Revisiting a Greek Legend

Recently, I took a trip over to Pegasus, on 86th and 3rd with the intent to do what no grown man has done before (with a straight face): order chicken fingers. For those of you who aren't familiar with the name, Pegasus is a Greek, family owned diner. I've heard it called the best breakfast joint in Bay Ridge, which has the potential to be true. However, my mission didn't involve eggs over easy. Through some unusual channels, I heard that this place, of all things, made some amazing chicken fingers. It was such a strange compliment, I just had to try them. So, I put on my worst fancy shirt, stuffed my wallet with someone else's money, and went to lunch.

My first impression of Pegasus was a positive one. The store front is pleasant to look at and the interior is no different. This isn't the fanciest place in the neighborhood, but it's got style. The aesthetic is reminiscent of the old diners one might see in an 80s movie, brought up to date with a fresh coat of paint and trendy, colored chalk on black boards.

At roughly noon, the place was busy, but not overwhelmingly so. That's why I was disappointed to wait for nearly five minutes to see a server. The wait left me feeling impatient, but that was eased by the fact the waiter was polite.

The menu at Pegasus is diverse, including your standard diner fare, an array of health friendly items (wheat substitutes, egg whites, etc) with a dash of Greek cuisine on the side. The prices are a little intimidating at first glance, but typical for a restaurant like this. Oddly enough, they don't serve fountain drinks. They do carry a decent selection of canned and bottled beverages to compensate.

As I planned, I ordered the chicken fingers. I didn't expect them to be enough, so I picked up a grilled cheese as well. My lovely accomplice opted for wheat pancakes with blueberries to test the claims of bodacious breakfast.

Our food arrived quickly. I'm happy to say that my chicken fingers, as promised, were amazing. I was expecting something similar to what you purchase in the frozen food isle (long chicken nuggets), as I've seen my younger relatives have at other establishments. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were more substantive than that. The cuts of chicken were obviously breaded and cooked up when ordered. Fresh is the first word that came to mind. Served on a plate full of fries, the dish was a lot more filling than I anticipated. The grilled cheese I ordered as a safety net was wholly unnecessary.

Being the curious foodie I am, I couldn't help but take a bite of my companion's pancakes. They're a simple idea, but Pegasus really carried through on it. The blueberries were perfectly mixed into the batter. There were just enough for flavor, but not so many as to overwhelm the taste of the dish itself. Neither side was burned and the texture was perfect. I've had many a pancake in my life, but I would feel comfortable saying that this was easily one of the best. Their iteration of the pancake left me excited to see how their list of creative and delicious sounding omelettes would grace the palette. I can't speak for all of their morning fare, but these pancakes certainly reinforce the idea that these guys and gals do breakfast well.

Regrettably, the service here only got worse once the meal began. I had to flag down the bus boy for more water repeatedly. When I was ready to leave, I waited for almost 15 minutes before deciding to get up and request the check. I've heard that asking is standard procedure here, but this was a little much. At one point, I considered just walking out. If the food wasn't so satisfying, I might have done just that.

When I finally got the check, I was delighted to see the damage wasn't as severe as I assumed. Pancakes $6.00, Grilled Cheese $3.75, Chicken Fingers $8.50. With tax, the total was $19.85. For just under $20 (strike the grilled cheese in the future) we ordered a tasty meal for two. While it's not the most optimal pricing plan, it's adequate for the better-than-Burger-King meal you should expect from a diner. It's worth keeping in mind that we skipped out on sodas and stuck with water, though, inadvertently cutting down on costs.

Excusing the less than amazing service, Pegasus is certainly as good as I had heard. Maybe, it's a little better. I would recommend it to anyone with a desire for tasty pancakes or a surprisingly scrumptious chicken finger. The menu supports several visits with variety each time. I don't doubt most of it is good if they can turn a chicken finger or pancake into something extraordinary.

The price, seems appropriate given the quality of the food. However, it's still higher than some of the nearby alternatives on 86th street of similar, albeit lesser quality. The same meal, at Amalia's up the block would probably cost $5 less, but wouldn't taste quite as good.

This place isn't for anyone without the patience to deal with a server who loses interest after a patron is fed. If you're sensitive to this sort of thing, it's better to keep your distance and avoid the frustration. Or, maybe order-in. At least then you will avoid any contrasting ideas between your idea of service and theirs.

Pegasus is located on 8610 3rd Avenue. It's open from 7 am to 6pm on standard week days. On Sunday, the hours become scant and the doors shut at 3pm. If interested in learning more or ordering, you can drop in or give them a call at (718) 748-6977‎.