Breakfast Is For Lovers

When it comes to the spectrum of savory and sweet, my palette skews dangerously to the latter. Now, I can deal with savory food as much as the next person (to give it up would be to forfeit two meals of the day), but when given the choice, my allegiance always lies with dessert and breakfast. So it was, on a sunny Friday morning, that I found myself in need of some serious sustenance. With two failed attempts behind me (Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe was on vacay, The Buttery’s kitchen was under renovation), I stumbled into the South End’s quiet and unassuming Francesca’s Cafe.

I’d been to this quaint coffee shop once before for after-dinner tea. It’s a great place to spy ballerinas (they’re the ones in leggings with long braids down their backs) or nibble a cookie. At this point, I was ravenous, and didn’t care about a hot breakfast. Gearing up for coffee and a scone, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the muted, relaxing cafe offered table service. (The cheap prices, especially in the South End, didn’t hurt either.) Two cups of coffee, half a breakfast burrito, and a half moon later, I was full, satisfied and ready to recommend Francesca’s to all my friends.

Let’s start with the coffee ($2.25 including one refill). I’m partial to richer, more full-bodied java, so I was happy to see this coffee bears no resemblance to its watery diner-variety cousin. The shot of caffeine was all I needed to tide me over until the first act: the breakfast burrito. You may assume, due to my sweet tooth, that I’d go for french toast dowsed in maple syrup. But my addiction to Mexican food is such that as soon as I see the words guacamole or sour cream, I’m powerless. This burrito ($5.95) features both of these things, along with scrambled eggs and jack cheese. All are neatly wrapped in a flour tortilla, and ever-so-slightly grilled to provide that extra crunch without any burnt flavor. Topped with a generous spoonful of salsa, this burrito is never soggy, and each flavor makes its mark instead of jumbling together.

My dining partner chose the bacon egg and cheese b-fast sandwich ($4.25, plus 50 cents for a bagel instead of an english muffin), a wise decision. At this late in the game (it was now 11 a.m.) they were down to only two bagel choices, so onion it was. My companion found this to be a bit of an odd combination, but I don’t see how a warm, perfectly-toasted onion bagel can go wrong, even if it is topped with eggs, crunchy bacon and cheddar cheese. The bite I had was satisfying, in the way only a breakfast sandwich can be.