The Skinny Pancake: First Impressions

A new location of the Skinny Pancake has recently opened at the Northshore Mall in Peabody, and I stopped there last Friday for breakfast. Overall, I was very pleased with the food, service, and vibe, and will return again soon to check out more of their menu. However, I probably will order their Poutine again as it was so delicious.

The first Skinny Pancake had its origins back to 2003, when its owners, Jonny & Benjy Adler, worked out of a make-shift cart. They eventually stepped up to using a veggie-oil powered school bus ‘Sueno,’ visiting many festivals. And in 2007, they opened their first restaurant in Burlington, Vermont. Since then, they have opened additional restaurants in Vermont, one in Albany, Vermont, and now two in Massachusetts, one in Hadley and their latest in Peabody. 

They source many of their ingredients locally, in the New England region, and you can see a number of their purveyors in the above poster which is in the entrance lobby. 

Their Menu includes Breakfast All Day ($8.99-$13.89), Buns & Bread ($13.89-$15.89, from Burgers to Burritos), Sweet Crepes ($6.89-$12.49), Savory Crepes ($8.89-$14.89), and Sides, Salads & Shares (including Poutine). You'll also find wine, beer (including a number of options on tap), cocktails, milkshakes, and more. 

The restaurant is also generally open from 8am to either 8pm or 9pm (dependent on the day). Inside, there's a casual and homey vibe. You order at the counter and then sit down, and a server will then deliver your food and drink when it's ready.  

I had to try their Poutine, French fries topped with Vermont cheese curds and Screamin' Ridge Farm Gravy, and I was impressed. The crisp fries, fluffy inside, were a nice thickness, and retained much of their crispness even topped by the gravy. The outer layers of the cheese curds melted into a gooey goodness, but retained a chewy firmness inside, exactly what you want from authentic curds. If different cheeses are used, they often fully melt and lack that chewy firmness I desire. And the gravy was flavorful and relatively light, enhancing the dish rather than masking the fries and curds. To me, this was a well-balanced and delicious Poutine, exactly what I think it should be. Highly recommended!

I opted for the Lumberjack, a crepe filled with Ham and Cabot Cheddar Cheese. The crepe was light and slightly crisp, filled with plenty of tasty melted cheese and thinly sliced ham. If you enjoy crepes, you would enjoy this one and I'm sure their other crepes, both savory and sweet, are probably tasty as well.

The Cinnamon Swirl French Toast is topped by powdered sugar and thinly sliced strawberries, accompanied by maple syrup and whipped cream. The French toast was like thick-sliced brioche, with plenty of cinnamon inside, a nicely eggy texture, and the strawberries were nicely sweet. A hearty and tasty dish. 

My first visit to Skinny Pancake was delicious and pleasant, with the Poutine being my highlight. Service was very good, prices are reasonable, and I like how they concentrate on local ingredients. I would recommend the Skinny Pancake, and I will return soon as well, wanting to try their Burger.