Desayuno at Honduras Maya

Photo by luisd22209

A traditional Honduran breakfast in Tegucigalpa

When it comes to breakfast, Hondurans have a slight leg up on Americans. Just as Americans venerate a big, hearty breakfast (which we, in reality, very rarely have time for anymore), so do Hondurans. The difference is, Hondurans actually eat that breakfast each morning -- or at least a scaled-down version of it.

As in the United States, there are traditional favorites that you expect to see on the table when you go to start your first meal of the day. Whereas we look forward to plates filled with pancakes or waffles, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns or perhaps grits (at least here in Texas), a glass of milk or orange juice and a cup of coffee, a Honduran breakfast has its own assortment of typical items, items which no Honduran day can properly start without.

Although the eggs remain the same, a Honduran breakfast will also include slices of creamy avocado, fat plantains (likely fried, making them even sweeter), a slice of salty cheese, a bowl of tangy crema and often a side of tortillas de maiz. It's absolute heaven, especially on the morning after a long night, and will tide you over during an equally long day.

Luckily, Honduras Maya (the subject of this week's cafe review) offers a splendid Honduran breakfast seven days a week. And even better, it's also offered all day long -- from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. -- so you can give it a try even if you aren't a morning person.

If you get there in time for "normal" breakfast hours, however, you'll also get a cup of incredibly strong, dark coffee for free with your meal. Normal breakfast hours for Honduras Maya are 8 to 10 a.m., and the coffee is absolutely worth it. The desayuno Maya here is $6 and includes everything seen on the plate above (although that's not a picture from Honduras Maya; it's actually from a roadside restaurant in Tegucigalpa), while the smaller -- but no less filling -- desayuno especial is only $3.99.

Think of it as reverse happy hour, except that it's fuel for the day ahead -- not a long, debauched night that will end at the drive-thru of a Taco Cabana.