Hearty dishes, extensive menu satisfies at Bartlett's new Flappy's Pancake House
Hungry diners visiting the recently opened Flappy's Pancake House in Bartlett will find themselves digesting a comprehensive menu of inventive breakfast and lunch dishes.
Owner Andy Ahmeti, who grew up in the restaurant business, says diners are drawn to the extensive menu at Flappy's, particularly its scrambled egg choices such as the Pacific Scramble. That dish features eggs with spinach and tomatoes, smoked bacon, sauteed mushrooms and melted Swiss cheese. Before opening the 100-seat family-friendly Flappy's in early February, Ahmeti operated the now-closed Cozy Diner in Hoffman Estates.
His capacity as chef-owner allows Ahmeti to draw on years of experience in the kitchen. “I do my own thing and use my own recipes,” he says.
After getting settled in a comfortable booth, first-timers in particular will want to get acquainted with what Flappy's kitchen has to offer. Diners will discover more than 150 familiar - and often customizable - dishes from a variety of categories: Belgian waffles, traditional Benedicts, potato pancakes, French toast, frittatas, skillets and crepes, among other options.
Flapjacks (four to an order) are served with a choice of fruit, chocolate chips, caramel or walnuts, with a $1.50 upcharge for added toppings.
Looking for a dish guaranteed to stave off hunger for the rest of the day? Consider one of Flappy's five-egg omelets, which can be prepared with cheese, ham, bacon or a choice of vegetables. Homemade hash browns and pancakes or toast come on the side. Or, if you'd prefer, fruit or seasoned cubed potatoes for a slight upcharge.
Customers are fond of Flappy's many French toast options, too. This classic dish made with cinnamon swirl bread comes with fruit toppings such as strawberries, blueberries or bananas, and possible sides like eggs with potatoes or bacon, sausage and ham.
Another popular dish is the Big Tex: scrambled eggs with ground beef, sliced jalapeños, melted cheddar, green chiles and pico de gallo. That's all topped with roasted tomatillo avocado salsa and finished with crispy tortilla strips and sour cream.
For those on a more restricted diet, Flappy's accommodates with gluten-free pancakes or waffles and lighter dishes like the best low-cal club (two poached eggs on an English muffin, low-fat cottage cheese, fresh fruit and juice) or oatmeal loaded with bananas.
Flappy's does a good job with its corned beef hash, which is made in-house according to Tabitha, our attentive server. The dish came with two scrambled eggs and a serving of hash browns. Two pancakes on the side passed muster.
A fellow diner said her breakfast burrito was appealing. Scrambled eggs were mixed with the requested bacon and wrapped in a flour tortilla, accompanied by hash browns. Given its large size, half of the burrito was bagged to take home for a second breakfast.
Among lunch items like various sandwiches, wraps and salads, the restaurant serves a brioche steak sandwich - marinated skirt steak piled with green peppers, onions and mushrooms under melted burrata cheese and bourbon sauce on a brioche roll. Angus burgers are 6 ounces to 8 ounces and served on a pretzel bun paired with a bowl of soup, french fries and coleslaw.
Most dishes range in price from $8 to $10, excluding juice, coffee, tea and soda, making them a good value for the portion.
Though its menu is well-rounded, if Flappy's were to consider a further addition, my vote would be for lox and bagels with cream cheese.
If you find yourself out further west on I-88 and hungry for brunch, Flappy's has a sister restaurant in DeKalb that opened in 2009.
Restaurant reviews are based on one anonymous visit. The Daily Herald does not publish reviews of restaurants it cannot recommend.
Flappy's Pancake House
1085 W. Army Trail Road, Bartlett (630) 213-0700,
Cuisine: Breakfast/lunch
Setting: Casual storefront dining space
Entrees: $3.75 to $12.95
Hours: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily
Also: Free parking; take out
Other location: Flappy's Pancake House, 1406 Sycamore Road, DeKalb