No one ordered pancakes at Spyro's Pancake House, 4410 Bluffton Rd., despite the almost overwhelming temptation. Instead, we immersed ourselves in the other aspects of this South Side gem of a breakfast/lunch place - noisy and lively on our two visits, run with the efficiency of a military camp, huge plates of food rushing past at regular intervals. Someone once said the highest achievement of mankind is a first-class place at which to eat breakfast ... wait, that was me.
    Spyro's has been open 15 months in a site that used to house a Burger King and a Taco Taco, among other things, and has become quite the meeting spot. Open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, it concentrates on the lighter meals of breakfast and lunch, but, judging from the breakfasts, dinner would be quite irrelevant.
     Owners Spyro and Jean Giatras used to own Tasty King Gyros on South Anthony Boulevard, and say they close now after lunch to spend more time with their family. Indeed, the restaurant has a decidedly family feel, if your family happens to be half the population of the South Side, who have been flocking here to eat the huge servings of food typically served in - a wild guess here - a restaurant owned by The Countrymen.
    On my preliminary visit for Alex Bites, I had the Olympic Skillet, hash browns topped with gyro meat, feta, tomatoes, onions and greens peppers and scrambled eggs ($6.25). The waitress asked, "With toast or pancakes?" Toast or pancakes? I knew my odyssey had ended at last. With uncharacteristic timidity, I chose toast. Good thing, because the Olympic Skillet required a Herculean effort to finish. I did. It was a superb mixture of flavors and seasonings, not to mention chunks of gyro meat.
   The next morning, amid the typical hustle and bustle, Les Assistants did Alex Bites proud. They shall be referred to here Ms. Denver Omelet ($5.25) and Ms. Ham, Egg and Cheese on Toast Breakfast Sandwich ($3.75) with oatmeal and brown sugar ($1.95.
       For the better part of an hour, Ms. Omelet's world consisted of an enormous platter of hash browns, eggs, cheddar cheese, ham, onions and green peppers, served with grits and biscuits. It arrived with an unexpected bonus of fresh fruit as well. The waitress shrugged. "Enjoy," she said. Ms. Breakfast Sandwich had some hare-brained scheme to nullify the cholesterol of the eggs and cheese with the oatmeal. "Why bother?" I offered helpfully. "We'll all be dead by 2045 or so."
    I had the Bacon Waffle ($4.75), with large hunks of bacon cooked into the waffle. I was astounded at this concoction, which arrived with melon slice, maple syrup and three cute little medallions of whipped cream. Surely this was an idea only I could have, but everyone - including eventually my mom - said something like, "Oh, yeah. I've heard of that."
       For an extra $1.25, I added cinnamon apple slices, but could also have had fresh strawberries, blackberries, peaches, chocolate chips, pecans, black cherries or blueberries. These toppings are available also for pancakes, French toast, waffles, crepes or cheese blintzes.
Don't neglect the fresh-squeezed orange juice. Not surprisingly, it's a little pricey at $2.50 and $1.50, respectively, but worth the effort.
   Impressively, Les Assistants had to take part of their breakfasts home, a rarity, I would think, but apparently not uncommon at Spyro's. I made no such concession to common sense. Judging by breakfast, Spyro's is a first-class restaurant, with attentive service, bounteous servings, and a varied menu. Just a wild guess, but I'll bet lunch is the same. 
       As always, comments, suggestions and local restaurant news are welcomed at apv46807@yahoo.com.
  Also good:
Hungryman Skillet. Hash browns topped with ham, bacon, sausage, onions, mushrooms, American cheese and eggs any style. $6.25.