Bella S.
Yelp
Located in the large plaza off of Atlantic and Hellman. There's plenty of underground parking that is free. Gram Cafe and Pancake is located right behind Phoenix.
It's a rather small cafe, so I can understand why during peak hours, there would be quite a wait. My family and I came on a Sunday during off-peak hours (~3pm), so we did not have to wait, but we occupied the last "free" table.
Service is pretty good. Staff were friendly and came by frequently to refill our water and clear finished plates.
As for the food ...
1. Dirty Matcha (3.5/5)
I actually really wanted to try their dirty ube or hojicha latte, but they come pre-sweetened with "granulated sugar mixed in the powder." The dirty matcha was the only one they were able to customize without sugar, which is how I like my drinks. They told me it would be very bitter, but it turned out how I like it. It quenched my thirst. I just wish the matcha was better quality and that the espresso/coffee was stronger.
2. Creme Brûlée Souffle Pancake (5/5)
2 perfectly jiggly and airy Japanese egg pancake covered in creme brulee cream. I thought it would be too sickening due to the thick coating of cream, but fortunately, it was not too sweet, so it didn't feel heavy to eat. The creme brulee didn't have a lot of actual creme brulee flavor, but it was good nonetheless. The pancake itself had a nice eggy taste, which was on par with the ones I have had in Japan. Can't wait to try other flavors.
3. Wagyu Burger (4/5)
Super cute presentation. Instead of using hamburger buns, they use pancakes as the buns. The Wagyu beed was very flavorful, The bacon was nice and crispy, and the egg was nice and runny, which made it very creamy, but also a mess to eat. It comes with a side of salad and potato wedges.
4. Cheesy Gyudon (2/5)
This is a level up from your Yoshinoya beef rice bowl. It's made fancy by the Harvati cheese they add in and topped with a runny yolk egg. The taste otherwise was nothing spectacular. For the price, it's not worth it.
5. Unagi (1/5)
I did not personally try this dish, but per my brother, it was too sweet and there was too much teriyaki sauce. He couldn't taste the roe or the eel.
6. Katsu Chicken (3/5)
They use full white chicken meat that was tender and juicy. I liked that it was mostly meat instead of just fried batter. Minus 2 stars because the oil they fried it in was stale and heartburn inducing.
7. Honeycomb Latte (4.5/5)
The honeycomb had a good honey flavor and a nice crunch that was a treat to eat. The latte was strong in espresso, so a huge plus on this drink.
I'd come back here for the soufflé pancakes only.