Mo's Midtown

25 Whitney St., Hartford, CT - (860) 236-7741

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Posted By Michael Stern on February 27, 2011 12:01 PM

Mo's is proudest of its home fries, and they are cause for admiration. Cut into extra large hunks and seasoned with brio, they are kept warm in a huge heap on the griddle in the dining room open-kitchen. Whenever the grill man finishes an omelet or an order of eggs, he takes his spatula and heaps a pile of these hefty potatoes alongside.

Good as the hash browns are, it's pancakes that are our siren song. Mo's makes several kinds, including apple-walnut, blueberry, chocolate chip and strawberry-raspberry. The unfilled and unfancy buttermilk cakes are the ones we like best. Made of whole wheat flour and with a faint sweetness reminiscent of cinnamon, they are thick and tender and featherweight, fairly levitated off the grill in irregular shapes and piled willy nilly (by ones, twos, or threes) on a plate. Not handsome pancakes, but memorable ones, they are true breakfast comfort food.

Mo's reputation is as a breakfast place, but there's lunch, too: hamburgers and sandwiches (with hash browns available midday, too) and homemade soup. It's a cozy little spot, inconspicuously located in a cluster of stores near Farmington Avenue. Seating is in several booths along a wall, at a handful of tables up front, and at the counter with a view of the grill. Service is attentive and efficient, but not ultra-fast. Everything is cooked to order -- expertly.

Overall Rating

Buttermilk Pancakes

Potato Pancakes

Home Fries

Blueberry Pancakes

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Posted By James Bransfield on June 12, 2005 7:36 PM

I stopped at Mo's Midtown in Hartford last Saturday morning for first time in many years. Don't know why it took so long to go back. I had blueberry pancakes and bacon, a friend had eggs over easy, homefries and toast.

The blueberry pancakes are to die for! Each pancake overflows the plate, and a full stack (3) must weigh nearly 3 lbs. They were served piping hot and with some spice in the batter which I can't identify, but provides a unique flavor. The pancakes were light and contained just enough blueberries to add a zest to the taste, without overpowering everything. The bacon was crisp, but not all dried out. Clearly the work of a cook, who takes pride in his work, and a good eye on everything on the stove.

My friend's eggs were done just right and the homefries were something else. When the meal was served my friend said he'd never be able to eat all the homefries. Suddenly he looked up and said, "I can't believe I ate all of those homefries. I wonder if I could order just a small portion more?"

The help are all attentive, without being pushy. Good service, a friendly smile and a quick joke or two to start the morning off. It's easy to see why Mo's has been a West End favorite for so many years. These folks never met a stranger.

The only disappointing thing was the coffee. It was fairly bland. A good quality Guatemalan Antigua or a French Roast would have really set this meal off. But why quibble? You can always find a Starbucks for the coffee...

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