Florida Boulevard Desayuno

Sure, it looks a mite seedy, but the 4-week-old El Paste Dorado (6166 Florida Blvd., 922-9485) makes a mean breakfast chilaquiles.

The signing reading “panaderia” had gone up outside this spot not long ago, and I got all excited about another hole-in-the-wall, authentic Latin eatery on my favorite local noshing street, Florida Boulevard. The chilaquiles featured a soft pile of corn tortillas topped with two eggs over easy, avocado, sour cream, finely chopped cilantro and onions and a choice of red or green salsa with a side of queso fresca-topped refried beans. You can order this dish with eggs or ham, sausage or tomatoes and peppers, but I can’t ever resist the thought of runny yolks crying into a pile of tortillas topped with spicy salsa.

El Paste Dorado, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, also bakes authentic Mexican breads. As instructed by Mexico native and owner Victor Canales, who used to cook at Zoe’s Kitchen, I grabbed a big plastic tray and a pair of tongs and selected from trays of traditional Mexican baked goods. There were flaky cinnamon loaves, donuts, horn-shaped buns in bright yellow, ear-shaped discs topped in cinnamon, oversized cookies with sprinkles or coconut, and dense, round butter pastry formed in various shapes and colors. None are marked, but Victor told me I selected bread pudding, a galeta (big butter cookie with sprinkles), an ojo and a banderilla. The ojo featured soft butter cake in the center surrounded by flaky pastry. It was my favorite.

Dorado’s interior includes decorative touches like a row of neatly hung black biker tees sporting Dance of the Dead motifs, homemade leather belts and a saint statuette keeping watch over the counter, which gives the place the feel of a Coen Brothers movie. The handwritten board of fare lists carne asada, emmoladas (soft taco with molé), cactus salad, sopes (discs of tortillas with layers of refried beans, salsa verde, and more), even quesadillas with cracklins. Cheap, authentic eats not to be missed.