Easy Restaurant has made the trek East and recently opened a sister location to their longstanding Roncesvalles location, on College Street in Little Italy. WIth a higher quotient of bars and lounges in this area, an all day breakfast joint is a welcome addition since many weekend mornings only properly begin in the afternoon. Although serving both breakfast and lunch, Easy has become a go-to destination for one thing... brunch.

We were looking forward to their patio to take in the especially warm weather. One of their signature smoothies was ordered post haste as the temperature outside spiked--peanut butter and bananas turns out to be a perfect combo, and when you throw in some Dutch cocoa, you'll have me coming back for more. Satisfying and delicious, it's a meal unto itself.

Easy offers the usual brunch staples: eggs benny, waffles and french toast. But their Mexican inspired dishes are what sets them apart; specifically, the Huevos Divorciados ($12.75). It's their take on huevos rancheros with refried black beans, guacamole and a stellar spicy-sweet ancho jam that gives the dish a great kick. The fried corn tortilla foundation was a great foe to the runny broken yolk and salsa heaped on top. Overall, it was a better version than the couple of eggs submerged in a diluted rojo sauce that you'd usually find elsewhere.

Tried but true, two eggs and chorizo was the other dish we ordered ($11.50). The house potatoes that accompanied were crisp and perfectly seasoned. A toasted baguette with some runny eggs and smoky chorizo is a great dish if you want to keep things simple, although we may need to return to try the breakfast burrito or quesadilla after seeing them arrive at a nearby table.

Overall, the portions are surprisingly large and substantial for the price point. Perhaps it was the heat or the smoothie, but neither of us could finish our plates. The vibe is laid-back and perfect for great people watching--the patio was pretty swinging by the time we left so I'm sure the word is already out. If it's anything like the Roncesvalles location, it won't be easy to snag a table.

Photos by Peter Henderson