I used to visit Florida frequently and Perkins was one of our go-to places in the neighbourhood where I usually stayed. Seeing one open up in Pickering close to home brought back some memories, good memories, although not of their food. It was good for its time.
I remember Perkins being good for breakfast and brunch so I came here with breakfast in mind and ended up with a popular brunch item - Steak Medallions and Eggs, served with hash browns and a side of three buttermilk pancakes. Coffee was extra.
Nobody should ever complain about portions at this place. It was a lot of food! I had ordered my steak cooked to medium and it was very tender but was much closer to medium rare. Not a big deal for me. The eggs were cooked fine but the hash browns could have used a little more colour. Not a bad dish though.
The pancakes were served on a separate plate, topped with a pat of butter and accompanied by three different syrups in a caddy. This alone would have been enough breakfast for several people that I know.
Servicewise, it was nice to see the manager checking up on tables throughout the dining room. My server, however, was trying just a little too hard. There's often a fine line between good and annoying service. This was much closer to the latter. She kept telling me her name and suggested several times that I give her a good rating for her service (for their online survey and otherwise). Sorry, this was a fail.
Overall, the food was good and I'll be back. I've seen several restaurants fail in this location so I hope they do well. I wish they opened later.