3 out of 5 stars

Country breakfast

My closest thing to a country breakfast being Cracker Barrel, I didn't know what to expect at Big Ed's. We went on a Monday, so it wasn't very crowded, which is good because I didn't want to have to deal with smokiness inside.  Big Ed is a former tobacco farmer, so smoking is permitted. We got a table and my husband ordered two pancakes but the waitress convinced him that he would only be able to eat one. She said "y'all look pretty little and I tell ya, if you can eat this one and still want another, it's on me!" Well she was right, the pancake was huge, about an inch thick and the size of the whole plate (not much room for syrup on the plate even!) The waitress was very friendly, she had the southern hospitality touch.   My husband said it was the best pancake he had ever had, so that's a good sign. I ordered a scrambled egg with a sausage patty (which looked homemade) and we shared some biscuits. The biscuits were freshly made, fluffy but not risen sky high. Prices were pretty expensive, though, for a down-home breakfast (about $20 for both of us). Maybe when you come you'll order the brains n eggs!

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4 out of 5 stars

My visit to Pittsburgh was not complete without a visit to Pamela's. When I lived here I frequented the one in Oakland, but we visited the Shadyside location on this trip.

The major bummer was the wait. We arrived late on Sunday so we caught the church crowd, arriving around 1PM. (Yes, quite a late breakfast I know.) We were told a wait of 25 minutes, but the wait turned out to be twice that. I don't appreciate that practice. The manager knew it would take longer than that but lied so we wouldn't walk away.

Even after the excruciating wait, and the waitress neglecting our cream when the coffee was delivered, the hotcakes were pure bliss. Not the really fluffy kind, but a little more crepe-like in their thinness. Buttery and slightly crisp and indescribably good. Partly this may be attributed to not eating a thing until 2PM. I am unsure. But I am craving more of those delightful cakes at this moment so that says something. My husband's homemade corned beef hash was also very good.

Crepe like cakes from Pamela’s

Sausage was standard but at least fresh, not dried out like you often see. Bacon consisted of thick slices. Home fries, which I had remembered as particularly good, didn't hold up to my memory of them, but were still better than the average home fry- slightly creamy somehow, with softened onions and not browned or crispy but with a hint of flavor.

This place is worth the trip, but aim to get there earlier. And take the wait estimate with a grain of salt.  They have other locations on the Strip and in Oakland.

Our escorts, Shaft and Aaron.

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