The Golden Diner in NYC’s Chinatown opened its doors in March 2019 and is home to the most viral pancakes on the internet right now. Thanks to influencers, the line reaches a wait time of up to three hours and everyone is there for the pancakes. That’s how I came across the restaurant. I was looking for pancake inspiration on Instagram which led me to hundreds of reviews from enthusiatic Golden Diner diners. To my surprise Chef Sam Yoo walked through the process of making the famous pancakes on youtube.
I watched the video over and over again making notes along the way. I was giddy to know the exact ingredients for the pancakes. The question was, what are the measurements? Other than the amount of water and baking soda, you’re left to guess. I got to work in the kitchen. Unlike traditional pancakes, Chef Sam Yoo starts off by making a poolish of active yeast, water, buttermilk and flour. That rises for an hour before you can move on. The dry ingredients of flour, baking soda, salt and sugar is mixed separately from the second set of wet ingredients which is two large eggs and vegetable oil. Everything comes together and rests for a second time.
When it’s time to cook, two ladlefuls of batter go into preheated 8″ non-stick skillets. Cooking time was left out of his informational video, but I found 8 minutes between low medium heat was perfect. After that time the edge is set and there are some bubbles on the top. The skillet goes into a 375 degree oven on the top rack for exactly 9 minutes. Again, this was figured out through trial and error.
The pancakes come out tall, fluffy and golden brown. While the pancakes cook, make the syrup. Melt butter over low medium heat then whisk in the honey, maple syrup and low sodium soy sauce. The soy sauce brings a depth of flavor to the syrup that is to die for. Don’t leave it out. This syrup is the best part of the recipe. You could drink it. I actually realized it masked the flavor of the pancakes, which was a good thing. Sadly, I hated the flavor of the pancakes. Back to the test kitchen.
For my second attempt I halved the yeast. While this helped the final product, there was still a subtle aftertaste I didn’t like. I decided for my third attempt i would scrap the yeast altogether and work with a combination of baking soda and baking powder. I knew the same rise could happen and prep-time would be eliminated. This was another step in the right direction along with adding more sugar and vanilla. But something was still off. In this process I realized I am not a huge buttermilk fan. While I believe in its ability to level-up baked goods, too much of it taints the flavor.
For my fourth attempt I decided to halve the buttermilk. I subbed in 2% milk for the other half. This ended up being the final piece to the puzzle. The buttermilk helps the pancake’s moisture level but the 2% milk mellows out the sour buttermilk flavor. It was a eureka moment! While the exact ingredients vary from Chef Yoo’s Golden Diner pancakes, the same result ensues; perfectly golden, fluffy, moist pancakes that start on the stove and rise in the oven. The honey maple syrup is an equal star to the pancakes. These are a really special plate of pancakes perfect for weekend breakfast or brunch or on special occassions.
Tips for the best Golden Diner Pancakes
- Use a non-stick skillet. If you don’t, your pancakes will get stuck in the pan. I use the 8 inch pan from this affordable set from amazon. The pancakes come out beautifully. The handles are silicone and click on and off. Remove the handle before putting in the oven.
- Whisk your dry and wet ingredients really well separately. Whisking each really well separately will help cut back on the amount of whisking needed when they’re combined. You don’t want to over-work the batter or the texture can turn out gummy.
- The cooking times I came up with are based on my stove and oven. Your cooking time could vary. Just know if your heat is up too high on the pan, you’ll burn the tops of the pancakes. Slow and steady wins the race with these.
- Make the batter first. Let it rest to give the flour time to absob the liquid and the levening agents to produce bubbles (with equals fluffiness). I like to make the batter first then preheat the oven and skillet.