Opera Cafe & Patisserie

My wife and I went here this morning (a Saturday) for brunch. My wife had the seafood quiche (with shrimp, scallops, and salmon) and I had the salmon eggs Benedict. Both were delectable, if not to say, very good.
I also had the Cappuccino, which was nice'n'frothy and not bitter at all, so I guess that's pretty close to the Italian version, which is good.
We didn't try their pastries, which everyone raves about, we might just save that for the next trip.
Nice atmosphere, friendly staff, outdoor seating - one star off just because it is a little pricey. Those 2 dishes with the Capp came to $28.
It is great food....but not cheap.
Oh, also, it appears to be dog friendly, since I saw a woman with a nice pair (of Havaneses) sitting outside.

On my first weekend back from SF, my best buddy and I decided to grab some brunch over at Opera. Located in a corporate shopping plaza, this French-style cafe can be difficult to spot from the street or to know about at all. Luckily I had her to show me the way to one of SD's best quality breakfasts.

There's lots of delectable items on the menu and I didn't know where to start. Everything looked great and it made it very difficult to choose. I eventually settled on their very popular steak and Brie sandwich with fresh greens salad and shared an almond croissant with my friend. She ordered the veggie quiche with potatoes and fruit. It was one of the most beautiful days in SD to date so we opted to sit outside on the large, dog-friendly patio.

The croissant was very delicious and very fresh. It didn't have the rise or the filling of the Tartine version but for SD, it's as good as it gets. My sandwich was served open-faced bs had a great balance of tender steak and rich Brie. The salad was lightly dressed and consisted of tender, leafy greens. My friend's quiche was rich and well-seasoned, and served with some very delicious, sliced golden-brown fingerling potatoes with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. The fruit cup had a great variety of seasonal fruits that rounded out an excellent meal.

While you may not get the huge portions of the local greasy spoons, you don't want them either. Wired Cafe is a close comparison to Opera, but they're not even close when it comes to the food quality, service, and atmosphere. Opera serves up just the right amount of grub that you'd want for just the right price. More local places should take a note from Opera and maybe, just maybe, we can all start to make strides toward leading happy, healthier lives.

Food: 9/10

Service: 9/10

Price: $$

Atmosphere: 10/10