By STEVE LAROSA

Breakfast and burgers satisfy big appetites.

The name says nothing. On the other hand, the name says everything. For those of you in the everything camp, read no further.

Joe's Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and a bit of "dunch." You know the drill: big breakfasts and big burgers. Finding anything priced over five bucks is a "Where's Waldo?" workout.

Good news, though: You won't have to search for that slab of meat on the burger. It's a half-pound of charbroiled ground beef. This meal in a sandwich is, well, sandwiched between two sesame-seed bun halves, accompanied by tomato, onion and mayo, with your choice of fresh-cut fries, macaroni salad, green salad or housemade soup.

The best thing at Joe's-the Philly cheese steak-isn't even on the menu, although it does make a daily appearance on the specials board. It's no surprise it's so popular. Thinly sliced top sirloin is grilled and served with mozzarella and Swiss cheeses, chopped onions and bell pepper on a French roll.

My dining companion, Lorie, and I split the burger and the cheese steak and liked them both, with the Philly winning by a nose over the bovine. (Hint: There was a shameless, nay, shameful racing pun in the preceding sentence.)

There also are a number of deli-style sandwiches on the lunch menu, from fresh roast turkey to tuna melt.

More than a dozen breakfast items keep this place hopping during the morning hours. Choose from omelettes, enormous pancakes and French toast. My 14-year-old nephew and I tried the French toast-four thick slices, served with bacon and eggs. "It had a mouthwatering, tantalizing burst of flavor," he said. "That was some good French toast." High praise from one known for his stoicism about anything other than video games.

You're going to love the yellow walls and green carpet in this former floral shop. You'll also love the friendly young waitress named Samantha, who is a customer favorite. But my favorite thing is the framed pictures of the food. Pay particular attention to the charming snap of the Coke dispenser. Now we're talking. It's just Joe's Cafe. But those of you in the everything camp already knew that.

6635 Madison Ave., Carmichael; (916) 966-6681; Open 7 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.

Look for Steve LaRosa's restaurant reviews the first Friday of every month at 11 a.m. on "News10 Midday."

This article appears in the June 2005 issue of Sacramento Magazine.