Dining Pick of the Week: MTO Cafe

MTO Cafe

500 S. Main St., downtown Las Vegas, 702-380-8229; Downtown Summerlin, Sahara Avenue and 215 Beltway, 702-982-0770

The MTO in MTO Cafe stands for Made To Order, and this hip eatery lives up to the name, dishing up fresh fare and an even fresher atmosphere. At the flagship downtown Las Vegas location on the ground level of the City Hall parking garage, the bright orange decor is highlighted by pop art that brings Banksy to mind. The menu has some pop of its own, with bright vegetables and local greens that look like they could have been purchased at a farmers market that morning. Breakfast and lunch are served, with pancake selections including Bacon Dippers (bacon cooked in pancakes and served with warm peppercorn maple syrup) and Vegan Carrot Coconut pancakes with pecans and agave nectar. Waffle selections include Chicken ‘In A Waffle,’ while there is also the Kentucky Fried Chicken breakfast with two eggs, mash browns and country gravy. On the lunch side, there are sandwiches, wraps, burgers, salads and soups, including the hearty New England Clam Chowder with citrus-herb and Ritz cracker crumble in a four-cup bowl. Vegetarians will find plenty of options, including vegan falafel wrap, Celery Sucker wrap with collard greens, quinoa, tzatziki and baba ganoush, and the grilled cheese made with Brie, local honey, toasted walnuts and brioche. All are served with a side salad, while other wraps, sandwiches and burgers come with shoestring fries. Save a little room for the MTO Mini Donuts, served with local honey, or even better, the delectable Fried Apple Rings with cinnamon-sugar butter icing (my suggestion, request some local honey to dip these in as well). Menu items range from $7 to $14. The new Downtown Summerlin location is a walk-up concept with a slightly different menu (including the 5-Cheese Mac N Cheese). Hours vary at each location. For more information, visit mtocafe.com.