Breakfast observed

Today's T Style magazine in the New York Times surveys the L.A. breakfast scene through the eyes of assorted anointed cultural observers, from actor Jeff Garlin and chef Suzanne Goin to architect Doug Suisman and comedian Carlos Mencia &mdash incidentally, the only one to break fast over the hill in the Valley (at More Than Waffles.) The Beverly Hills Hotel coffee shop comes up twice and and screenwriter D.V. DeVincentis nominates a taco truck on Ninth and Figueroa. Otherwise the spots are geographically predictable: Nate 'n Al's, John O'Groat's, Brite Spot, The Griddle (Goin's favorite), the Ocean Park Omelette Parlor, Maxwell's, King's Road Cafe, Susina, Rose Tree Cottage in Pasadena and the late Grinder on National. Nothing east or south of downtown. Quoting Garlin:

My favorite place for breakfast is unequivocally the Farmers Market on Third and Fairfax. I meet the director Paul Mazursky (“Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice”), the artist Charlie Bragg and David Freeman, who’s a writer. We always sit at the east end of the market at a table in front of the doughnut shop, Monday through Friday, from 9 to 10 a.m., and listen to each other’s stories. They think I’m pretty amusing.

The Farmers Market has one thing that no other place on earth offers. If you really, really, really have a huge desire to eat amongst “The Price Is Right” contestants, go there on weekdays. The place is filled with them. CBS studios are around the corner. They’re all wearing T-shirts with messages to Bob Barker on them. And they’re usually overweight. I used to think it was so funny, but now I don’t even blink.

Photo of The Griddle: Andrew Durham/NYT