We eat at Inforzato’s (formerly Hula Hotties) for lunch and dinner frequently. But we tried brunch there for the first time Sunday.

Not surprising, it was goooooood.

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Irene, a server, greeted us by name and brought us strong Kona coffee. Another server handed us the regular menu, which is Italian food, but we ordered from the specials board.

I ordered lemon ricotta pancakes with ham, and my companion ordered baked Monte Cristo. Owner Jill Inforzato told us her mom always used to  order Monte Cristo, “they used to have it at Denny’s and places like that”, she says. Inforzato’s version is not battered and fried, but it is indulgent. Two pieces of French toast form the outside of the sandwich, which consists of ham, provolone and raspberry jam. It’s baked until the cheese melts, and covered in powdered sugar.

My dish came with three thin pancakes, a side of lemon ricotta sauce and pancake syrup. But the ham was the star of the plate. It was served with a warm and spicy pineapple chutney.

We also had a “monkey muffin”, monkey bread baked in a big muffin tin and topped with caramel and whole pecans. OK, so we overate a bit. We were celebrating a birthday, and neither of us was hungry for the rest of the day.

Inforzato’s is not the trendiest place in Oak Cliff to have brunch. But the food is great, and it’s not expensive. Two entrees, the monkey muffin and coffee came to $25. It’s a small restaurant with a friendly wait staff, so we often wind up making conversation with people at other tables. Maybe not hip, but very Oak Cliff.