Claire's on Cedros makes me a believer

Claire’s on Cedros made me a believer, again, in the joy of eating out for breakfast. You won’t find any rubbery three-egg combos or dry, heavy stacks of pancakes here. Only original dishes, carefully crafted, with a depth of flavor and fresh, organic ingredients.

The quaint little house at the end of the road invites you in with its simple décor and cozy, dog-friendly outdoor seating area. I’d expected a wait, but, lucky for us, a table was available. Heavenly aromas drifting from the kitchen gave us our first hint that we were onto something extraordinary.

To start, I chose the Ibarra Mocha ($4.95), a steaming bowl of cinnamon-spiked coffee and chocolate topped with a latte-like foam and drizzled with a streak of chocolate. Insanely rich, and not too sweet. My friend ordered a frothy cappuccino ($4.75). Claire’s offers all the standard coffees and espressos, as well as unique drinks like a Lavender Honey Cortado and a house-made Dulce de Leche Chai Latte.

Although the menu runs the gamut from omelets to waffles, three items immediately caught our attention. We couldn’t resist first digging into the Blackberry Stuffed French Toast ($18), two pieces of buttery brioche toast sandwiched around creamy, lemon-infused ricotta cheese and lounging in enough warm blackberry-blueberry-strawberry syrup to give every morsel something to mop up. We were delighted by the interplay of the toast’s silken texture and the melting sweetness of the cheese. Indulge, I say, and be decadent!

From the range of Benedict options, we chose the Organic Quinoa ($17.95): finely chopped zucchini, corn, onion, jalapeño, and poblano chiles co-mingled with quinoa to create delicate patties, which were nestled in a pool of spicy negra salsa. A great option for those who are gluten-free, as the quinoa patty replaces the traditional English muffin. Two eggs, poached to perfection, perched on top, glazed with a layer of velvety hollandaise sauce. The heat of the negra salsa woke up the nubby quinoa patties and complemented the soft, jammy eggs. We chose the side of hash browns, which turned out to be the highlight of the egg dishes. Matchstick thin potatoes mounded the plate, cooked to a golden crispness, barely salted, and non-greasy.

One of the restaurant’s specialties is their Brioche Breakfast Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($16.50). A savory combination of baby spinach, sharp white cheddar, and your choice of honey bacon, sausage, or tomato is crowned with a creamy scrambled egg and then grilled between slices of fluffy brioche. Hearty, crunchy, and soul-satisfying, it is also served with a side. (Hash browns, of course.)

The bill arrived with two heart-shaped shortbread cookies — we took it as a thank you for dining with them. The prices are medium to high, but you definitely get what you pay for in quality, and the service was excellent. The place can get busy, but the website lets you add your name to the waiting list — a plus if you have a busy day planned. If you don’t, you can enjoy a leisurely stroll down Cedros while you wait, and admire the artsy shops and boutiques. This friendly, local hangout won me over, and the next time, I’ll bring my dog — perhaps for lunch.