Wobble Cafe, Ossining

I have favorite breakfast places in locales such as Santa Fe, Seattle and even Buhl, Idaho. In Westchester? Nope. City Limits is noisy and pricey, the Star Diner has more misses than hits, El Dorado Diner is just a diner, I don't love it. In these cases, familiarity hasn't bred contempt, just boredom.

I sometimes entertain high hopes for the Wobble Cafe. I do like it, though it's kind of out of the way to be my steady hang. It's eccentric enough to be a contender for fave in the county, but not quite good enough to actually attain that status.

I went there on a whim on a wintery Sunday. It was cold inside, my companion didn't take off his cap or coat, and even kept his gloves on whenever possible. Service was spotty -- it took a while to get menus, drinks, everything. We were rarely able to get our waitress' attention and ended up asking one of the others if the wait staff pooled tips (they do), because several other people jumped in to fill the void left by our designated server.

The Wobble Cafe is a cute place, it has a counter with a handful of old-time stools you can spin around on, it you're so inclined, mismatched tables and chairs, and a kids' corner/waiting area with couches and crayons.

The food is pretty good. I always get migas: a scramble of corn tortillas, eggs, pinto beans, jalapenos and cheese, with either chorizo or mushrooms. I always want the chorizo but always get the mushrooms, that takes a bit of the guilt out of the rest of the cholesterol on the plate. There's a choice of home fries or fresh fruit. I almost always get the fruit, though the home fries are much better. It's nice to offer a lighter choice in lieu of spuds, but does it have to be under-ripe, out-of-season and tasteless?

My companion had pancakes with bacon, which rated a thumbs up.

The tea is excellent. There's an extensive choice, and it's served in a pot of steaming-hot water.

There's something about the place that makes it seem like a toy restaurant. The chilly temperature, the bumbling service, the limited menu, the good but not really good food, it doesn't feel professional. The Wobble has good qualities but they don't add up to a breakfast place that makes me want to go out of my way for just what the doctor ordered me not to eat.