Who Has the Best-Dressed Pancakes?

Silver Dollars specializes in temptation.

Their Web site URL is eatbetterpancakes.com. They have turtle pancakes (chocolate chips, pecans and caramel sauce), berry sour pancakes (fresh strawberry compote and sour cream) and key lime pie cakes (pancakes layered with pie filling and topped with graham cracker and whipped cream).

Reading through those, it comes as no surprise that their menu declares: "One bite ... happy. Two bites ... addicted. Empty plate ... need more pancakes!"

But when the craving for truly decadent pancakes hits, when one is truly addicted, is Silver Dollars the best place in Yorkville for a fix?

I decided to find out for this week's Chowdown Showdown. Three local restaurants, three stacks of pancakes and just one winner.

I had barely slid all the way into the booth at Southern Belle's before their holiday specials captured my attention: crunch cakes (whole grain pancakes filled with crunch granola), pumpkin cakes (topped with caramelized apples and cranberries) and smores cakes (chocolate chip pancakes with crumbled graham cracker and marshmallow topping).

No contest: I went with the pumpkin cakes, cranberries on the side. Syrup is optional. The pancakes have a pleasant spicy undertone, and the apples were sweet without being overpowering. I enjoyed it so much I took the leftovers home for dinner. I didn't touch the cranberries but I didn't miss them either.

The good: Generous portions with an attention to the appropriate level of sweetness.

The bad: A smaller portion might be nice.

I was seriously contemplating PB&J Pancakes when I spotted honky-tonk pancakes. Yes! Peanut butter chunks and sliced bananas. The peanut butter melted on top in a rather delightful way, and when I dived into the stack of pancakes, I discovered chocolate chips. It all was a little too sweet, but I could see how a true sweet tooth would be in love.

The good: Excellent, creative combination.

The bad: It could be a bit much unless you're looking for a sugar high.

I waffled a bit at Sunfields and got a waffle with nuts, bananas, strawberries and whipped cream. I loved the fresh fruit and the texture the walnuts added to the waffle. It was a mighty-sized portion and a rather simple concept, but it provides an excellent reason to have breakfast for dinner.

The good: Walnuts + strawberries + bananas

The bad:The concept isn't as tantalizing as the honky-tonk pancakes or smores cakes.

The winner: Deeming a true winner is rather complicated, since I didn't sample each pancake combination each restaurant has to offer. But from those three, I'd have to go with Southern Belle's and the pumpkin cakes. The spicy, pumpkin flavor was delightful and original without being too sweet. I would enjoy it year-round (not just during the holidays).