Photo courtesy Morning Squeeze
Egg lovers, this one’s for you: Friday, April 16, is National Eggs Benedict Day. Classic eggs Benedict is a splurge-worthy dish on its own merit – poached eggs and ham smothered in hollandaise sauce layered on a toasted or grilled English muffin. Tradition aside, there are many interpretations of this dish, which is said to have been invented in 1894 by a Wall Street broker named Lemuel Benedict at New York’s Waldorf Hotel. If you want to take part in the celebration, we’ve rounded up five places for you to check out the goods.
Daily Dose
For an impressive selection of eggs benedict, head out to one of Daily Dose’s three locations. You’ll find Benedicts with a choice of breakfast meats (including turkey sausage); grilled mushroom and avocado; smoked salmon; roasted top sirloin; or a crab cake. All the Benedicts are topped with two poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce atop an English muffin. If you want to mix it up, swap out the English muffin and hollandaise sauce for a biscuit and sausage gravy. All are served with herb potatoes and choice of fruit, brown sugar oats or Daily Dose hash.
Three Valley locations, dailydosegrill.com
Hash Kitchen
Hash Kitchen takes eggs Benedict and turns the classic dish on its head. The popular breakfast spot whips up seven versions of eggs Benedict: herb fried chicken with fried leeks and warm maple reduction; carved holiday ham with cornbread stuffing and potato cakes; smoked salmon with roasted tomatoes and sautéed spinach; braised short rib with potato cakes and onion rings; tamale cakes with green chili pork; Melina’s Benedict with Canadian bacon and a toasted English muffin; and straight up eggs Benedict built on flaky buttermilk biscuits. Visit the build-your-own bloody Mary bar that has more than 50 add-ons and you’ll be celebrating in no time.
Five Valley locations, hashkitchen.com
Morning Squeeze
Billed as an “over-the-top Bennie,” the pulled pork Benedict will be available from April 16-18 at both Morning Squeeze locations in Scottsdale and Tempe. This iteration is made with marinated pork topped with a honey, lime and pecan slaw resting on cornbread, topped off with a poached egg and spicy barbecue Hollandaise sauce. If you’re looking for a more time-honored take, Morning Squeeze makes a restrained eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon. Also on the menu: salmon Benedict ($14) with arugula and smoked salmon; and a vegetarian-friendly option, Cali Benedict ($13) with tomato, spinach, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce perched on avocado halves. All Benedicts come with a choice of potatoes, fruit or cottage cheese.
Three Valley locations, morningsqueeze.com
OEB
This Scottsdale breakfast spot has a menu section devoted to “Bennies.” Anchored by a butter croissant, all Bennies sport poached eggs and brown butter Hollandaise sauce. But when it comes to the other toppings, OEB has some unique offerings: hog and pheasant mortadella with Spanish Manchego cheese; wild blue crab with fresh dill and Dijon mustard; Florentine, piled high with wilted spinach, tomato jam and avocado; and braised butternut squash and truffled mushrooms. For those seeking a more traditional Bennie, OEB also makes one with rosemary ham. Bennies are plated up with duck fat fried herbed potatoes. Oh, my.
17757 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-597-4463, eatoeb.com
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
If you can’t make up your mind about which “Benny” to choose at Snooze A.M. Eatery, we understand. The kitchen slings seven masterpieces: Ham Benedict III with tender belly ham; Bella Bella Benny, brimming with prosciutto on toasted ciabatta; Smashed Avocado Benny with fresh smashed avocado; Chile Verde Benedict, with green chile sauced tortillas and pulled pork or barbacoa beef; Lox-n-Latke Benny, potato latke topped with lox; Habanero Pork Belly Benny, habanero pork belly with bacon-espresso jam; and for those who are overwhelmed by all the tantalizing choices, order the Benny Duo and pick two half orders. All dishes come with Hollandaise sauce and house hash browns.
Seven Valley locations, snoozeeatery.com
