Hold the fried clams

If one thing can be said about the signature breakfast at Poppa B's, a hopping soul food joint on Blue Hill Avenue, it's that it won't leave you hungry, with a smothered pork chop, three scrambled eggs and cheese, grits, fried apples, and homemade biscuits.

But some new options will be appearing on the menu, like whole-grain breads and breakfasts with just one egg. Additions are planned for fish that's broiled, not just deep fried.

Not far away, bustling Chef Lee's is a home-cooking heaven that, in the words of one reviewer, is ``traditional Southern, yes, healthy not so much." But suddenly grilled chicken could show up on the menu next to the fried variety.

It's all part of a new city effort to reduce waistlines in a town that has celebrated the cream in chowder, the batter on cod, and the frank in Fenway. Mayor Thomas M. Menino is prodding each of the city's restaurants to offer at least one healthy menu option, vetted by nutritionists, and is planning a citywide campaign advertising the virtues of a healthy diet.

``Drink healthy, eat healthy, have a healthier life -- that's what our goal is," said Menino, a mayor who has been known for disciplined dieting, as well as weaknesses for some sinful foods. ``When you feel good, you look good. You eat healthy, you are much more alive, and you have more vitality. If you eat that junk food that we all eat, it doesn't do anything for your body."

The mayor is planning to unveil the program this morning at the Haley House Bakery Cafe in Dudley Square in Roxbury, where zucchini olive oil bread and parsley scallion scones will be served.

Under the program, called Boston BestBites, restaurants will submit recipes they think meet the city's criteria for being healthy (restaurants would be guaranteed that their secret recipes would remain secret). The items would be evaluated by nutritionists at Brigham and Women's Hospital to determine whether they qualify, having less than 150 calories for an appetizer, less than 650 calories for an entree, and less than 200 calories for dessert. All items also have to be low on sodium and saturated fats, and have no trans fats.

If an item doesn't qualify, the nutritionists will work with the restaurants, encouraging them to bake chicken instead of fry it, or broil fish instead of grilling it. They can also offer low-calorie drinks or use different spices to reduce the sodium level in their foods.

``Most of it is portion control, and really stressing portion sizes," said Kathy Cunningham, a dietitian with the Boston Public Health Commission.

In launching the program, officials cite figures showing that 51 percent of Bostonians were overweight or obese in 2003. That's slightly lower than the Massachusetts average of 53 percent and below the 66 percent of overweight adults nationwide.

But the rate is higher among Boston's minority and poor residents. About 64 percent of blacks and 63 percent of Latinos in Boston are overweight, compared with 43 percent of whites, according to the Boston Public Health Commission. City officials say the program is intended to raise awareness before obesity becomes an epidemic in parts of the city.

So far, about a dozen restaurants have signed up for the program, many of them locally run, neighborhood haunts that traffic in greasy French fries, bacon cheeseburgers, and cheesy omelets. Owners say they are wary of losing their base, and they emphasize they'll continue to offer the popular less healthy options. But they insist that now they'll provide more options for the health-conscious.

``We're known for big portions, our incredible meatloaf and our super breakfast -- that's our thing; that's what's made us popular," said Jay Hajj, who owns Victoria's Diner, which is participating in the program, and Mike's City Diner, which is not.

``It goes back to giving people the choice," he said. ``You can have the big burger with French fries and onion rings, or you can have the 5-ounce salmon with a salad and side of broccoli."

Public health officials plan to blanket the city with ads that feature tomatoes, oranges, or green peas in the background and say, ``How you feel tomorrow depends on what you eat today" or ``Raise your spirits, not your cholesterol."

Participating restaurants would be given window decals, ads to put on tables, and brochures touting that they are part of the effort to make Boston healthier.

Still, it's uncertain how restaurant patrons will react. ``The consumer has to be part of this also," Hajj said.

His diners could have chosen broccoli and a baked potato, but more often went for French fries and onion rings, Hajj pointed out. ``If you order a salad and choose to put 7 ounces of blue cheese on it, it's still not as healthy as a fat-free vinaigrette."

``I'm always on a diet," he added. ``I just love the good food like everybody else. It's hard."

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.