ST. GERMAIN, Wis. -- I used to go "up north" for the hiking, swimming, boating and fishing. Now, I can honestly say, I love all that but the pancakes are the trip's greatest perk.

I spent years in the North Woods without ever eating at Wolf Pack Café, one of the five restaurants that line the Highway 70 strip of downtown St. Germain. If you're familiar, you'll know that Wolf Pack is a tiny converted retail space at the end of a strip mall housing a bank, bar and salon.

In the high season, you'll find a good crowd piling in for breakfast and lunch seven days a week; stark contrast to this past weekend when the weather was still slightly chilly and visitors are few and far between.

Home to the "World's Best Pancakes," articles from national magazines and newspapers line the diner walls paying homage to Wolf Pack's pancake superiority.

Berries, bananas, chocolate chips and peanut butter are just a few of the options upon options for pancake fillings. Soft and moist on the inside, Wolf Pack manages to fry a crispy outer layer and edge on each and every flapjack.

I've tried to decipher the strategic cooking technique but have yet to make the slightest crack into recreating its signature dish. I've succumb to the fact that I may never know; waitresses sign contracts of secrecy and I'm doubtful that owners Kathy and Joe are handing out any recipes.

Before Wolf Pack, pancakes weren't a common breakfast item of choice. Now, any other pancake falls into one of two categories: worse than Wolf Pack or on the verge of competing. I've yet to find a cake surpassing the Wolf Pack secret and worthy of summoning the third and final category.