MTO Cafe in downtown Las Vegas makes good use of a great location

MTO Cafe's avocado made-to-order breakfast included jalapenos and jack cheese but wasn't spicy. BRIAN SANDFORD/VIEW

Lemon poppy seed pancakes were topped with blueberry-ginger compote. BRIAN SANDFORD/VIEW

MTO Cafe’s downtown Las Vegas restaurant is well-positioned to succeed, given its prime spot across the street from Las Vegas City Hall and the headquarters for several city departments.

Indeed, about 50 people crowded the well-lit eatery shortly after noon on a recent Tuesday, their chatter nearly drowning out what sounded like modern rock floating from the speakers. Although it was lunchtime, many plates were laden with breakfast offerings such as French toast, pancakes, omelets and the MTO Breakfast — easily identified because it includes two types of bacon, as well as Spam.

Few people would put “Spam” and “fresh” in the same sentence, but the other ingredients at MTO — short for “made to order” — lived up to the restaurant’s tagline of “Fresh comfort food.” An omelet’s broccoli was satisfyingly soft and flavorful, while the accompanying jalapeno peppers provided texture but weren’t spicy. The lack of a kick was easily remedied, as all egg dishes apparently come with two types of hot sauce.

The lemon poppy seed pancakes, meanwhile, were large and rich enough to leave ample leftovers. Non-breakfast menu items include a “hangover burger” with bacon and fried egg, a vegan falafel wrap, quinoa crunch salad and an organic chicken sandwich dubbed “The Bob.”

Parking is a consideration at any downtown Las Vegas business, and MTO’s is a mixed bag. The good: The restaurant is part of a large structure that includes a parking garage, and it offers ticket validation. The bad: that validation only lasts for an hour; stay just a little past that and you’ll owe 75 cents. Signs warn against backing into parking spots, and it’d be wise to heed them, as the city Parking Services department is headquartered next door to MTO.

One needn’t stay for an hour or more, as MTO offers to-go ordering online for both its locations (just click on the desired item on the web page). The menus for the Las Vegas and Downtown Summerlin locations are nearly identical, with some differences in the salad and sandwich offerings.

A tip: The downtown Las Vegas location closes at 2 p.m., while its Summerlin cousin closes at 7 p.m. most days.