A sizeable workforce of children and other kin add to the spirit of the busy breakfast house across from Yamagami Nursery, just south of Highway 85. It's a lofty place accommodating up to 120 people. Colorings by children of regular customers cover one wall. On weekends, there is never an empty chair for long.

"It's a fast turnaround. They eat and leave," says Diana Khouri of her customers, who know to call ahead 30 minutes or so before their arrival. While there are no reservations, a call-ahead of a maximum of 30 minutes will put the callers on a wait list. They know what they want, and when they call, they are sure to order that in advance, too.

"It's the apple and Dutch Babies. Every table orders at least one," Khouri says. "You cannot skip this one," she adds, referring to the huge—and very popular—German pancake that spans 10 inches of an 11-inch plate. The extra inch of rim is needed, after all, to carry the hot plate, she explains.

Dutch Babies are oven-baked at 300 degrees and take 20 minutes to prepare. Thus, those in the know order before their arrival. Khouri says they serve up to 80 plates of the big Babies on weekends, and on Mother's Day, coming up this Sunday, they probably will bake a double batch of that. "Mother's Day is the biggest day of our year," she says.

Besides the Babies, there are all of the traditional breakfasts, like waffles, crepes, omelettes and sausages. And there are 18 kinds of pancakes, including Hawaiian, pecan, chocolate chip, Swedish and coconut. Waffles, with fresh strawberries and fresh, in-house whipped cream, and eight kinds of crepes are all under $7.75. For little tyke appetites on up to grandpa-sized ones, pancakes come in "dollar" to "18-dollar" sizes ($2.25­$5.75).

Khouri of Santa Clara and Mourad of Los Altos have owned the local franchise of the Portland-based Original Pancake House Inc. for a year, having bought out a family who retired to Lake Tahoe after 16 years in the same location. Before their purchase, Mourad owned the Mountain View bakery Le Pain d' Or for 30 years, and Khouri worked for Wells Fargo. Natives of Beirut, Lebanon, their families have been friends for 20 years. The partners own another franchise in Los Altos and just opened their third in Fremont. "We're not interested in major expansion," Khouri comments. "We want to keep them family-owned and personalized." Besides her son Michael, 18 and a student at Santa Clara High School, there are Mourad's son Joseph, 18, and daughter Zahia, 19, plus Khouri's sister and a niece who works on weekends as a hostess. Waiting in the wings for the day when perhaps they can help out are Khouri's younger sons, ages 11, 10, 9 and 5. "There's always someone here who cares," she concludes.

A recent exterior color change from blue to bright coral-red has attracted the attention of more new customers. Khouri describes one couple who had been passing and missing the place for five years. After the paint change, they screeched to a halt, ran in to check the menu, and said, "We'll be back." "They wanted to be sure it was the same restaurant as one they had enjoyed in Hawaii," Khouri laughs. A major redecoration is planned soon.

The Original Pancake House, 1366 S. De Anza Blvd. south of Highway 85 in San Jose, open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m.­3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m.­3 p.m. For more information, call 408.255.7373.