Best of 2003: Best Place To Take Your Boss To Breakfast

Arterra
Marriott Del Mar Hotel
11966 El Camino Real, Del Mar
858-369-6032, 858-523-1700

What better "power breakfast" than tangerine soufflé hotcakes, the paragon of pancakedom -- light, sweet, and pungent all at once. The ethereal batter is laced with seductive bittersweet tangerine zest and the stack is surrounded by sections of ruby grapefruit in a tangy red syrup. (Vermont maple syrup comes on the side.) Other tempting choices include "Southern-style" eggs Benedict, thick French toast with bananas, a Meyer lemon and toasted almond waffle, turkey hash with hollandaise and poached eggs -- plus the usual cereals, eggs, breakfast meats, muffins, and pastries. If you order coffee, they leave the whole carafe on your table, and if you want the harder stuff, there's Starbucks espresso on tap.