I missed the Bite of Oregon. Between a sinus infection and my shifts in a yellow shirt (no, I don’t know when the catalogs will get here!), I couldn’t make it.
On Sunday at 1.30pm, I headed to work a little early and cruised up Sandy, looking for somewhere to eat. I closed the store that night, so I knew I’d be eating in the staff cafeteria for diner, and there’s only so many meals you can eat there. Not ’cause there’s a limit set by management, I’ve just got a limit on how many meals on a tray I will eat in a week.
And right as I reached 82nd, I saw the big sign: CAMEO PANCAKES AND STEAK.
I’ve always wondered about that place, but since it’s only open from 7.30 to 3pm, I was always driving by when it was closed. Except, well, it wasn’t. And I really wanted pancakes.
The interior is decorated like my grandma’s house. Flowery wallpaper, decorative plants that may or may not be real, mismatched dishes, and photos of people I don’t know taped up everywhere. I was seated at the counter, and had a clear view of the griddle. You can order pancakes by the 1/4 acre, the 1/2 acre, or the full acre. So I asked for the 1/2 acre.
“Too much for you!” the waitress informed me.
Now, I’m not a small girl by any stretch of the imagination. And I can eat like no one’s business (ergo, the food blog). But I took her advice and ordered the 1/4 acre.
By the by, the bonus of sitting at the counter? Pretty much every time I took a sip of coffee, someone was there to top it off. I probably put away a whole pot in the 30 minutes I was there.
When my 1/4 acre pancake was set in front of me, I think I got that deer in the headlights look. Every so often I’ll describe eating something that was as big as my head… Well, this pancake was TWICE as big as my head. It was almost as big as my boobs, for crying out loud! Golden brown and beautiful, with a good tablespoon of butter sitting in the middle, melting into a wee puddle of happiness.
I folded it into quarters and went to town, and I’m pleased to report that they were as good as my Uncle Paul’s pancakes.
(Not as good as my dad’s, but that’s another category, and another story.)
So, if you’re looking for me next Sunday before my yellow shirt shift, you know where to find me.
Cameo Cafe East
8111 NE Sandy Blvd
Portland, OR 97213-7154
Hey, I’d always wondered about that place, too. Well, whenever I was going to the airport and I-205 looked bad.
Nice to see the recommendation and I’ll try it out.
btw, I found your article on because you tagged your post. Please keep tagging!