The Ultimate: Huevos Rancheros

All too often, huevos rancheros can feel like a brunch-menu afterthought, something spicy that's been thrown together to break the tedium of hollandaise and home fries. Which means there are a lot of unfortunate combinations of overdone eggs, mouth-burning jalapeños, and spongy tortillas out there. Thankfully, the Metropolis Café version not only sidesteps the pitfalls, but also improves upon the formula: Two perfectly cooked eggs are paired with black bean hash seasoned with cumin and chili powder, and the usual ho-hum tortilla base is recast as satisfyingly crunchy fried strips. Shredded sharp cheddar and bright pico de gallo finish things off with just the right texture and tang. 584 Tremont St., Boston, 617-247-2931, metropolisboston.com. JOSEPH DALY

The Runners-Up:

**** The Friendly Toast: Subbing out the beans for molasses-cornmeal bread is a tasty idea, but one too unorthodox to satisfy huevos die-hards. One Kendall Sq., Cambridge, 617-621-1200, thefriendlytoast.net.

*** Masa: Wins points for a deliciously fresh tortilla; loses them for overwhelming the melted cheese with too much salsa. 439 Tremont St., Boston, 617-338-8884, masarestaurant.com.

**1/2 Toro: Too-spicy beans horn in on the rich flavor of the salsa–sour cream topping and cotija cheese. 1704 Washington St., Boston, 617-536-4300, toro-restaurant.com.