Having grown up in a household that makes their own hollandaise, I am somewhat of a critic when it comes to Eggs Benedict. Let’s just say I have high standards, and leave it at that. But oh, how Caffé Luna Rosa in Delray Beach loves to surpass them.

They start out with oversized English muffins, and offer up your choice of Canadian bacon or spinach as the standard for $9.95 – I went the bacon route. Chewy, but not too thick so the bacon flavor doesn’t overpower the dish, proving subtlety is not a lost art as I generally assume. Of course, if you’re feeling an indulgent morning coming on, there’s always Scottish Smoked Salmon ($13.95) or Lump Crab Meat for $17.95.

But remember, the Benedict is about the perfectly poached eggs – you should need to make a concerted decision when exactly to pierce the egg and release the yolk, spreading the achingly fresh eggs over the just-toasted muffin.

And of course, it’s about the hollandaise. It should be creamy and filling, a touch of tang, and the restaurant should be generous enough so that you can dip the accouterments gleefully in, spreading it around and soaking it up. At Caffé Luna Rosa, the hollandaise is fresh and homemade (you can tell) and the Benedict is served with a delicious potato pancake – no tired, overdone fried potatoes here. But neither the bene nor the potato should be swimming in the hollandaise – it’s a sauce, not a lagoon.

Of course, it obviously tastes better because as you’re devouring it, should you come up for air, you can see the cobalt blue of the ocean and make a mental note for the perfect Facebook status update later on. Funny how being across from the ocean works up your appetite enough to give you the strength to polish off your plate, and perhaps steal the last strawberries off your companion’s French toast. And don’t get even get me started on their syrup.