Nowhere is breakfast treated with such reverence, and decadence, as at Norma's, a soaring, ultramodern ode to the ultimate comfort food. The room is a highly stylized version of an ocean liner, with warm woods, sleek designer lines, soaring ceilings, formal place settings, and professional service. But don't expect stiff; just take a look at the menu. What's a Waz-Za? "Waffle -- Fruit inside, fruit outside, crackly brûlée top!"

But that's where the funny business ends, because the kitchen takes breakfast food seriously. There's something for everyone on the huge menu. Classics come in styles both simple and haute: Blueberry pancakes come piled high with fresh Maine berries and Devonshire cream, while buttermilks are topped with fresh Georgia peaches and chopped walnuts. The asparagus and seared rock lobster omelette is silly with seafood, while brioche French toast gets the ultimate decadent twist from foie gras and wild mushrooms. Even oatmeal is special: genuine Irish McCann's, dressed with sautéed green apples and red pears and brûléed for a flash of sugary sweetness. Don't pass on the applewood-smoked bacon, so good that it's worth blowing any diet for. Norma's can even win over breakfast foes with creative sandwiches, a generous Cobb with seared ahi, and a terrific chicken potpie. Not cheap for breakfast, but definitely worth the splurge.