Norma’s (CLOSED)

As at a casino, you won’t find any windows or other indications of the time of day at this brightly lit, modern restaurant—which makes it all the easier to wallow in French toast with Valhrona chocolate sauce at lunchtime. At Norma’s, breakfast is the whole affair: Gourmet egg and pancake concoctions are served in impossibly huge portions. Will you go sweet (banana-macadamia-nut flapjacks topped with whipped banana–brown-sugar butter) or savory (seared-rock-lobster-and-asparagus omelette)? Lean toward simple (warm ham-and-Brie crêpes) or strange (foie gras French toast over wild mushrooms)? It’s all as good as it sounds, which makes paying $8 for grapefruit seem almost sane…depending on who’s picking up the check.