to have Mike King join me as a Guest Reviewer for Ma’amCakes!

While some of you may know Mike from CSI, Up All Night, or Last Resort, I’m fortunate enough to call Mike a friend, AND he just happens to be the husband of former Guest Reviewer, Kelle King!

bandw

mkgun

lastresort1

When attempting to choose a restaurant for the review, our options were pretty abundant considering, (similarly to Ma’amCakes), Mike has quite a sweet tooth. After finally settling on one place, Mike then changed his mind, and arrived at the perfect location: Kings Road Cafe!

KRCMenutitle

krcmenu

Kings Road Cafe, located on Beverly Blvd. and N. Kings Road in Los Angeles CA, is actually a restaurant in which I’ve never been! As I hadn’t eaten pancakes in almost two months (I know, right?!), I was definitely in the mood for some good ye olde fashioned buttermilk pancakes.

BMpancakes

Well. Not to be too critical, but I will give this a D for decor (what?! That’s what it starts with!). When re-looking at the photo, you know the pancakes aren’t that memorable when you want to lick your screen upon seeing the bacon and eggs, forgetting about the two buttermilk pancakes underneath. All in all, these pancakes were…decent. They were old fashioned, plain, buttermilk pancakes – or, plancakes, if you will. I have had good buttermilk pancakes before, (what up, Black Cat Bakery!), but these are nothing to write home about. That being said: if you are looking for pancakes when you are hungover, these should be your go-to breakfast. Because they’re plain – yet filling – the buttermilk pancakes at King’s Road Cafe are the perfect meal when you need something in your stomach, but also want to keep it down!

mkpncks

Hey Mike, you want a side of pancakes with that butter?

Mike decided to go with the Whole Wheat Granola Pancakes with blueberries inside – a combination Kings Road Cafe allowed him to order (nice job, KRC!). “These are freakin’ delicious,” yelled Mike, “I forgot how good they are.” Mike then continued as he said, “Unlike most granola pancakes that are very heavy and weigh you down, these are actually lite. These make you feel good about what you’re eating, and the granola combined with the whole wheat gives you energy for the rest of the day.” Hey fitness gurus, you hear that?? It is possible to eat something as heavy as pancakes for breakfast, and actually still feel making your Saturday productive. “Pancakes are great, but it sucks when an hour later you want to take a nap; I can hike after eating these! That is of course, unless I slather them in honey or syrup.” Na Mike, I think you have enough butter on those bad boys.

At the end of the day, while I’d recommend my buttermilk pancakes mainly if you’re hungover, Mike is ready to trek up Runyon after his. Overall, the pancakes Mike and I ate at Kings Road Cafe were fluffily delicious; some might even say… they were fit for a King!

Thanks so much Mike, for being a part of Saturday brunch with Ma’amCakes! Be sure to check out Mike on the last three episodes of Last Resort on ABC, beginning tomorrow, January 10th.

mksmile

LRt

Ma’amCakes’ Review is Featured in Yelp’s Weekly E-Letter!

Ma’amCakes’ Pudgie Elvis Review at Jacks N’ Joe has been mentioned in Yelp’s Weekly E-Letter, “Yelp’s A Nutter For Peanut Butter!

Jacks n Joe Feature

Huge thank you to Katie B. for the compliment!

Lovin’ the Compliments!

Always love getting compliments on Yelp! …and also love anyone who makes a pun on a New Kids on the Block song!

http://www.yelp.com/user_details_thanx?userid=ggTub1j9CyKcU7yzf0bdpA

Thanks so much, Jenn K!

IN THE MIX: Pancake Review with Special Guest, Singer/Songwriter, Julia Sinclair

Aug 1 2012

Last weekend, Singer/Songwriter Julia Sinclair joined me as a guest reviewer for Ma’amCakes!

A fellow (Upstate) New Yorker, Julia has been playing the guitar since she was seven years old, and to this day can play the classical, electric, and acoustic guitar, as well as the bass, mandolin, cello, piano, and more! Julia has played at SXSW, and completed a national tour with Mat Kearney and Ingrid Michaelson, as well as an east coast tour with Bryan Greenberg last year. Currently signed with Red Light Management, and living in Nashville, Tennessee, Julia is here in Los Angeles for the summer to finish up her debut album.

For her Ma’amCakes debut, Julia picked Jumpin’ Java located on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, CA.

I was stoked to try a new spot! That being said, I was even more excited when checking out the creative Ma’amCakes on the menu:

“Wow,” said Julia, “I’m not even sure where to start!” I wasn’t either, actually; I kept debating between the Apple Pancake and the Banana Nut Pancake. Julia then announced, “I’m going to get the Blueberry Pancakes, but I’m not gonna use syrup. Seems like the right thing to do.” Indeed, Julia! After explaining Ma’amCakes’ motto – that a truly delicious pancake doesn’t need syrup – Julia agreed and said, “I’m really picky about my syrup, it has to be grade-a. I’m a purist.” After making me laugh out loud, I started to think Julia and I should join forces and have a You Tube show: we can vlog about pancake reviews, and she could close out with a breakfast song. Hey Marty, hit me up! ; )

After finally deciding on the Banana Nut Pancake… well, I didn’t expect it to look like a potato latke, that’s for sure! (Yes, I am hyper-linking. For all the non-Jews.). But boy, did it taste like anything but!

One thing to note about Jumpin’ Java is that they actually have quite a crepe-selection. As a result, the Banana Nut Pancake tasted like the perfect combination of a crepe and a pancake. Now personally, I am not the biggest fan of crepes (check out my Talladega Nights posting), and unlike popular belief, pancakes and crepes really are two separate treats. That being said, I did enjoy this combination from Jumpin’ Java. The pancake had just enough crispiness, fruit-freshness, fluffiness, and texture. Kudos to Jumpin’ Java for putting such a unique spin on the Banana Nut Pancake breakfast.

“This looks so good,” said Julia, “I like that they give you a lot of butter – some places are stingy with that.” Julia enjoyed her syrup-less pancake as she stated “Yeah these are awesome, and I don’t need syrup.” Well, they’re good in my book then! As Julia was describing her love for the Blueberry Pancakes, she said “These have the perfect amount of cakiness, as they aren’t sticking to the roof of my mouth.” Julia also agreed about the way the pancakes were cooked as she said, “They combined the crispy and fluffy very well. I’m impressed.” You’re right, Julia. I too am impressed.

Overall, the Ma’amCakes at Jumpin’ Java were excellent because you could taste the hard work and care put into the batter. The best part about Jumpin Java (besides the pancakes) is they serve breakfast ALL day and ALL week, AND some of the pancake dishes give you the option of two vs. four pancakes. It’s as if Jumpin’ Java has been following Ma’amCakes’ reviews, and placed one suggestion per review within their menu! Jumpin’ Java has officially been added to my list of favorites.

Thanks so much, Julia, for being a part of Sunday brunch with Ma’amCakes! Be sure to check out Julia’s EP Slow and Steady now on iTunes, her You Tube channel Julia Sinclair Music, and look out for her debut album this winter.

IN THE MIX: Pancake Review with Special Guest, Writer & Director, James Gunn

Jul 26th, 2012

Last weekend I was incredibly fortunate to have Writer/Director James Gunn join me as a guest reviewer for Ma’amCakes!

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, followed by a brief stop in New York City to earn his MFA in creative writing from Columbia University, James moved to Los Angeles fourteen years ago to pursue writing and directing. Since his long trek across country, James has both written and directed major screenplays including Slither, and Rainn Wilson/Ellen Page comedy Super, and has written horror/sci-fi flick Dawn of the Dead, comedy Scooby Doo, and many others.

For his Ma’amCakes debut, James picked Studio City hot spot Hugo’s, located on Riverside Drive. Yes, I know what you’re thinking: I’ve already done a review at Hugo’s! Well True Ma’amCakes Followers, to switch it up a bit, I decided to get the wackiest pancakes on the menu! Can you guess which ones?

Uh, maybe a better question is… where the hell are the pancakes? “Do you know where the pancakes are on this menu,” said James, “I seriously can’t find them!” Well James, the only reason I knew where the pancakes were located is because I had the same issue five months ago. I’m so flattered Hugo’s took my suggestion of separating the pancake options from the eggs, instead of burying them on the bottom of page three.

Anyway!

If you haven’t already guessed, in honor of my obsession with summer and all-things tropical, I went with the Roasted Pineapple-Coconut Pancakes, while James went with the All-American breakfast of Buttermilk Pancakes and a glass of milk:

I figured since I was dining with such an artistic Director, I’d get the most artistic Ma’amCakes on the menu. After a few bites, I realized that the reason these pancakes were so good is because they contained the proper amount of ALL their ingredients. After using the Dewey Decimal System to find the ingredients on the menu, I re-read “topped with sliced bananas, toasted slivered almonds, and coconut.” I found it interesting that the roasted pineapple was cooked inside the pancakes, while the remaining ingredients were on top. I myself am shocked to say this, but guess what Hugo’s? I wouldn’t change a thing about the placement of these ingredients! The only suggestion I have about these Ma’amCakes is they should be fluffier – I personally would rather be more overwhelmed with pancake, than with fruit.

While James’ Buttermilk Pancakes (with a glass of milk) was very traditional, the side of raisins? Not so much. In fact, looking back now, it actually looks like there are bugs on his plate. “These pancakes are really good,” said James, “but yeah, I could do without the raisins.” Well apparently the pancakes were really good, because when I looked down fifteen minutes later, they were gone! “I can’t believe I ate the entire plate. That’s probably the most I’ve ever eaten in one sitting!” While the raisins were the only thing left behind, I do give Hugo’s props for trying to make a somewhat boring dish, interesting.

Overall, it was another successful Ma’amCakes review at Hugo’s. As far as the Roasted Pineapple-Coconut Pancakes: the fruit was fresh, the coconut did its job of bringing me back to a day on the beach, and the pancakes took me home. When asking which pancakes he’d try next time, James replied with “the pumpkin pancakes!” Good choice! In fact, I might have the same.

Thank you so much James, for being a part of Saturday morning brunch with Ma’amCakes! Be sure to check out James’ newest project, video game Lollipop Chainsaw now in stores.