Veggie-gravy goals at Arms & Embers Grill

A good breakfast is hard to find, and there’s nothing more disappointing than dragging yourself out of bed, putting on real clothes and going out to pay for a bad one. After my inaugural visit last week, I added Arms & Embers Grill to my list of eateries that get the most important meal of the day just right.

Arms & Embers is on Grand Ledge’s lovely Bridge Street. Driving from the east side, I skipped the highway — who knows where I would even get on at this point — and took the long way down West Saginaw Highway, which I recommend so you can stop at Horrocks and the Volunteers of America thrift store.

The restaurant offered some tempting brunch cocktails, but I just went with coffee. Even more tempting, though, was its selection of specialty pancakes, such as bananas Foster, blueberry Danish and strawberry shortcake, to name a few.

I didn’t have much of a sweet tooth that morning, but thankfully, my dining companion did and was open to sharing, so I got to have my cake and eat it, too. She got the strawberry shortcake pancakes, and I opted for the garden skillet with sourdough toast. Served on a bed of perfectly cooked red potatoes were scrambled eggs blanketed with melted Swiss cheese, gravy and a medley of wilted spinach, mushrooms, peppers, onions and fresh slices of avocado.

The vegetables weren’t overcooked, which I’ve found is rare in an egg dish. What really stood out, though, was the gravy: Spoon-coating and rich in flavor while still not at all heavy, it was particularly perfect when dashed with some Frank’s RedHot. I was also impressed when I confirmed that it was vegetarian.

I let my friend have some bites, but definitely not as many as I stole from her magnificent plate of pancakes, which were covered in a very fresh-tasting strawberry sauce, vanilla sweet cream and mascarpone. Unlike other such confections, these pancakes weren’t too sweet or overwhelmed by a mountain of whipped cream and jelly-like sauce. They reminded me of a more sophisticated, understated version of the pancake sundaes at IHOP.

Though the restaurant can be a bit of a drive depending on where you’re coming from, a top-tier, well-priced Sunday breakfast that can be had without any wait in line is more than worth it.