Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House

Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House: A Hidden Gem

Are you looking for a great spot to eat?  Are you tired of cooking, or maybe tired of hitting up the same restaurant over and over?  Perhaps you’re looking for a delicious meal made fresh, rather than some of the convenience meals offered by many franchises.  Look no further than Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House, located right here in our neighbourhood, at the corner of Essa Rd. and Veterans, a local diner that is truly a hidden gem!

I had the pleasure of stopping into Stacked with my daughter one morning, not too long ago. After having driven by so many times, intrigued by the new look of what was formerly the Country Kettle, I figured I ought to check this place out. The building has a new look, including an updated patio, which would be perfect for a lazy weekend breakfast in the warmer months.  Speaking of breakfast, the banner on the front of the restaurant reads $4.99 weekday Breakfast!  It was only 11:15am, and the parking lot was packed.  I figured this was a good sign and ventured in.

Upon entering the quaint spot, I immediately noticed that the entire interior had been updated, that the tables were full, and that it smelt delicious!  We were greeted right away by a friendly server who pointed us towards the last available table, close to the kitchen. As we sat down, one of the women brought over pancake colouring pages and crayons for my daughter and her friend and right away our drink order was taken, and the delicious, hot coffee was not far behind!

The Children’s menu had just enough variety for the two little ones to choose amongst breakfast or lunch items, with things like eggs with bacon and chicken fingers with fries.  Being the smart girls that they are, they quickly decided on blueberry pancakes with whipped cream!  I took a little more time perusing the full menu, as the options were endless! One side was dedicated to breakfast items like your traditional egg and bacon breakfast with delicious looking home fries and homemade jam for toast.  Waffles, pancakes, French toast, omelettes, everything you could ask for was there!  The other side of the menu featured lunch items, which was exactly what I was after.  Burgers, wraps, salads, and homemade soups, they all sounded scrumptious.  I decided on the Classic Reuben with a side of Today’s soup, Cream of Vegetable. The server sold me on the soup when she said their homemade soups are delicious and very popular!

It wasn’t long before my soup arrived, and was it ever good- I was not led astray! I probably could have made that my entire meal, but I was feeling pretty hungry.  The girls’ were very excited to see their lunches arrive next; two large pancakes on each plate, topped with blueberry jam and whipped cream. We loaded them up with syrup, and they went to work on them, not stopping until they’d eaten up every last bite!  As soon as I’d finished my soup, my Reuben sandwich was brought over and it looked amazing!  I swore I wouldn’t finish it all, but I did!  I’ve ordered a lot of Reuben’s in my life, and this one was definitely one of the best.  The bread was nicely grilled, the cheese and meat were amazing, and the mustard and sauerkraut were perfectly tangy. I loved it!

Throughout our meal, the service was impeccable.  Very quick, very helpful, and my coffee was replenished without me asking.  As soon as we had finished, our server cleared the plates and brought over the bill.  As a former server and restaurant manager, I appreciated the quick and friendly service, and the attention that we were given. The prices were excellent value for what we had and for the quality of the meal. If you can get there for the $5 breakfast, you’re laughing! 

I will absolutely be back many times with the rest of my family, and will recommend this great spot to anyone I can!  I looked Stacked up online, and the Trip Advisor reviews are really positive as well, an overall score of 4.5 *, so I know I’m not alone. 

If you haven’t already, check out Stacked Pancake & Breakfast House, you won’t be disappointed!

Written by B. Lavigne

*Photos courtesy of tripadvisor.ca and Stacked Facebook page

Holly Rec Centre Programs

Have you visited the Holly Rec Centre?

If you have young children, you’re likely looking for ways to entertain them, let them blow off energy, and allow them the opportunity to socialize with other children.  If you’ve got older kids, you’re probably constantly seeking activities that will keep them busy, active, and out of “trouble”.  If you’re a young adult, middle aged resident, a senior, or anything in between, you probably seek ways to keep active and continue to learn and have fun daily.  The Holly Rec Centre meets all of these needs, and so much more!  If you haven’t already visited this fabulous community centre, let me tell you a bit about the fantastic facility.

Located on Mapleton Avenue, in the Holly area, this modern building is home to pools, arenas, gyms, a fitness centre, activity rooms, a day care, and so much more.  At the back of the centre is an amazing outdoor playground, which was built less than two years ago.  The park boasts climbers for preschoolers, bigger climbers and slides for older children, lots of swings, and of course a wooded trail that kids love to explore.  On the other side of the parking lot, you can find a basketball court (which is often frozen into an outdoor rink for skating during winter), and soccer fields where children can register to play Playball with Coach Shawn.

Step inside the rec centre and choose from a huge array of activities.  The City of Barrie puts out a recreation guide twice annually with tons of programs you can register for, but there are also daily drop-in activities available to people young and old. There is a 25-meter pool, complete with diving boards, a huge water slide and bucket drops.  There is also a separate toddler pool kept warmer for the little ones.  Swimming lessons are offered throughout the year, but there are also lots of open swim times for drop-in fun, and Aquafit for those looking for a less intense workout.

Looking to do some skating?  There are two large arenas both with stadium seating for 350 people, and dressing rooms.  Come for public skating, drop in shinny, join a hockey team, or rent the ice for a special event.  Warm up afterwards with a hot chocolate or freshly popped popcorn from the snack bar located in the lobby.

Just across the hall from the arenas is a staffed childcare room, complete with lots of toys, fun activities, and a private outdoor playground, the perfect spot to bring your children so you can fit in an aerobics class or go for a swim.  Beside that is the preschool room, where children’s programs are held throughout the year, as well as weekly drop-in times to bring your kids to play while you socialize with other caregivers.  Tons of toys and activities keep those little ones busy!

If you’re looking to shoot some hoops or play a little ball hockey, look no further than the huge air-conditioned gym, which can be separated into two individual gymnasiums. Sign up for a preschool program, basketball, or bring your family to open-gym to run around, climb and play on the ride-on cars! Around the corner, there’s a Youth center that has tons of activities and often puts on events for the young people throughout the year.

Upstairs you’ll find meeting rooms that can be rented for birthday parties or meetings, but they’re also the perfect spot for weekly drop-in story times put on by the Barrie Public Library, as well as drop-in and pre-registered dance classes for kids as young as two years old!

One of the best parts of the Holly Rec Centre is the large fitness centre and aerobics room that overlooks the entire facility.  Take a run on the treadmill, stop in for a Pilate’s class, or lift some weights.  This centre has all the latest machines and classes to keep you in shape and healthy, with hours from 6am-10pm to meet everyone’s needs!  Memberships can be purchased annually, or you can pay to drop in or purchase a 10-visit pass, and they’re also available as part of a family pass, which includes access to the arenas, pools, and all drop in activities!

If you’re looking for the perfect spot to hold your next birthday party, a meeting space for an upcoming conference, a place to bring your family on a rainy day, or a camp to send your children to during March Break and summer, the Holly Rec Centre is the answer!  For more information about the center, check out http://www.barrie.ca/Living/RecreationFacilities/Community-Centres/Pages/HollyCommunityCentre.aspx

Photos courtesy of barrie.ca and perkinswill.com

Written by: B. Lavigne