Fred Lelcaj is often behind the counter of his newly opened Fred’s, a narrow lunch counter on the block of South U closest to the Diag. “What’s your appetite like right now?” he responds when a customer asks for a recommendation. “OK, I’m going to recommend a breakfast sandwich”–fluffy scrambled eggs, Tillamook cheese, avocado slices, and a touch of spicy vegan mayo on grilled bread, $7.

While assembling it, Lelcaj explains that everything on his short menu is organic and prepared with the minimal kitchen equipment behind the counter: an electric stovetop, several powerful blenders, and a sandwich press. A chalkboard menu lists sandwiches, salads, blended yogurt smoothies, and more aggressively healthy fare like the “power bowl”–a concoction of maca powder, frozen almond milk, hemp hearts, and fruit. While we all learn in science class that correlation doesn’t equal cause, the customer base hanging around also seems unusually bright-eyed and healthy looking.

Fred’s, 1113 South University, 883-1067. Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. No website.