Curiosity, when it pays off, can lead to great surprises. Curiosity sent me to Al's Place, and boy did my curiosity ever pay off.

It is a small, unassuming place. It is a little breakfast spot and not ashamed of it. Tidy and without the urge to ape a 1950s diner, it has a cozy vibe that reminds me of when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s without feeling inauthentic.

Long and short, it feels like coming home.

Greeted by Al, I sat on a stool at the counter and was offered coffee, which I gladly accepted. He served up a mug of Down East brand coffee (from what I could read on the carafe) and I was pleasantly surprised - I'm not big on coffee, but honestly? It was one of the best cups I've had. Dunkin can go hide in a corner as far as I'm concerned.

I was asked if I wanted a menu, but I did my research ahead and ordered the Heman Breakfast Special. Or maybe it was hungry man? It was certainly man related, and it was the two toast, two eggs, two bacon, two pancake, two sausage, and homefries meal.

He set about making it and I settled into the homey, familiar atmosphere. The early morning regulars (I assume regulars, given the familiarity with which they spoke) were friendly and Al was lively.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like part of a community in a restaurant. The last time I felt this at home and welcomed was probably when The Cakery was still open... anyways. Atmosphere gets high marks, as does customer service.

The food itself?

This was a good breakfast. It was everything I wanted and it was all well executed. I could find no complaint worth voicing. The pancakes were huge and fluffy, the bacon, eggs, and sausage were well prepared, and the home fries were well seasoned and pretty much perfect.

I don't give out a lot of 5 star reviews, but Al's Place gets one. It is not a fancy breakfast with inventive twists on things, nor is it gourmet and trendy - what it is, is a perfectly executed traditional American style breakfast at a completely reasonable price.

I think my quest is over - I think I have found the best breakfast - according to my tastes - in Woonsocket.

Note: Al's Place is Cash Only. I called ahead to make sure since a lot of small, local breakfast places seem to be cash only. This was not a drawback for me, but it is worth noting if that might be an issue for you.