Dr. Mike's brand of madness makes you feel good and full

In the heart of Lisbon Falls' downtown district is a building that sticks out. Unlike its brick-and-clapboard neighbors, Dr. Mike's Madness Cafe is dressed in a reflective silvery metal that resembles an aluminum Airstream recreational vehicle.

The well-lit and spacious interior will take you back in time. The cafe's booths and tables are right out of 1950s diner history, covered in a sparkly purple and an equally sparkly whitish-silver.

The men's and women's restrooms are differentiated by life-size images of Marilyn Monroe and Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones on the doors.

You can sit at a table or booth, or on stools at the counter. The kitchen is beyond the counter, just as you'd expect at a diner. If you make the "mistake" of seating yourself across from the dessert case as I did, you WILL order a dessert, whether you are hungry for one or not (you can take it to go).

The first time I visited Dr. Mike's was just after Christmas, and the cafe was gaily decked out – including an upside-down Christmas tree, which was a sight to behold.

When I last visited the cafe, it was a weekday morning and a number of regulars were there for breakfast or just a coffee and a chat with the wait staff.

The food is good at Dr. Mike's, and you get a lot of it for a reasonable amount of money, but the big draw is the friendliness of the staff. Even though I am not a regular, the wait staff talked to and joshed with me like we knew each other. It put me in a terrific mood for the rest of the day.

On the weekday morning I was there, I ordered the No. 5 egg special: one egg, bacon, sausage or ham, home fries and toast for $3.49. I was able to substitute a homemade biscuit for the toast.

Being from a Franco-American family, I was excited to see poutine ($4.29) on the menu, but didn't order it for breakfast.

Because of my earlier dining experience (I'd ordered a cheeseburger for $3.49), I knew I'd be getting a lot of food, so I wasn't surprised when a platter appeared on my table. I shoveled down as much of my huge breakfast as I could. It was good, and so hearty that I didn't eat again until supper.

As I mentioned, since I was too stuffed for dessert (I believe dessert can be eaten any time of day), I purchased a raspberry turnover for later. It was great.

Dr. Mike's menu provides a range of home-cooked goodies. The breakfast menu has breakfast staples like pancakes ($1.59 for one plain or $2 for one blueberry), Texas-style French toast (99 cents for one, $2.29 for three), oatmeal with toast or a biscuit ($1.99 for a cup, $2.99 for a bowl), the Elvis pancake (two banana pancakes sandwiching peanut butter filling for $4.29) and a variety of egg specials.

Non-breakfast items include focaccia pizza ($4.89 to $9.09 depending on size and toppings), American chop suey with slaw for $5.99, a sliced turkey sandwich for $4.59, a BLT for $3.49 and a variety of burgers, including the BellyBustah, which is topped with fries and cole slaw for $13.29.

The Features staff of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram anonymously samples meals for about $7.

Dr. Mike's Madness Cafe