5 South Main, Cohasset, Massachusetts

See: http://5southmain.com

I am finally home for more than a few days at a time, and was grateful to enjoy a lovely breakfast with my husband on a sunny and warm Saturday morning at 5 South Main in Cohasset. (I am just back from Miami and am working on a post!)

5 South Main is located in the lovely Cohasset Village and serves breakfast and light lunch. (For those of you who don't live on the South Shore, if you ever have reason to go to a function at the Red Lion Inn, 5 South Main is just around the corner.) The dining room is cozy, particularly if you can get one of the coveted window seats, and there are a couple of tables outside for al fresco dining when the weather permits.

There are tons of homemade treats available daily, including muffins, cupcakes, and daily soup specials -- you can follow 5 South Main on Facebook for menu updates. Since our task was breakfast, however, we went right for the French toast. I opted for the original, while my husband went for the sampler -- one slice of the original and one slice of cinnamon roll version. The "original" consists of thickly sliced, locally baked cinnamon swirl bread that is grilled to golden perfection and topped with melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar. (I know that's a lot of superlatives, but this French toast is deserving of all of them, and then some.) It is simply some of the best French toast I've had in my life. The cinnamon roll version has all of these elements plus a few smears of icing for good measure. Tell me how that could be wrong. My only complaint is that 5 South Main does not offer real maple syrup, but the corn syrup based, fake kind. Our waitress (who was lovely and very attentive) assured us it would be ok to bring our own, so you better believe I'll be throwing that in my purse for next time (this may call for a maple syrup flask like device).

To feel better about our carb fest, we also shared a bowl of fruit -- a generous serving of seasonal melons, grapes and berries. I've said before that I usually skip coffee when out to breakfast as I find many restaurants don't pay it much attention, but the coffee at 5 South Main is pretty good, and no one complains if you ask for milk instead of cream.

If you're more of a pancake or a savory breakfast person (read: pancakes with chocolate chips, pecans, and caramel drizzle or crab cake eggs Benedict ), I'm sure you won't be disappointed. If you live in the area, a stop at nearby Holly Hill Farm for some weekly provisions or a hike is a nice way to wrap up the morning.

Myers + Chang, Boston, Massachusetts

See: http://www.myersandchang.com

I love Joanne Chang's story (Harvard educated business-women extraordinaire turned restauranteur), and have long been a fan of Flour (especially the carrot cake, sticky buns, curried tuna sandwiches, brioche au chocolat... you get the idea), so was eager to finally try Myers + Chang.

Myers + Chang looks like a modern and trendy diner, complete with counter seating where you can watch the chefs at work. The bar has its own menu, and there is surely something for everyone, as it contains selections of wine, sake, beer, specialty cocktails, and several house-made sodas. I tried the Mint Lime Rickey and it was a grown-up, gently effervescent version of the treat I used to get at Brigham's as a kid.

Myers + Chang has a great option for Monday and Tuesday diners known as the "Cheap Date Night," a collection of prix fixe menus designed to generously feed two people for $40. We tried "The Healthy Date", supplemented with the fish tacos (because we simply could not resist). The pan-roasted, soy glazed salmon stole the show -- it was cooked to perfection (flaking perfectly with the slightest touch of my fork) and served on a bed of brown rice (at our request) with crispy shallots, slices of ginger, and a sauce that was to die for. The fish tacos were also outstanding, and were filled with delicately fried bits of hake, kimchee salsa, and cilantro. With a side of baby bok choy and mustard green and edamame dumplings, this really was a healthy meal. Note that I didn't say low calorie -- it definitely wasn't that -- but this menu sure crammed in a ton of superfoods. Bok choy! Ginger! Mustard greens! Salmon!

Sadly we didn't save room for dessert (I know. Joanne Chang is involved and we didn't save room for dessert. Rookie move.). Let me just say there is ginger-lemon mouse. And Flour's carrot cake.

Lastly, the service was simply impeccable. Both the hostess and our server were warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. I've been trying to increase traffic to this blog so have been making an effort to Tweet a bit. (After all, what fun is it to write like this without interacting with others?) The Myers + Chang folks were kind enough to respond to my Tweet, which was an extra nice way to end the evening (really struggling not to use a smiley-face emoticon here).

Avo, Birmingham, Alabama

See: http://avorestaurant.com

Birmingham surprised me. I mean, really surprised me. I didn't do my homework before the trip, and didn't know what to expect with respect to food. Admittedly, I've spent only a little bit of time in the South. This time includes my first year of college (completed in rural South Carolina), during which time I could basically afford the dining hall, Waffle House, and maybe the buffet at Shoney's.

Avo is located in the lovely borough of Mountain Brook, and sits above Dram Whiskey Bar, her sister restaurant. While I just passed through Dram, it looks like a great spot: full of trendy, whiskey sipping 30-somethings. I did peek at the menu, and the offerings include southern comfort foods like bacon mac and cheese (complete with bacon from Kentucky) and lots of yummy sounding burgers. The menu even boasts a separate section, just for sauces.

Avo features California inspired cuisine made with local products, and the decor is cool and tranquil. I enjoyed the Pan-Roasted Gulf Day-Boat fish feature, which happened to be Red Snapper. The fish was served over a chickpea puree, cherry tomatoes, and garnished with fried capers (delicious). The menu offers a few different sized plates, including traditional appetizers, "mids" and mains, with a few side options so you can create the perfect meal. Both Dram and Avo offer gorgeous outdoor seating options.

In case you didn't know (and again, I sure didn't), Birmingham had five chefs named as semifinalists for various James Beard Awards in 2012, including Frank Stitt's of Highlands Bar and Grill, who was a semifinalist again in 2013 (for outstanding restaurant). Sounds like I need to plan a second visit.