📍Leo's, New York City

Coming off a late Friday night out I was craving pancakes—the substantial kind, not crepes or thin flapjacks. I had just seen the Leo's team start brunch on social media. I asked a friend to join me and off we went.

Leo's had been hosting the original Apollo Bagel popup in an auxiliary space next door. There was the usual crowd for bagels. The inside of the main restaurant was set up but so empty I wasn't sure if they were open. I paced around a bit outside before my friend got there. Then we went in to ask.

They were open but their brunch menu was so new that no one knew they were open. The layout inside is the same as it is for dinner. Lots of 2 or 4 person tables with a bar along one end. It creates a space where you can easily listen to your neighbor's table's conversation if you like that sort of entertainment.

I started with a coffee. It's almost like diner coffee. If you like that kind of coffee, you'll feel comfortable with this. They came around every so often with an insulated carafe to refill.

I was here for the pancake. Leo's is known for wood-fired sourdough pizza. They had a couple of pies on the brunch menu but I stuck with the sourdough pancake. I wanted something to go with it and decided on some scrambled eggs. It's a classic breakfast/brunch combo.

The eggs and pancakes came out at the same time. I started with the eggs. They were delicate and creamy. More folded than scrambled. Between the coffee and the eggs, I felt like I was at a diner satisfyingly.

The pancake is huge. It's a plate-filling pancake. The pictures I took don't do the height justice either, it's a thick pancake. It's a single pancake with no option for more. The way mine came, the edge was a bit uneven, creating additional ridges for texture. My friend's pancake came out smooth so I'm guessing it was just a kitchen thing here. I like the texture of my pancakes, so I appreciated the extra crispy edges. I'm guessing this pancake spent time in an oven given the color and texture.

The pancake comes with warm maple syrup and French butter from Normandy. I can appreciate the simplicity and the quality. A good French butter has a nutty and creamy flavor with an attractive pale yellow hue. This has that. I poured on the syrup and got to work. The crumb was tender and held together well especially considering the inside of the pancake was steaming hot. There was a subtle sweetness that came through which I believe is the tang of the sourdough mixing with vanilla. It's a bit of a unique taste in that way.

Leo's hit the spot for me. A giant pancake that I couldn't finish with diner vibes. I don't know if it was first weekend brunch awareness or a sleepy morning but by the time we were taking care of the check, the place had begun to get busy.

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