Hanover Pancake House

For some reason it's been years since I've had breakfast at Hanover Pancake House in downtown Topeka. I used to go there with my grandma for breakfast and lunch and I always remember having good experiences there. I decided to check it out last weekend and I wasn't let down.

The inside is what you'd expect to find when entering a pancake house that's been around forever (I'm not quite sure how many years it's been there). The booths were worn but clean and cosy. The staff was friendly and inviting and we were sat immediately. We got there around 1 p.m. on a Sunday and you could tell it had just been really busy and we were getting there after the breakfast rush because all the waitstaff looked tired but relieved Sunday morning was over -- at least until next week.

The Monterey Chicken Omelette

I ordered coffee and the waitress offered a choice of creamer -- regular, pumpkin, French vanilla and hazelnut -- I got French vanilla. What I like is when you order coffee the server will bring a coffee carafe to the table and leave it there. I like being able to control how often I get more coffee and how much.

My husband and I had coupons for buy one get one free omelettes so that's what we went for. I got the Monterey Chicken Omelette, which comes with chicken, bacon, pico de gallo and Monterey jack cheese and choice of bread. I got French toast, which cost a little more but that was OK with me. It's originally sold with choice of toast but if you want pancakes or French toast it's $3 more. It's totally worth the money for the French toast.

French toast. Oh yum!

The omelette was good, but not the best I've had. I really didn't like the chicken because it was quite dry. I ended up picking out most of the chicken, but the rest of the omelette was pretty good. The eggs were cooked well and came with lots of cheese and pico de gallo, so I wasn't disappointed with the omelette itself.

The French toast was the best part of the entire meal. I may just get a platter of that the next time I eat at Hanover's. The slices were brown and pan-fried-crispy on the outside and cloud-fluffy on the inside with cinnamon and powdered sugar sprinkled on top. I slathered on butter and smothered the toast in maple syrup. I ate both slices and wanted more. I would have ordered more but I was pretty full.

If omelettes aren't your preference, there are many other choices on the menu. From your run-of-the-mill breakfast platters to pigs in a blanket, Hanover's is sure to have something you like. Here's a link to the menu: http://www.hanoverpancakehouse.com/menu.html.

My only complaint is the chicken was dry, but it didn't ruin my experience and I plan to return and try something else. I mean, it was named Best of Topeka 2014 for the best place to eat breakfast for a reason.