Muffins, Good Coffee--They Make Rising Early Worth It

The specially blended yogurt at Chelsea’s Choice keeps the customers coming during the day, especially in the summer. But early mornings, the place belongs strictly to the muffin crowd.

Most of those who stop by come for takeout on the way to work. When you’ve got a few minutes to spare, though, Chelsea’s is a cheerful place to sit awhile with a good cup of coffee and a newspaper.

And, of course, a tasty muffin. There are raspberry and blueberry bran, banana walnut, banana oatmeal, oat bran, chocolate chip, carrot nut bran, but the best is carrot--moist, not-too-sweet, with lots of walnuts and perfect spicing.

You also can find novel varieties. On a recent morning, for instance, there were “turtles” (made with pecans, caramel and chocolate) and hot fudge muffins (with the real stuff, as well as chocolate chips and sour cream). If that’s not enough, there’s a sweet streusel version of some sort each day; blueberry, apple and cinnamon are among the favorites.

Chelsea’s is worth getting up early for. No day that starts there can be all bad.

Chelsea’s Choice, 777 S. Main St. 125, Santa Ana. Open Mondays through Fridays 6:15 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 7:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. (714) 972-9171. 3025 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. Open daily 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 7 a.m.. (714) 675-7870.