Confections by Clarisse

Breakfast here is very good and definitely filling. They have homemade bread (I always get pumpernickel to go with my eggs and bacon). For standard breakfast fare it's the best place (now the only place) in Merrimac, and a step above the Whistling Kettle in Amesbury.

Unfortunately, there is something not quite right with their baked goods. I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe they use margarine instead of butter, or something, but the confections I've had there are a little off. It's especially evident in the frosting.

I'm hovering between three and four stars, and here's why. They bill themselves as a bakery more than a breakfast place, and their baked goods really aren't extraordinary. On the other hand, their breakfast is great; I can't think of anything wrong with it. The coffee's fresh and good, the grilled muffins are just slightly caramelized-crunchy and delicious, there's really nothing to complain about (also the pancakes are the size of a manhole cover, but not the best I've ever had).

So I give them three stars for food, and an extra point for being the only breakfast place in town. Plus, the owners are really friendly (the wife serves and the husband cooks), as is the one waitress I've seen there (I think she's part of the family).

Try it if you're in town in the morning. I think they're closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and open the rest of the week from 6-12:30.