Japan’s Famous Souffle Pancake Maker Has Arrived in Los Angeles | Eater LA

"Made famous in Osaka and known for its souffle pancakes, Gram Cafe and Pancakes opened its Monterey Park location on April 5 in a revamped 1,600-square-foot, blush-colored, photo-worthy brunch space (formerly a Ten Ren) inside Atlantic Times Square as part of the chain’s California expansion; Dorothy Wong, who trained for two years flying to and from Japan and is the California franchisor (and franchisee of the ever-popular San Francisco location known for lines wrapped around the store), teamed with Eason Chen to open the second U.S. location while founder Takeshi Takata flew in to supervise the opening. The souffle pancakes — a cross between pancakes and a French soufflé — are lighter than traditional pancakes with a custard-like, airy texture produced by whisking egg whites for up to 24 hours and slow-cooking each order on a special griddle under individual lids with a water layer to prevent hot spots; they’re paired with house-made milky whipped cream and maple syrup, take about 30 minutes per order (up to an hour on weekends), and must be eaten within five to ten seconds after being set down because they begin to deflate and topple over, forcing servers into a balancing-and-running act. The Monterey Park menu currently offers the original pancake plus flavors such as durian, matcha, strawberry and hazelnut with seasonal rotations planned, alongside thinner American-style pancakes, takeaway desserts, and Dalgona coffee; the location will not serve alcohol for now and nonalcoholic espresso drinks are made with Sightglass beans. During the soft opening it is open noon to 8 p.m. (closed Wednesdays)." - Kristie Hang