[Photograph: Kathy YL Chan]

The oatmeal pancakes served at L'Artusi during weekend brunch might not look like anything fancy or special, but they're surely worth a detour. The pancakes come three to an order, each a large flat round with a supremely crispy surface. Oatmeal, when soaked overnight in liquid to make the batter base, keeps the pancake soft and tender while imparting cozy, nutty notes. There's a bit of cinnamon in the batter, and coupled with the contrast of "crispy on the outside, soft on the inside," you've got a brunch to remember. Although the dish is usually accompanied by vanilla-scented, stewed rhubarb, the restaurant switched rhubarb for fresh raspberries dusted with powdered sugar on my visit. Drizzle on the pure maple syrup and slice right in.

L'Artusi

228 West 10th Street, New York, NY 10014 (map)
212-255-5757; lartusi.com

About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan writes A Passion For Food, where she chronicles her eats and travels adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.