Best breakfast: O'Brien's Irish Pub

Viktor Suvorov Wake up and smell O'Brien's breakfast combo with free coffee refills.

   Even though some members of the Best Of team are hard pressed to rise before noon, they'll never refuse a heaping portion of bacon and eggs -day or night.

   While there are many variations on this favorite repast, there are certain basic criteria for a passable breakfast. First, eggs. They have to be there and they have to be there in force. Any less than two eggs (three in an omelet) and we don't even bother to butter its basket of toast.

   Which brings us to the second requirement: toast. No, not a baton, we want toast.

   Jack Sprat would eat no fat; his wife would eat no lean. When it comes to bacon, we side with Jack. Too often restaurants and bars will try to pass salo or its cousin, grudinka, off as bacon. No dice. They want it meaty and crisp.
And don't forget the sausage. In this land of stuffed meat products, the absence of some kind of sausage is anathema to breakfast lovers.
Understandably, we the Best of Team gravitates toward the city's European and American eateries, choosing to avoid the oily omelets that tend to dominate the breakfast at most local cafes.

   Arizona BBQ has all the bases cov- ered. You've got your eggs, your bacon, your toast and bottomless coffee. And there's a selection of omelets. The breakfast at Arizona is solid, if somewhat pedestrian, and it continues its trend of providing meals of consistent quality.

   Time Out has one of the more adventurous breakfast menus, but on a recent visit we found the almond-encrusted French toast bland and mushy.
Eric's provides a bargain offering. Its breakfast combo costs a mere Hr 25, but the bacon is rather limp, the beans are inconsistent and the sausage is a little too far toward the hot dog side of the spectrum. However, the Peasant Breakfast, a scramble of eggs, potatoes, cheese and bacon, is a substantial dish suitable for late-night snacking or early-morning rising.
Uncle Sam's provide weak to middling fare. On the other end of the spectrum, Le Grand Cafe provides an elegant, though rather expensive Sunday brunch offering.

   But for a quality breakfast in an unpretentious, friendly setting, O'Brien's is our unanimous favorite. The breakfast combo for Hr 45, includes two eggs any style, crisp bacon, a choice of Irish or European sausage, beans, and home fries or French fries. There's also a heaping pile of sauteed mushrooms and a roasted tomato for a little added flare. O'Brien's also caters to that medicinal need for morning coffee with free refills.

   The pub also offers a range of omelets (Hr 20 to Hr 30) with traditional fillings (ham, cheese, tomatoes and onions) as well as some more refined choices like smoked salmon.