Mermaid Cafe

1929 Winnebago St., Madison, Wis., 249-9719

Food: 3 out of 5 stars
Service: 5 out of 5 stars
Value: 4 out of 5 stars
Drinks: 5 out of 5 stars

I'm not sure why, but in all the time I lived in the Winnebago neighborhood, I never set foot in the Mermaid Cafe. After driving and walking by daily, I had thought it was small and it always looked a bit busy. I would instead spend many a weekend morning at the Taco Palace. So when my perennial brunch/breakfast pal Becks suggested it, my husband and I accepted.

To my surprise the indoor area featured a good amount of seating, a great coffee/water fixup bar and friendly counter staff. We had breakfast sandwiches with ham and bacon. Becks has the quiche special and loved it. I admired the perfect crust and lush veggies.

The sandwiches were OK. The meat was cooked and the bread was fresh and flavorful. The eggs however were just slightly undercooked and had an odd texture. I thought they could have used a bit more seasoning as well.

I topped the meal off with an iced mocha, which was fantastic. Overall it was a good meal, but I probably wouldn't go for breakfast/brunch if I was starving. Also, there's a cute little play section for the kids complete with noisy toys, so if you're a little rough around the edges in the morning, you might want to get your food to go or sit outside.

If you go bring cash or a checkbook as plastic is not accepted.