Pineapple Cafe and Mexican Grill

Pineapple Cafe and Mexican Grill (7864 S. Howell Ave. Oak Creek) offers a unique take on the cuisine of its namesake nation, especially breakfast. Though the Cafe offers a generous bevy of creative pancake, omelet, French toast, crepe skillet, salad (!) and egg entrees until 2 p.m. daily, it’s the selection of desayunos that displays the ownership’s ethnic flair. And the star among those dishes may be a novel take on breakfast tacos. White flour or corn tortillas—the latter doubled up-brim with lightly spiced, saucy chicken chorizo mixed with scrambled eggs, tomato, poblano pepper, tomato and onion, all topped by an avocado slice. Sides of mild salsa and a subtly hot jalapeno ranch sauce complement what’s already an exemplary way to start one’s day; and especially creamy horchata can wash it all down in a manner that’s not overpoweringly sweet. Chicken chorizo is also used in the Café’s iteration of biscuits &gravy and elsewhere throughout its menu. Hash browns and baby red potatoes accompany many breakfasts, but I was heartened to see pineapple featured amid blueberries and cantaloupe in the fruit cup. The same fruit also features prominently in a Mexican salmon dinner and pancake and crepe plates where pineapple is combined with caramel for two types of sweetness in a single breakfast offering. Plenty else entices on the Café’s bill of fare, making it worthwhile to drive to a strip mall in a southern suburb.