Cocoa Puffs to cream puffs

Tired of the same old bowl of cereal for breakfast every morning? How about stepping out for a change and treating yourself to, say, a bowl of cereal? That's the specialty at Bowls (834-8002; www.myspace.com/bowlsraleigh), which opened recently at 2508 Hillsborough St.

Bowls' owner Rocco Monteleone has assembled, at last count, an offering of 52 cereals, which can be ordered individually or in any combination with your choice of milk: whole, 2 percent (regular or organic), 1 percent, skim, soy, chocolate or -- are you ready? -- blueberry milk. Mathematically, that comes to, let's see, about a gazillion combinations.

Given the restaurant's location -- and the fact that prices start at $1.99 for a small single-cereal bowl -- it isn't surprising that Bowls is popular with the nearby N.C. State crowd. The restaurant has a weekend following among families with children (grownup choices include croissant sandwiches and salads). Franken Berry, Count Chocula and Boo Berry are bestsellers, but you'll find just about every cereal you've ever heard of in Bowls' bulk dispensers, and a few you haven't (Chocolate Lucky Charms?). If you can't make up your mind, the "cerealcide" (five cereals of your choice) should solve the problem.

Bowls is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hmm, cereal for supper -- now there's a trip down Nostalgia Lane.

In Chapel Hill, the breakfast offering at Citrus (100 Westgreen Drive; 933-0623; www.citrus-chapelhill.com) is a bit more sophisticated. Executive chef Marcos Lucera, who owns the restaurant with partner Tom Meier, whips up an eye-opening offering that includes chorizo con huevos, Cordon bleu omelet, banana and candied pecan pancakes with praline sauce, and a bistro-esque hash of fresh and smoked salmon. Coffee is freshly ground, juices freshly squeezed.

The Citrus lunch menu is similarly impressive, with options including Scottish cold-smoked salmon salad, open-faced shrimp salad sandwich on toasted focaccia, and grilled beef tenderloin with horseradish mayo on demi-baguette. Lucera cleverly echoes the restaurant's name and cheery decor with a citrus theme recurring throughout the breakfast and lunch menus -- the orange custard batter in French toast, for instance, and a twist on the classic salade Nicoise featuring pan-seared scallops and a lemon-feta vinaigrette.

Citrus is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's hard to find, in the residential section of Southern Village, but worth seeking out.

Meanwhile in Hillsborough, pastries are the star rise-and-shine attraction at Valour's Patisserie & Bistro (126 W. King St.; 245-1155). Owner/baker Eric Valour turns out well over a dozen kinds of fresh pastries each day, including Danishes, scones, fruit turnovers and the croissants and tarts of his native France. Those seeking more substantial fare should be more than satisfied with a full breakfast selection that includes omelets, hash brown skillets, pancakes and French toast.

Valour's lunchtime offering includes an assortment of sandwiches -- from chicken salad to croque monsieur -- as well as quiche and some hot entrees (spaghetti carbonara and fettuccine Alfredo are popular). Whatever you choose, save room for one of those pastries and a cup of coffee. Linger a while; the restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Food Network fans, set your TiVos. On Sunday, at 9 p.m., "Iron Chef America" will feature the Triangle's own Walter Royal, executive chef of Angus Barn in Raleigh. Royal will compete against Iron Chef Cat Cora, but he's tight-lipped about the secret ingredient and the outcome. Tune in to find out who wins.