Start with “IHOP.” Remove “I” and the hokiness. Add in “independently owned and operated.” Finally, anagramize. Now you’ve got the Original Pancake House. OPH is renowned for its gargantuan selection of breakfasts, especially in the griddle-cake area. In fact, some say that OPH wrote the recipe book for IHOP, who is usually the sole purveyor of potato pancakes and blintzes in small towns.

Let’s get to the point: bacon waffle! Why is this not a breakfast staple everywhere? It does the work for you. Pigs in blankets are also sumptuous here, but how are you ever going to decide when faced with two pages of sheer temptation? Consider crêpes filled with fruit and cream; pancakes made with berries, nuts, chocolate chips, or bananas; or corned beef hash (which could be better). But the claim to OPH’s national fame is the “Dutch Baby,” a monstrosity of dough, butter, and powdered sugar for which you wait almost half an hour. It’s worth it, though. With a little squeeze of lemon and a puff-popping forkful, you’ve descended into a trance-like state of ecstasy. Don’t let the Americana wholesomeness fool you. These people are sinister geniuses.

Portland is the proud birthplace of OPH and its Dutch Baby, so it’s obvious where its blue-roofed contemporary stands among this populace. The old house and country-kitsch décor are so inviting and nostalgic; you can expect a wait on weekends, but tables turn quickly.

And OPH only serves breakfast, so if you want dinner, maybe that’s when you could go to IHOP. You know, if you miss it.