Sometimes ambiance is about more than décor, which helps explain the comfortable vibe at MyHouse Cafe in Monument.

It’s a small, unpretentious place with little to distinguish it when it comes to interior design. Instead it’s all about the food and the exceptionally friendly staff that serves it. Based on the steady flow of diners, the cafe has a loyal following; many of whom were known by name as they came and went during our meal.

This is a breakfast and lunch establishment, both of which are served all day. The menu leans heavily toward Southwestern fare, along with classic diner options. Many of the items described as Mexican featured ground beef, which, I have to admit, is something I associate with fast food establishments. For example, hamburger, rather than braised, shredded beef, was the main ingredient in the machaca.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have passed such harsh judgement without sampling one of the items, but I can attest to the high quality of the food that was ordered.

The patty melt ($11.75) was one of the best I’ve ever had. Grilled onions, melted cheddar and a well-cooked beef patty hung over the sides of the grilled rye bread. It was savory and gooey, and it came with a choice of fries or onion rings, so we opted for the latter. Crunchy, golden rings, along with those onions in the patty melt, made this a pungent and flavorful meal.

The fried chicken salad ($11.50) was a large bowl packed with head lettuce, mixed greens, sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes and sliced avocado. This was topped with bite-size pieces of tender, crispy fried chicken. It was the best of both worlds: fried and healthy in one happy marriage. Salad dressing options ran the gamut from Italian to Thousand Island; we selected blue cheese. It was creamy and complemented everything in the salad mix.

Since breakfast is available from open to close, it made sense to choose something from that part of the menu. Actually, much of the menu is devoted to breakfast featuring such standard fare as a variety of omelets, skillets, pancakes, French toast, waffles and multiple dishes with eggs as the main attraction.

Corn beef hash and eggs ($11.99) include two eggs, hash browns, toast and a generous portion of the hash. This was a little different than what was expected since there were sliced potatoes on the plate in addition to the diced spuds in the hash. It was a little greasy, but the flavors were on the mark.

There were apparently too many bread choices to even list. When it was time to pick what kind of toast we wanted, our outstanding server simply said to name a bread type. She was certain it was in the kitchen. I meant to ask my dining companion if she said raisin bread as a test or if that’s what was really wanted. No problem, it’s what she got.

MyHouse Cafe is nothing fancy, but for a basic meal with friendly, attentive service it certainly warrants a visit.

MyHouse Cafe

Casual breakfast and lunch fare

Location: 582 W. Colorado 105

Contact: 719-4183893; myhousecafe.com

Prices: $5 to $13.50

Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. closed Monday. 

Details: Credit cards accepted. Wi-Fi.

Favorite dishes: Patty melt and fried chicken salad.

Other: Gluten-free and limited vegan options available.