Memories of Sambo's Pancakes

[joeekaitis]

So, we decide on pancakes for breakfast and I added a new step to the prep that I had adopted when making waffle batter. When Cathy and I tasted them, we both experienced a wave of nostalgia for breakfast at the long-gone Sambo's on 5th Street in San Bernardino.

The original Sambo's in Santa Barbara still exists. The founders' heirs tried to revive the franchise but without success in a market dominated by Denny's and IHoP, not to mention the unwarranted stigma attached to the name. Maybe someday we'll make the pilgrimage but for now, this pancake recipe will keep us connected to many fond memories.

Memories of Sambo's Pancakes

2 eggs, separated (whites in a clean copper, stainless steel or glass bowl [DO NOT USE A PLASTIC BOWL, NO MATTER HOW CLEAN YOU THINK IT IS!], yolks in an 8-cup mixing bowl with a handle)

2 tablespoons sugar

16 ounces biscuit and baking mix (about 3 loosely spooned cups)

2 cups milk (any fat content; we use 2/3 cup of nonfat dry milk and 2 cups of water)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat electric griddle or electric skillet to 375 degrees F or heat a heavy skillet over medium heat while mixing batter. Grease lightly if not non-stick.

Beat egg whites with a hand mixer on high speed to stiff peaks and set aside. Cream sugar and egg yolks at high speed until lemony colored (about a minute). Add milk and beat 2 more minutes on high. Add biscuit mix and vanilla extract, mix on low speed until just blended (barley-sized lumps of mix are OK). Scrape beaten egg whites into batter and gently whisk in with the mixer switched off (ditto). Let stand 5 minutes.

Pour onto heated griddle or skillet, cook about 3 minutes before turning. Cook 1 to 2 minutes on second side. Serve with real butter and hot syrup.

Reviews welcome, if you happen to make a batch.

 

[jeffg]

Thanks for that photo of Sambo's. As a kid I and my friends spent many a late night at the one in Northridge. Also at Tiny Naylor's in Panorama City. So many great coffee shops back in the day.

For the same near-religious experience try visiting Bob's Big Boy in Burbank. I'm 400 miles away now, but I grew up on their food in SoCal. It's astonishing how they've kept their food and menu exactly like they were back in the 60's/70's. The spaghetti and chili (with cheese, no onions please) is incredible.

 

[jeffg]

Sorry, meant to attach this..

 

[jetcone]

Wow that Sambos is

beautiful and look how it all lead to the Menu headers over the counter. What did they get there name changed too? I forget, they just arrived in NE when the name changed.

I can smell it , the sugar, pancakes on the grill, the syrup and the coffee.

Those photos are landmark, they really show how public dining has shifted in the last 30 years and gone off in two different directions. From the large show place to the Cracker Jack Corporate Box Store with barely service OR the little Bistro run by the Chef-Celebrity trained at the upper end Cooking School.

What a split.

Everybody ate at these pancake houses. Morning noon and nite.
In Schenectady Mom lived at Flavorland in the 70's! It looked like Tiny Naylors only smaller.

 

[frigilux]

I love the look of that Sambo's. What a great mod interior. I have company coming for breakfast/brunch tomorrow, so I'll use the Sambo's-clone recipe for pancakes. Thanks!

 

[peterh770]

Growing up, we had one in Rome, NY. At one point, in the early days of political correctness, the store changed to a Denny's. My father knew a childhood song about "Little Black Sambo" and used the pictures around the restaurant to explain the story to us. That I remember. I don't remember the food at all.

 

[goatfarmer]

We had a Sambo's around here for quite a while. It's now a independent run restaurant.

 

[sudsmaster]

I've made similar pancakes from scratch, but using all-purpose flour with baking powder instead of biscuit mix (which is basically the same thing).

The whipped egg whites - if done correctly - makes the pancakes very pleasingly light and fluffy, without being underdone.

 

[frigilux]

Sudden memory jog: Come to think of it, there was a Sambo's in Fargo, ND when I was going to college in sister-city Moorhead, MN (1977-82). I must have eaten there, as a good friend of mine was waitressing at the time.

 

[neptunebob]

When was the picture above taken? It looks recent, it looks like large screen TVs above the counter, but it could not be.

 

[joeekaitis]

neptunebob:

Those are backlit placards depicting the story of Sambo, but with a tan Indian boy instead of the original Little Black Sambo. The photo is probably from the 1960s. More Sambo's photos are at www.sambosphotos.com.

 

[swestoyz]

The exterior of the Davenport location looks very similar to the one that was in Cedar Falls/Waterloo. I'd put money that they were built relatively at the same time. I say Cedar Falls/Waterloo as the building was built about 1000 feet from the border of the cities along University Ave/US 218.

Unfortunately I wasn't even a twinkle in my folks' eyes when the restaurant was still a Sambo's here in Waterloo. I do recall though as a kid eating at the same restaurant, then named: Joes. They had not changed the interior at all so we were still able to enjoy the ambiance.

The recipe sounds great!

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[rinso]

In Pocatello Idaho, Sambo's was also on 5th. Nearly identical to the pictures Joe submitted. I loved the atmosphere, food, etc., but even back in the early 1970's, I thought the name a bit racist.

 

[imperialmarkxii]

MANY THANKS, for the MEMORIES; & the recipe

How ironic this post is! It was just a couple SHORT weeks ago I mentioned the story of Sambo to one of my tenants (who is 41), and he didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about.
Yes, he's from this planet, this country; this state (So. Cal.). I told him if I come across my childhood book of Sambo, I would share this charming story of Sambo! In the meantime, I suggested he ask his parents about Sambo. Surely they would know.
LOVE all the pictures posted. I Will print these, and keep them with my book. Just a sentimental LEO here,LOL.
I will give that recipe a shot (in my good Pyrex mixing bowls, no less; NOT PLASTIC!!)

To: JeffG. Thanks for mentioning Bob's Big Boy in Burbank.LOL! Allen Gwynn Chevrolet in Glendale is the only place I let touch my Silverado, and then I enjoy a walk over to SHAKERS for breakfast;YUMMY for the TUMMY!
Actually, ANY excuse will get me over that way to visit the Valley Boyz, & gals! LOVE the San Fernando Valley!

-Russell

BTW, Did I forget to mention the Verdugo Mtns.Hah! don't get me started,lol.

 

[frigilux]

Huh! Went to the Sambo's link provided by above by Ben, but it has no listing for Fargo, ND or Moorhead, MN, for that time period. I must have confused Sambo's with something else. Damn my middle-aged memory bank!

 

[bugsyjones]

Check out that awesome 'Mid Century Modern' architecture!

 

[nurdlinger]

What did they get their name changed to?

There were several Sambo's in Tucson thirty years ago when I arrived. Before extinction, the name got changed to "Seasons". (or maybe "Season's", I really don't remember) I used to drive five miles to one on Sunday morning because there was no closer place to have breakfast. That building is still there, not as Seasons but as a Village Inn pancake house.

It always seemed to me that back then, Sambo's and Denny's were essentially the same place, the Ford & Chevy of pancake houses. But, similar to Red Barn & McDonalds for fast food hamburgers, one succeeded while the other withered and died.

 

[jeffg]

Gene, that listing is far from complete. At their peak Sambo's had more than 1100 locations across the U.S.

 

[frigilux]

Jeff---OK, that makes a bit more sense. This had me so curious that I actually called the bass player from the band I was in back then and asked him. He (after grumbling that I'd gotten him out of bed) thought there was a Sambo's in Fargo, too. ("That's why you called?!")

My friends love me. I hope.