RESTAURANT REVIEW:

This was a meal I had looked forward to for some time and was finally able to have.

We had eaten before often, though at different times and places, my meal at my desk and hers in a big pink bowl in the kitchen.

By four months, though, we were both going crazy, and after Xioni (pronounced see-AHN-ee) had her last Parvo shot, I made a breakfast date for us at the Park Bench Café.

One of the reasons I like Huntington Beach so much is that it is incredibly dog-friendly — dog beach, dog park and Park Bench Café.

My now 5-month-old lab mix that I got from Good Dog Animal Rescue, a local operation run by Chance and Jocelyn White, was now able to utilize all of those facilities, and it was a relief to be able to take her out of the house.

It was after a run at the dog beach that we headed to the Park Bench Café. There are two dining areas. The first is by the entrance and has a few tables outside and inside. There are also tables and chairs and wood picnic tables over on a grassy area to the right of the restaurant.

Many of the plastic green tables and chairs were empty, which was good for me since I wasn’t sure how Xioni would react to this adventure.

Fortunately, she was pretty exhausted from the beach, and I filled a bowl with the water provided by the restaurant and read the menu while she lapped up the liquid.

This is a classic breakfast spot for me, though they do serve lunch, but the first meal of the day, I think, is their best.

On this trip, I grabbed one of the newest items on the menu, and it has since become my favorite.

The chorizo scramble is one of three Park Bench offerings. The others are a grilled bacon, chopped mushrooms and onions scramble and a veggie scramble that has grilled tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and bell peppers.

The chorizo scramble doesn’t come with onions, but that is easily rectified by requesting them. The grilled onions help take a little of the spice away from the meat. Also, cheese can be added, though it costs extra, unlike the onions.

The sides that come with the scramble are two pancakes, home fries and toast, fresh fruit and toast, sliced tomatoes and toast, or cottage cheese and toast.

I am not a big fan of omelets, which is odd because I like scrambles and they are virtually the same dish, but the café has seven of them. The spinach and cheese omelet caught my eye.

Another breakfast I have had that I enjoyed was the lumberjack. This is three buttermilk pancakes, two eggs, home fries and a choice of bacon, ham or sausage links.

I substituted cottage cheese in a vain attempt to make this healthier.

One dish that is on my short list to try is the cinnamon roll French toast, though it is definitely going to be a situation where I consider it a treat because of what is in it.

Slices of the café’s famous cinnamon roll are dipped in egg batter and grilled.

They are then dusted with powdered sugar and icing is drizzled on top.

The separate menu for dogs is more extensive than the children’s menu, though I have found after several visits, Xioni enjoys the cut-up hot dog.

There are also items like boneless, skinless chicken bites, scrambled eggs, ground beef, chopped bacon bits and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. There is also dog kibble for owners who don’t feed their pets human food.

I wish I could say that was me, but it’s not. This dog has me wrapped around her paw.

After our meal, we took a walk along the lake across the street and headed off to the dog park off Edwards Street. It gave her a chance to work off the hot dogs.

My workout to counter the delicious calories I just had would have to be a little more extensive.

PARK BENCH CAFÉ

ADDRESS: 17732 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach

PHONE: (714) 842-0775

WEBSITE: www.parkbenchcafe.com

CUISINE: American

SPECIALTY DISH: farm breakfast

ALCOHOL SERVED: none

ENTRÉE PRICE RANGE: $5.25 to $10.50

FAMILY FRIENDLY: yes, separate child’s menu

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: MasterCard and Visa

Rating: ***

JOHN REGER reviews restaurants for the Independent.