After a false start in Carmel, Biscuits Cafe has found its niche in Broad Ripple, serving fresh-made, low-priced Mexican and American eats in a snug, friendly spot.

And now that it's serving beer and wine, the restaurant stands a solid chance of drawing the kind of late-day crowds that it already attracts for breakfast. Given the restaurant's name and the chance to bite into chorizo in the morning, I stopped in during the a.m.

The Food

Biscuits' menu is a little like satellite radio or sticky notes: I looked over its long lists of Mexican and American options and wondered why the restaurant's concept wasn't widespread. Manager Cesar Reyes tells me Biscuits is the only restaurant in town offering authentic Mexican breakfast dishes (and offering them all day long, at that), but I wonder how long that might be true.

The American dishes on the menu end up topping the cafe's tables at least as often as the Mexican, I'm told, and biscuits and gravy is a customer favorite. My dining companion and I both chose from the list of specialties -- a breakfast burrito ($6.50) for me and chilaquiles ($6.50) for him.

Chorizo, scrambled eggs and seasoned potatoes filled my burrito, which was topped with melted cheese and served with steamed beans and rice. Chilaquiles was a standout -- a heap of juicy shredded chicken that had been stewed with tomatoes and peppers, all served atop tortilla chips. The dish was capped with melted cheese and salsa, and served with rice and beans.

The toddler in our party dug into one of the restaurant's kids' combos ($3 each) -- an egg, a huge, fluffy pancake and bacon.

The Service

Coffee refills are my primary concern at any breakfast spot, and Biscuits seemed to have one person assigned only to that task. I was won over by that, but there's more: Every server we came into contact with (I think three of them helped us in one way or another) was attentive, fast and outright chipper.

The Atmosphere

Eye your options first by sitting at the counter or taking a seat at a standard table. We had our pick at 8:30 a.m. on a snowy Saturday and watched the restaurant fill up by 9. Wide open and pleasantly noisy when it's full (which is often), the restaurant has tiles across its floor and halfway up its walls. Deep yellow paint takes over where the tile leaves off, and prints of vintage ads punctuate the space.

The Price

$24, with tax and tip, for two adults and a toddler. Without question, it was a rip-roaring deal.

Next Time

I'll be stopping in for lunch. Biscuits offers $5.25 specials, and the $6.50 quesadillas are a temptation, as well.

-- By Tracy Cumbay / Star Correspondent, 3/2/2007