Menu Gets It Down Pat for Skokie Eaters

Giving Pat's Place a bad review would be like giving your grandmother a bad review. It's not the kind of place that can be critically evaluated anyway. Pat's is a force, like gravity. No one ever tries to evaluate gravity, because it would be extremely silly to do so.

That is also true for the village icon. Pat's Place is going to be Pat's Place, just like the sun is going to shine or Skokie Boulevard in front of Old Orchard Mall is going to be a mess. That's just the way it is, and the way it's likely to stay.

One of the most endearing things about Pat's at 5025 Oakton St. is that it seems to inspire Skokie residents. One quick look at her Yelp page reveals a variety of comments that range from sweet to funny.

"Pat's Place makes me happy," starts one review by a Dacket H. Another by Jim K. says he hasn't "gone this far back in time since I put instant coffee in my microwave oven." In talking about Pat herself, Jessica K. says, "This woman is the nicest, most genuine person...she'll stop by your table and remember every detail you told her years ago. "

Owner Pat Bello has been on hand all these years to remember those details. Her family has owned the downtown Skokie spot for nearly 50 years. Pat began her tenure in 1978. Incredibly, the prices haven't changed much in the decades since.

Pat's is the kind of place that's almost unheard of these days. A couple can have breakfast or lunch until the 3 p.m. closing and spend less than $15.

On a recent morning, we tried the $5 feta and spinach omelet. Fat, generous chunks of feta cheese were spread throughout the light and fluffy eggs like little gold nuggets of flavor. On the side, hash browns came done in the classic American shredded style--crisp and tasting just heavily enough of the oily skillet on which they were cooked.

We also tried the steak and eggs ($6.35). We weren't expecting much in the way of steak, though our server asked us how we preferred the steak cooked. We stated medium rare, but the thin steak was cooked thoroughly and evenly. A small disappointment, but not the end of the world, especially at that price. Opting for pancakes instead of toast saw a large stack come to our table, perfect for sharing.

There's one great way to tell if a place serves the right amount of good pancakes if there's just a small sliver of them remaining on the plate when you leave, the kitchen did things exactly right. When it comes to good pancakes, one should be stuffed to the point of near discomfort, and simultaneously almost too ashamed to clean the plate. Pat's Place nailed it.

Really, when it comes down to it, that's the secret to Pat's success. Her restaurant has survived so long, through so many different styles and economies and preferences, because it just keeps getting it right. No, it's not perfect every time, but it's perfect for Skokie. In Pat's, all of us have that friendly grandmother who remembers us, feeds us and just like our real grandmothers--or gravity--has simply always been there.