Flapjack’s Pancake Shack @ 809 Bank St., Ottawa, ON

At midnight last night, I felt the onset of a craving for pancakes and/or waffles. So while yawning a sea of tears, I dispensed whatever remaining energy I had browsing the internet for pancake joints in the city, and stumbled upon Flapjack’s Pancake Shack. After scanning their drool-worthy menu, I messaged a friend ASAP about my new discovery, and being the spontaneous birds that we are, we agreed to meet the following afternoon for a pancake mission.

It was endearing that this pancake shack was nestled safely in the courtyard behind Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s, away from the hustle and bustle of the street core. Note the colourful and artsy wall mural that leads to the courtyard, too — really cool! And the awesome thing is, after you’ve placed an order you’re given a playing card which they call out. My stroke-inducing moment was forgetting what the suit was called. Spades, hearts, diamonds, and darn it, what’s that leafy one again? Ah, Clubs — 9 of Clubs!

Our “panwiches” were impressive. Whereas the friend ordered “The Campfire” which included marshmallows and Nutella between two graham cookie pancakes, I tried their infamous “Breakfast Panwich” — bacon strips, egg, and cheddar cheese between two original pancakes. The “panwich” was the size of a palm, and the pancakes themselves were super light, soft, and fluffy. It was very yummy — a light eat, and not heavy or greasy at all.

Second Avenue Sweets @ 151 Second Ave., Ottawa, ON

Following our pancake mission and accomplishing some readings at Bridgehead, we ventured to Second Avenue Sweets to hunt for desserts, since I recall having read good reviews about this cozy and inviting little bakery. Even though their selections looked both enticing and deadly, I left with just a pecan cookie. Nothing special, just your ordinary cookie — hard, brittle, and sweet.

All in all, this fine spring day was excellent for wandering about in the Glebe. Not only did I experience a bittersweet nostalgia for old times, but my inner child was filled with excitement, for I felt a deep desire to scurry left and right like a mouse and explore every food joint.

What’s sweet, too, is that all of these shops — Marble Slab, Morala Coffee, Wild Oat Bakery, Truffle Treasures, Flapjack’s Pancake Shack, Second Avenue Sweets, you name it — are all in close proximity to each other, which makes hopping from one shop to another a breeze. Well, at least one could dream, right? A great deal of exploring to be done this summer, that’s for sure.