554109 Tue Sep 02 10:41:42 -0700 2008 0 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4003477 Saturday I got brunch at Mission Beach Cafe in my new neighborhood and was bowled over by the quality of the meal and friendly service. I had visited before for dinner, which I thought was good but unexceptional, and once tried to stop in for post-dinner dessert (but was turned away, despite empty tables, because the hostess said they only allowed for dessert-only tables after 9:30). I'm happy I gave it another try. We had: -quiche with sausage -griddled biscuits with country gravy - a special of corn salad with beautiful heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers and vinegar Everything was both beautiful and tasty. We especially loved the biscuits and gravy, which appear to be a standard menu item. The server said he eats them for breakfast every day. They couldn't beat the ridiculously exceptional Scott Peacock biscuits I had at Slow Food, but they came awfully close. The quiche comes with two options: meat or vegetarian. We had the meat version, with sausage, and it was served with potatoes and a little salad. The flaky crust was expert, and the size made it perfect for sharing. Corn salad was a nice counterpoint to the heavier dishes we ordered: bursting-with-flavor August corn, beautiful tomatoes and chopped cucumbers, which reminded me of the homegrown cucumber and vinegar snack my dad used to prepare during summers in Connecticut. This is a good neighborhood for brunch, with Bar Tartine and Universal Cafe both within a 15-20 minute walk. Hooray! Tue Sep 02 10:41:43 -0700 2008 19097 pane