Usually, we all know a good greasy spoon that is open incredibly late and serves us food that goes well with…being drunk. But since I only moved to Chicago in January, I have been sorely lacking a place that I can stumble into after a bender and drool into a plate of food while trying to figure out where my mobile phone (and my dignity) went.
Okay so I never get that wasted, but after a few beers I like to know that there is a late-night spot that will feed my rumbly tummy and wash down the unnecessary Jameson shots that Matt from the Sovereign feeds me when I call around. Standee’s, located only a hop, skip and jump from Sovereign at 1133 W. Granville Ave., finally answered my prayers to the 24-hour food gods and called to me one night after a Sovereign drinking fest.
Looking for fatty proteins and some satisfying carbs, I had my mind on the breakfast menu before I even walked through the door. But I was completely sold after I spoke to the welcoming short-order cook/server who told me that Standee’s pancakes were known to be both one of the best things on the menu and some of the best in Chicago.
He was not lying. Usually pancakes are sadly misinterpreted: they are either really spongy (like IHOP’s) or way too light and fluffy (think up-scale brunch spot). It always seemed to me that no one was fluent in the language of pancake – until Standee’s stepped in. Their pancakes are everything you want: made from scratch, hefty but not tough, and grilled with flavourless oil (canola!) to make them brown (not burned!) and let the pancake essence shine through!
The eggs were also well cooked and the bacon is still the best I have had in Chicago! The slices were cut thick, were well-marbled and crispy without being hard.
Would I consider Standee’s a guilty pleasure? No. There was no guilt, only pleasure and I would even return completely sober.
Dev xx
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