If I had to pick a few breakfast spots I've been enjoying lately, well, here goes :

• A breakfast pide at lb., just off Chapel St (near the Toorak Road intersection - it's the side street opposite that 24 hour place, Chapelli's). I work near here at one of my part-time gigs - it's convenient and friendly, and a fun place to watch people.

• An omelette panini at Degraves Espresso - it's not my Saturday ritual like it was in 1997 (CDs from Missing Link, lunch at Tonkatsu Joshu, coffee and a book at Degraves Espresso, all within about 25 metres of each other) but I still drop in from time to time - it's one of the most relaxing places to be in the CBD.

• The liquid breakfast - a quick coffee at the Bluestone before I head into work at my other part-time gig on St Kilda Road. The morning crew (be it Dean, Willy, Nick, or that guy with the short hair whose name I don't know yet) make good use of their "M31 Dosatron" (it's really called that).

Meanwhile, the eggs benedict situation is getting rather distressing. Toast hasn't been doing it like they used to (just the right amount of sauce. Less is more!), and I haven't found a successor. Retro gives you too much ham (it's out of proportion with the rest of the ingredients), Vibe in Acland St went downhill ever since they expanded into next door (before that, they had their Eggs Benedict just right). What's a guy to do?