Por Frank Sabatini Jr.

On one hand it was the usual coffeehouse scene: patrons collectively absorbed in their lattes and laptops, and the silence in the room jangled by occasional screams of the milk steamer.

Maybe it’s because I’m not a coffee drinker. Or maybe it’s something else. But nothing makes me flee faster in search of a good time than when I’m dragged into places like these by friends who turn into sloths without their daily intakes of jitter juice.

A breakfast visit to Café Subterráneo Boutique in Hillcrest, however, proved differently, mainly because it offers decent food that isn’t pre-manufactured in some faraway facility and delivered frozen, as seen in a juggernaut chain everyone knows.

It was also easy landing a table on a Sunday morning. We arrived at 8:30 a.m., just after driving past the nearby hot spots (Hash House a Go Go, Crest Cafe and Snooze). Customers had already begun flocking to their front doors.

Many are probably unaware that Subterranean opened this second location last month on University Avenue since establishing itself three years ago on 30th Street in North Park. Despite its name, neither is below ground.

We noticed several pedestrians wander in spontaneously wearing a this-place-looks-cute expression on their faces. The interior is defined by red walls, a black ceiling adorned with string lights, and a mishmash of communal tables, sizable two-tops and a white leather couch set in the back.

Some were seemingly taken as well by the aromas of Belgian waffles, breakfast tacos, toasted sandwiches, and of coffee drinks galore crafted with beans from Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in La Jolla.

I came specifically for the steamed scrambled eggs. Made with either a steam wand or a double boiler, they’re creamy and buttery, yet exceptionally lighter than eggs off a griddle. Not many places make them.

Whatever Subterranean’s method, they hit the mark of perfection.

My companion’s waffle breakfast included a generous three-egg scramble, along with two plump and moist turkey sausages that also seemed steamed. The waffle was firm and somewhat dry, but with a pleasant underlying malted yeast flavor.

I ordered a pair of tacos cradling the airy eggs, which were topped with sweet bacon and melted cheddar. You can get them with soy chorizo instead, which we also tried and loved. Spicy and finely granulated, I’d swear it was real meat.

The chunky guacamole on the side was overly stretched by diced tomatoes. But the smooth red salsa served in a ramekin was piquant and alluring. So what if it tasted all-American with its seeming deficiency of roasted chilies, we suspected the kitchen used vine-ripe tomatoes when making it.

While my companion sprung to life from his triple-shot espresso drink — an iced “Vietnamese” made with condensed and whole milks — I savored the stimulating flavors contained in the Siamese basil smoothie. My palate detected every ingredient in it — spinach, bananas, berries, almond milk, honey and cinnamon. Truly, smoothies don’t get any better than this.

Sandwiches and salads are served all day, starting at 6 a.m. daily. They include tomato-pesto melts, barbecue chicken, turkey and brie with secret sauce, hummus wraps, and Cobb and Baja salads.

I took home the “kinda spicy tuna sandwich” made with toasted, herb-dusted sourdough bread. The albacore tuna filling was substantial. It was mixed with a judicious measure of mayo and random bits of pickled jalapenos.

What I loved most about the sandwich were the juicy tomatoes and crispy romaine lettuce tucked inside, both of which tasted garden-fresh. Kudos to the kitchen for layering in only the inner, light-green leaves of the romaine, which remained snappy when biting into them hours later.

Everything that came out of this coffeehouse kitchen was thoughtfully constructed and presented elegantly on medium-sized plates, similar to what airlines use for meal service in their first-class cabins. Indeed, the next time someone pulls me by the collar to grab coffee, I’ll route them here and indulge again in the non-caffeine goodies, and without cynicism or resistance.

—Frank Sabatini Jr. es el autor de “Secret San Diego” (ECW Press), y comenzó su carrera como escritor local hace más de dos décadas como miembro del personal del antiguo San Diego Tribune. Puedes localizarlo en [email protected].