One of my favorite breakfast places is Mona’s. Today I had DaVinci’s Crab Cake Florentine, one of the House Specials. Two poached eggs, two crisp crab cakes, sauteed spinach and orange-chipotle hollandaise. Sauteed spinach is a wonderful thing. They tend to get a little carried away with the hollandaise, and I usually opt for it on the side, but forgot to ask for it that way today. House potatoes are decent counterpoint to the richness of the rest of the dish, but not especially noteworthy. I often add a side of the peppered bacon to my breakfast. Mona’s uses Nest Fresh® eggs and Maverick Ranch® meat — all pesticide, antibiotic and hormone free — which increases my eating enjoyment even more.

The favorite breakfast for my companion is the Breakfast Burrito: two eggs, cheddar cheese, green peppers and onion house potatoes, optionally smothered in green chile (definitely the way to go.)

Portions are ample. Go hungry, but you won’t have to stuff yourself to experience the satisfaction of clearing your plate. And it’s fun: one wall features a long undulating panoramic chalkboard with colored chalk and erasers within reach from your booth.

On weekends the wait is pretty long after 9:30am, so get there early, or try and slip into the bar at the back if you have just one or two people in your group.

Food: A
Atmosphere: A
Price: B+