Is there any dish on the planet that causes more cognitive dissonance than pancakes? We sit down at the table, flooded with sense memories, hoping to eat a breakfast that transports us to childhood. Instead we get some pretty OK flapjacks. Not terrible, but rarely transcendent.
The blueberry pancakes at Restaurant Marin are different. They’re better than the pancakes you remember from childhood. They make your grandma’s recipe seem bland by comparison. It starts with the batter, which manages to avoid being too dense or dry, two common pancake pitfalls. Then you have the blueberries, fresh and pickled, literally bursting with flavors both tart and sweet. Each silver dollar-size flapjack has crispy golden edges, almost a crust – the result of being cooked on a hot griddle by a skilled chef (Noah von Blöm) with an unlimited butter budget.
This propensity to exceed all expectations is evident across Restaurant Marin. The modern American diner feels fully imagined, embedded with strong artistic choices, like the blue-on-blue-on-blue décor, featuring stained glass by co-owner Marin Howarth von Blöm. The entire space is lovely to look at, and, just like the pancakes, it proves to be even better than appearances let on.
Restaurant Marin’s Pickled Blueberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 cup Champagne vinegar
Directions:
Combine blueberries and sugar. Let sit at room temperature for a week. Mix in Champagne vinegar. Refrigerate. Best after one month.
Restaurant Marin – 3321 Hyland Ave., Suite G, Costa Mesa, 949.402.3974 :: restaurantmarin.com
