Posted by Bill Homan on September 12, 2007
I had read about the good breakfasts at Charlie's here on Roadfood.com and decided to give it a try when I was in Boston recently. I arrived 9-ish and it wasn't crowded at all. I liked that the place had a real lived-in feel and one could tell that it has been around for a long time; it doesn't have any pretensions.
I had the three plate-sized griddle cakes with sausage and a side of home fries. I was excited about trying the pancakes, but when they came out, they were just regular-sized and didn't look any different from many others. Normally, size doesn't matter with me, but the menu description reads as follows: "No pans used here! Three old fashioned plate-sized cakes are grilled to a delicious steaming result". I had a certain expectation that just didn't match up. Size aside, the pancakes were wonderful. The most important part, the taste, was right on the money. They were light and tender and had a sweetness to the batter that I can't quite place, but really elevated them to another level. I asked my waitress what was in it, but no luck. She said it was a secret and she doesn't even know. Lots of butter and syrup were applied to create a warm, gooey pool of goodness which the cakes readily soaked up.
Very rarely have I had sausages this good. These beauties were crusty with a bold, meaty flavor and a nice chew, just as sausages should be. The home fries looked fantastic, dark and crusty. I couldn't wait to eat them. However, they were lacking in flavor. They were good potatoes, but hadn't been seasoned; no salt, pepper, or other seasonings (onions, peppers, garlic, etc...).
I would definitely go back again to try more of the breakfast items. Many people were eating the turkey hash and it looked pretty good. The lunch menu appears pretty promising as well.
Overall: Worth planning a day around
8 out of 9 people found the review helpful. Was it helpful to you?
Reviewers "Must Eats" List
"These pancakes weren't "plate-wide" as described on the menu, but they were mighty tasty and the sausage was cooked to crusty perfection."
billyboy
"The home fries, while crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, were lacking in flavor."
billyboy
"The awning in front of Charlie's."
billyboy
"I had to arrive very early to get a photo with the place this empty."
Stephen Rushmore Jr.
"This turkey hash with eggs is high octane fuel for the body."
Stephen Rushmore Jr.
"Look for this while driving down Columbus Ave while trying to find a parking spot."
Stephen Rushmore Jr.
"The burgers are juicy and they cook it correctly when ordered rare."
Stephen Rushmore Jr.
"The omelets are light and flavorful."
Stephen Rushmore Jr.
