For Blueberry Thrills

Blueberry, the new breakfast and lunch place around the corner from Rix in Santa Monica, is finally open. And oh, is it cute--a trompe l’oeil splash of blueberry juice on the door, a white picket fence marking off the tiny upstairs mezzanine, waitresses in denim overalls and white T-shirts and bright blue cowboy scarves. High shelves are stocked with rows of Ball jars filled with carrots, green beans and other vegetables. And as soon as you sit down, you get a basket of miniature muffins that look as if they’ve been baked in a dollhouse oven.

That delicious smell of burnt sugar and cinnamon is a tray of miniature sticky buns, a little underbaked. The kitchen is still experimenting and working out the menu, which changes with every visit. The orange juice doesn’t taste all that fresh-squeezed. But they do a good job with “eggs anywhichaway baby,” served with your choice of apple wood smoked bacon, a turkey sausage patty or grilled Virginia ham. Take the latter--it’s a treat, far superior to that rubbery stuff that goes by the name of ham at most breakfast places.

Pancakes come with real maple syrup in tins shaped like log cabins. And for blueberry fans, there’s the “cold blue special,” blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup and blueberry ice cream. First thing in the morning? I think not.

There’s also a malted waffle drenched in vanilla rum butter (a new hangover remedy?). And for intrepid veggies, the cafe has an egg-free tofu scramble spiked with cilantro and jalapeno. The “blueberros” pan scramble--sort of a Latin matzo brei with onions, tortilla strips and peppers tossed in with the egg, needs something with more firepower than their pallid pico de gallo.

Lunch is just gearing up with soups, salads and “big two-hand sandwiches,” including “your basic BLT” and a “dolphin-safe tuna melt.”

Oh, there’s blueberry-stained iced tea, too. Wear your overalls.

BE THERE

Blueberry, 510 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 394-7766. Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except some Mondays. Street parking. Breakfast $4.50 to $8.25; lunch $2.95 to $8.25. Take-out available.