Anaheim: Pancakes Offer Taste of the Old Country

Anaheim is one of the oldest settlements in the county, dating to 1857 when 50 German families invested $750 each to join the Los Angeles Vineyard Society. Today the vineyards are gone. But the finest flapjack factory in Southern California lives on. The Original Pancake House (1418 E. Lincoln Ave. [714] 535-9815; open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays) opened in 1958 and since then, the challenge at the German restaurant has been to make breakfast pastries and fruit syrups from scratch six days a week in a too-small kitchen. But judging by the hourlong wait each weekend (no reservations, first-come, first-served), they’re meeting the challenge with specialties such as the Dutch Baby, an oven-baked pancake served with butter, sugar and lemon ($5.50 or a large for $6.50). Equally popular are the Swedish Pancakes ($5.65) with their delicious syrup made from imported lingonberries, applesauce and butter.

The CHOC Thrift Store (1275 E. Lincoln Ave. [714] 774-0611) across from the Original Pancake House wasn’t the flagship thrift store that opened on Euclid Street in 1965. That one moved to a larger location a few blocks away at 845 N. Euclid St. a few years ago. Both bore the famous “Choco the Teddy Bear” logo and mascot designed by Disney artists. Still, the Lincoln store has been providing good deals for a good cause for 17 years. What started as a fund-raising project for the hospital’s women’s auxiliary has become a major source of income for Children’s Hospital of Orange County. All profits from the hospital’s 11 stores and new antique boutique in the Orange Circle go to offset hospital losses and toward research. The store has a huge selection of used clothing, miscellaneous household items, furniture and appliances.

Getting there: From the Santa Ana Freeway, exit Lincoln Avenue and head east for downtown.