Maggiano's it is not

Generally, I review dinner and lunch hot spots. I am not sure I have once reviewed a breakfast place. There is a simple reason for this - I don't like breakfast. I played Helen Keller in my high school production of "A Miracle Worker" and during the big fight scene, which happened over dinner, we substituted scrambled eggs. So, for several days in a row I had cold scrambled eggs smeared on my face and in my mouth. It was disgusting. 20 years later, I still hate breakfast.

In the same way I dislike breakfast, I dislike Maggiano's. I have already stated that I don't think Italian, Mexican and Southern food should be expensive. I view Maggiano's as too expensive for what you get - a tasteless lump of overcooked pasta and under-seasoned sauce.

So for the above two reasons, I had never been to the Corner Bakery at Maggiano's. My boyfriend and I splurged and spent an evening at the Intercontinental in Buckhead for Valentine's day and the morning after our big night on the town, we decided (well, he convinced me) to go to Corner Bakery for breakfast.

Corner Bakery had a nice atmosphere and an ample, but not over-choiced, breakfast selection. The counter help was very friendly - maybe too friendly for that time of day - and took our orders promptly. My boyfriend got some big hoo ha of a breakfast and I got a breakfast sandwich (I promptly took off the egg). The bread on the breakfast sandwich was very good - crunchy, crumbly - the way good bread should be.

All in all, as breakfast places go - I give it a thumbs up.