It's always disconcerting walking into an empty restaurant and on a recent visit to Treat (in the Humboldt Park neighborhood) only one table was taken. The server/hostess greeted us with a warning: "We're expecting a big party in 45 minutes, so the only place you can sit is there." Nothing like feeling welcome.

The waitress, who was very attentive to us for very short stretches of time, couldn't have been friendlier as she took our orders. We saw her again when she dropped off the food, but that was pretty much the extent of our interaction even as the "big party" failed to show. After refilling my own water and tracking down my check, I was kind of over the whole laid back vibe and experience at Treat.

My dining partner, however, was perfectly content. Are we so different? Not really. The difference, instead, lies in the dichotomy of the whole Treat experience. See, the menu offers a small selection of sandwiches as well as larger entrees. You might select the beer battered cod sandwich or order a salmon filet. The former costs less than $10 while the other is comparably priced to high-end restaurants.

Since I ordered the salmon, I was expecting at least a fraction of the service I'd get at one of those fancier restaurants. Or, at least a water refill. If I'd ordered a sandwich like my partner did, everything might have been different. In addition to the service issues, my friend's cheaper-by-almost-half veggie sandwich, with roasted eggplant, gouda and pesto, was just plain better (more flavorful, satisfying, and substantial) than my larger, pricier entrée.

While other dinner visits to Treat have yielded mixed results, brunch has been more consistent in its pleasures. As with the regular menu, plenty of vegetarian options are proudly available. Make your own omelets and a roasted tomato, mushroom, and herb version are both good options. Just as with the regular menu, Indian and Mediterranean flavors peek up at you in surprising ways. A safe bet is the lentils with rice and eggs, a unique dish to the area, and a hearty beginning to your day.

Meat eaters can dive whole hog, so to speak, into a steak Benedict, which replaces the pork with beef. Our table was divided as to whether the beef was just too much or a great improvement on a classic. Everybody was taken with the green eggs and ham. It's seemingly on every brunch menu in the city and at Treat includes a walnut pesto.

BYOB is available at only $1 per person, but plenty of other beverages are also available. A small coffee bar sits at the entrance, and unique thirst quenchers, like oatmeal shakes (so much better than they sound), smoothies, and a very gingery ginger limeade are popular options.