Next to the Vinny are three bottles of housemade salsas: (left to right) hot carrot habanero, medium jalapeno and mild smoky ancho chile. 

My mom always told me that we eat with our eyes.

At The Cottonwood Cafe, housed in a charming cottage in Sisters, this proved exceedingly true. I was impressed by the looks of the Vinny ($16.50) when it was brought to the table first.

But then, the server brought out the pork carnitas tostada ($18) and I’m pretty sure my mouth fell open. A giant cheese crisp, folded in half, decorated the plate between two fried corn tortillas and poached eggs. Tendrils of the cheese crisp swirled above the plate, frozen in time.

As I marveled over the presentation, the server noted that David Touvell, chef and owner of the Bend in Spoon restaurant group, was in the house. The cheese crisp is not listed on the menu and was an extra dose of flair Touvell chose to add when he prepared the dish.

I overheard a woman sitting on the opposite side of the room order the shrimp and grits ($19.50). She came in for the dish after viewing its presentation on The Cottonwood Cafe’s Instagram page. The photo, posted two weeks ago, shows the bacon cheddar grits, poached eggs and jumbo shrimp painted with a geometric pattern of balsamic vinegar reduction.

I bit into the cheese crisp, finding it deliciously crunchy and punctuated by the spice of added herbs. The two eggs of the tostada were perfectly poached, the firm outer layer encasing the entirely runny yolk inside. The pork carnitas abundantly filled the plate and was succulent and tender.

The side of bacon cheddar grits, which I selected at the server’s recommendation was thick like scrambled eggs, creamy in texture and deliciously rich. Green onion and chunks of bacon added a burst of flavor.

All told, the tostada tasted as harmonious as it looked.

My partner was similarly satisfied with the Vinny, the cafe’s classic eggs Benedict. It was served with a healthy dose of hollandaise sauce over two poached eggs with thick slices of smoked ham poking out underneath. Every ingredient in the Vinny was well executed — from the white toast to the smoked ham, to the hollandaise sauce. The potatoes he chose for a side were delightfully crispy and well-seasoned.

The Sisters cafe makes its own salsas in-house. There’s a mild red smoky ancho chili, a medium jalapeno and a hot carrot habanero, each roasted and pureed with a hand blender. Be sure to try a dab with one of the savory dishes on the menu.

I don’t think it’s possible to order the wrong dish at the Cottonwood Cafe, so I would encourage risk-taking. I was rewarded by both the tostada and the bacon cheddar grits, one of the more unusual side options.

Location: 403 East Hood Ave., Sisters

Contact: 541-549-2699, cottonwoodinsisters.com, @the_cottonwood_cafe

Hours: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. daily

Price Range: $10-$20 per menu item

Cuisine: Breakfast, Brunch, Pacific Northwest