The Original Pancake House

This episode had something that had never happened on the channel: a guest. Mami Lupe, grandma, sat down with us on a sunny Sunday at The Original Pancake House in Doral, and she is the first of many visits we are going to bring.

Her name has a story. Diana called her mami and she called her Guadalupe, and one day she put it all together into Mami Lupe. It started as Diana's thing, and now the whole family calls her that.

The first thing that caught our attention was not a dish, it was the menu: it lists the calories of everything. We had not seen that anywhere else, and for a series that sorts every meal into fit, cheat or food coma it is almost a gift. We could finally count for real instead of eyeballing it.

There is plenty of variety: pancakes every way, which is the whole point of the place, eggs, omelettes and steaks. And Mami Lupe found, before anyone else, a section we had not even noticed: the seniors' menu.

While the food was on its way we played who knows grandma best. Three questions: her favorite color, whether she prefers the beach or the countryside, and where she wants to travel. Diana won.

Diana went for the avocado toast with two poached eggs: 640 calories, the lightest plate on the table and one she loves. Mami Lupe ordered the Western Omelette, with ham, onion, peppers and cheddar, which the menu puts at 1,810 calories. And Gerardo went for the one with the most calories: the 3 Meats Omelette, with bacon, ham, sausage and cheddar, plus extra feta. 1,940 calories according to the menu, and that is before the feta.

The omelettes here are baked in the oven and come with pancakes or toast. To drink, two fresh-squeezed orange juices, two double espressos and a cappuccino.

The bill had its own bet too. Mami Lupe said 80 dollars, Gerardo 110 and Diana 132 with tip. The receipt arrived: $94.47 with tax. Grandma won, by a dollar over Gerardo. That said, with the 18% tip the bill came to $110.36, almost exactly what he had said.

Watch out for the tip: here it does not come on the bill. The receipt says it clearly, they only include it for parties of six or more, and it prints the 18, 20 and 22 percent amounts for you.

The scores in this episode were given by Mami Lupe. Atmosphere 8: the place is nice and right for the kind of restaurant it is, but there is nothing spectacular about it. Service 8, because it was more of the same: they treat you well, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. Food 9.5, solid, with quality ingredients and flavor to match. And price 9.5, with the house rule: a 10 only if they give you something for free.

And in the quick-fire round, when we asked her what she feels after a cheat day, guilt or happiness, she said guilt.

On the scale there was no argument: food coma. That is almost 2,000 calories in a single meal, the kind that leaves you lying down for the rest of the day.

Approved, and this time the three of us voted. A Sunday with grandma, good food and a menu that finally lets us count calories without guessing.