Sarabeth's

Squired by several slices of sourdough toast, a primly presented farmer's omelette ($11) was timid; none too large, either. Three-pepper home fries (top photo; $5.50) were entertaining beyond their looks but still somehow underwhelming.

On an earlier visit, to the Amsterdam Ave. location, I picked through the porridge section of the breakfast menu till I found the "Big Bad Wolf" (bottom photo; $7), with wheatberries and brown sugar, plus butter and fresh cream on the side. (Less hearty porridges are named for each of the three bears.) Lots more brown sugar lurking underneath, too.

Sarabeth's
945 Madison Ave. (at 75th St.)
(enter through the Whitney Museum; no admission fee required)
(one of several locations)
212-570-3670