Lumber Jacks Pancake & Steakhouse Benny

So I thought I would give another pancake house the benefit of the doubt in their ability to serve delicious food that isn't pancakes. So we decided to go to Lumber Jacks Pancake & Steakhouse (5708 75 St NW) to see if I still thought that pancake houses should stick to pancakes.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is a little dark, but cozy and family friendly. The coffee was decent and the service was good. We had about 3 different people help us during our visit, which is fine, but I hope they pool their tips if this is a regular thing, lol. If memory serves, they only offer one type of benny on their menu, so that made my decision very easy.

I had good thoughts and bad thoughts when my benny arrived. I was happy with the amount of fat sauce although its consistency could have been a bit creamier looking as it looked rather thin. The eggs looked kinda sad. Someone in the kitchen here needs to practice how to poach an egg as the yolks had collapsed on themselves leaving deformed eggs rather than nice rounded yolks. The flavour of the sauce was fine, but again, not as creamy as I like it. There was lots for dipping my potatoes, although the potatoes themselves were nothing exciting as far as potatoes go.

Conclusion: Overall, I'm still going to maintain that pancake restaurants should stick to pancakes. This would not be my choice for the BEST eggs benedict EVER... So I will continue my search....

UPDATE: I have since returned to Lumber Jacks to sample something other than their benny. I had potato pancakes which I was fairly pleased with. They are not the usual shredded potato variety of potato pancakes and they have an interesting flavour that I couldn't quite put a finger on. I went with my friend M, who went to Aunty Sue's with A and I, and she had a plate that had pancakes. Surprisingly, for a pancake house they had run of the mill pancakes that tasted suspiciously like Aunt Jemima was involved... Sad because homemade pancakes are not difficult to make. Or maybe the way my family makes homemade pancakes is much different than the rest of the world? Feel free to leave your favourite pancake recipe in the comments below!

Local Public Eatery Benny - $12

I met up in South Common with 2 of my cousins from Fort St. John, who were here for some wedding related shopping. We had arranged through much FB messaging, and possibly a few texts, to meet at Local Public Eatery for brunch. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to see what they offered here for eggs benny.  

Although the picture is horrible, the food was actually pretty good. The potatoes were actually the best part and we know how I don't usually focus on the potatoes! Our breakfasts all came with a delicious shot of fruit smoothie too. 

The Benny itself was pretty basic and the fat sauce was not my favourite. The eggs were nicely poached and overall my breakfast was worth the price and the trip to the south side. Although I don't think this was the best eggs benny I've had to date, the visit with my cousins was great and I'd love to meet with friends or family for another brunch and another Benny sometimes soon! Who's in? 

1820-99 Street

http://www.localpubliceatery.com/

 Local Public Eatery, South Edmonton Common, Edmonton

https://www.zomato.com/edmonton/local-public-eatery-south-edmonton-common

De Dutch DIY Benny

This week I wanted to take A to De Dutch Pannekoeken House because she had never been and hadn't heard of it. There is only one location in Alberta, here in Edmonton (10030 Jasper Ave). All the other locations are in BC, so if you live anywhere else in Canada, be sure to  find De Dutch during your travels to the west coast!
For me, the whole reason to go to De Dutch is for the pannekoeken. What's so great about this "pannekoeken"? Well, it's the size of your plate (approx 12" or 30cm), is kind of like a thick crepe or a thin pancake, and is neutral for either sweet or savoury add-ins or toppings. Although De Dutch offers 6 different traditional eggs benedict dishes on their menu (which I will try at some point), none are made with the pannekoeken. The pannekoeken that is closest to eggs benny is the Amsterkoek, which is what I ordered. Our server informed us that the Amsterkoek is what people order when they want an eggs benny pannekoeken, so I knew I made the right choice. It is topped with poached eggs, edam cheese, ham, tomato, and comes with a bowl of fat sauce. I requested that the chef just put everything on top, but when it came the sauce was in a bowl and so were the eggs (you can see an imprint from one of the bowls in my cheese in the pic). The bowls were fine, because this way the cooking water from the eggs didn't make my pannekoeken soggy. So I assembled it myself to how I thought it should look.. this was the DIY part... and then took a picture.. sorry I didn't take a "before" picture.

Now, I was ready to cut into it and revel in the goodness that is Benny after a week of involuntary abstinence. Because the pannekoeken is so big, I had to spread the sauce and other toppings out well to get some of everything in each bite... I could have used some extra fat sauce!  I really enjoyed the added flavour of the melted edam cheese in this DIY benny. Maybe this was because I don't eat a lot of cheese and usually benny doesn't come with cheese, atleast not traditionally. I managed to stretch the toppings out enough to atleast have each bite contain most of them, but not always all. Hmmm... what can I say? It was exactly what I was hoping it would be. The sauce was creamy and hollandaise-y. I would be surprised if they don't make it from scratch at this chain, if only because I associate "Dutch" with "Holland-aise". I know, not the best reasoning, but that's how I think! The eggs were cooked soft like I prefer. I think if I were to assemble this again, I would spread the ham slices out a bit more because they were all sort of piled in the middle. I liked the addition of fresh tomato and it went well with the cheese and pannekoeken.

Conclusion: Without having tried the 6 variations of eggs benedict that De Dutch has to offer, I think it would be unfair to compare this DIY benny on the same scale. Overall, I really enjoyed this "eggs benny" and while it satisfied my eggs benny craving and was delicious, I will have to continue the search for the BEST eggs benedict EVER!


http://www.dedutch.com/

Humpty's Benny.. WAFFLE: $9.95

I have been to this Humpty's before I started writing this blog. It is located right across the street from Mill Creek Cafe (9555 82 Ave) and is a popular place, especially on the weekend. A and I decided to go here this time to see what kind of bennies they had. I wanted to try something a little bit different, a little bit out of my benny comfort zone, so I went for the Benedict Waffle. A ordered the Surfside Benedict, which she offered me a bite of when it came, but I was too involved in my benny waffle to try hers too.

I was actually impressed with what I saw when I got my plate. I was definitely in for something a bit unusual as far as bennys go. The first bite confirmed this because mixed with the egg, bacon, and fat sauce was a sweetness from the waffle that was a bit weird at first but also pleasant. If any of you like syrup on your bacon as I sometimes do, you will enjoy the flavour of this dish... without putting syrup on it. The fat sauce itself was regular restaurant quality: Nothing fancy, but certainly not disgusting, at least not by my standards. It could have been a bit more creamy, as you can see in the pictures, it's a little bit transparent... something is missing. I'm pretty sure a restaurant like this doesn't make their sauce from scratch, but that is not something I would expect from a chain restaurant (except Cora's).  I had no problem polishing off the eggs and waffle. It was the perfect size for my breakfast. Usually the addition of potatoes just fills me up a little too much. Because this meal didn't come with any sort of potato side, I felt content and not over-stuffed. As for the restaurant itself, the staff and service here has always been friendly and efficient, I think this was our third time eating here(?) for breakfast. The coffee isn't gourmet, but it is hot and helps get the daily caffeine dose into the bloodstream, which is the most important thing.

Conclusion: The Benedict Waffle at this Humpty's is something I would definitely try again (and again). If you don't like sugar with your eggs, I would advise you proceed with caution, but for me it was excellent. The eggs were poached almost perfectly, not too soft and runny, but the yolks weren't hard which is how I like them. This would be an alternative way to try eggs benny at home for something different and easy to assemble. Don't let the low percentage of "like" on Urbanspoon deter you from eating here. The staff is friendly and our food came fairly quickly. As much as I enjoyed this breakfast, I will continue my search for the BEST eggs benedict EVER...


http://www.humptys.com/

Clareview Cora Benny

Saturday morning I got up at an ungodly hour to cheer on A and K in the MEC 5km run. We were there by 8am.. I rarely get up that early for work, let alone for fun. After freezing my butt off waiting for them to finish the race, we decided to go to Cora up in Clareview (4270 137 avenue). As with every trip to Cora I've ever made, we had a bit of a wait. I think it was shorter this time than it was when A and I went to Cora on Calgary Trail.
Once we were seated with our menus, A and I got our usual coffee as did K. We were seated along the wall in line with the entrance and I guess it was windy outside because a picture on the shelf above the table adjacent to ours blew off the shelf and fell on a customer. Luckily it wasn't a heavy framed picture (it probably wouldn't have fallen if it were). We had a little laugh and then a fat golden ribbon came sailing down off the shelf above me. We had to laugh when one of the staff came over and asked if everyone was alright... the ribbon was akin to those used in rhythmic gymnastics and wouldn't have hurt a small child.
We ordered and of course I got a benny. As I had the mushroom brie Ben et Dictine last time we went to a Cora, I decided to try the Asparagus Swiss Ben et Dictine.

As always, the presentation of the food at Cora is colourful and that alone makes it look delicious! The asparagus was cooked to perfection: not too crispy and not too soggy. The eggs could have been a bit more soft poached for my liking, but the yolks weren't hard and that alone satisfies me. I like the fat sauce at Cora. Because everything there is very fresh, I'm sure the hollandaise is made from scratch. If anyone knows any differently, feel free to correct me on this. The addition of cheese to benny is something that I usually like. This time was no exception, even if swiss cheese is not my favourite. Again, I wasn't impressed with the potatoes here. They are quite bland... not crispy and pretty flavourless. The best thing about them is that there is no mistaking that they are real potatoes and they are cooked. I kinda wonder if they boil them and then just pan fry them to heat them up.

Conclusion: We had a nice breakfast experience at this Cora. The staff here was efficient and the food was warm and comforting on this rainy morning. I wouldn't say this particular benny was my favourite so far, not the BEST eggs benedict EVER, but still worth the trip and the wait in line.

http://www.chezcora.com/home

National Eggs Benedict Day - April 16th

So yesterday was April 16th and National Eggs Benedict Day, evidence of which can be found on many different websites. I first heard about this special day when my childhood friend C posted on my Facebook wall. I knew right then that I had to have eggs benedict for dinner.
Now, I have read some comments here and there on the web that say IHOP has the WORST eggs Benedict ever. So to switch things up I thought I would see if this was true.

A and I had a great IHOP experience just last week... No I don't eat eggs benedict for breakfast every day or every time I go out for breakfast in a restaurant. The staff at IHOP in Edmonton are very friendly and make the service experience alone worth the trip to this restaurant. As most of you probably know, IHOP stands for International House of Pancakes... So don't be surprised that there is only one eggs benny option. 

As soon as the plate was set in front of me I knew exactly what the fat sauce was going to taste like. There was a chain restaurant that I used to go to in Toronto a lot (Golden Griddle I believe) that had the same sauce as IHOP, and this is why I never ordered Eggs Benedict at that restaurant. The sauce is very tangy and leaves a weird taste in your mouth. I'm not sure how exactly to describe it... it sticks to your tongue. I'd be interested to know how this "hollandaise" is made, or at least the ingredients. This is one instance where I am happy that they didn't drown my benny in sauce! One of my eggs had a soft yolk and the other one was completely hard. A said both of hers were runny. The ham and English muffin were the standard eggs benny base, no complaints but nothing special either.

Conclusion: Although the benny is definitely not my favourite at IHOP, the chunky hashbrowns are delicious! Perfect saltiness for me and flavourful enough that they don't need ketchup. The service and friendliness of the staff here will keep us coming back, even if the food doesn't. As for the WORST eggs benedict EVER? I guess it is close and is right up there with our Denny's experience and my experiences at Golden Griddle... Although the sauce at Denny's isn't the same so I would try a different Denny's location someday. My recommendation... When going to a pancake house... stick to the pancakes.

Hope you all enjoyed some eggs benny on National Eggs Benedict Day :)
http://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/eggs-benedict-day/
http://www.ihop.com/

Mill Creek Cafe Benny - Round Two - $13

Every weekend when I ask A where she thinks we should go for benny since we first went to Mill Creek Cafe, she says Mill Creek Cafe. This weekend was one that tested friendship as well as testing to see if Mill Creek Cafe was really as good as we initially thought. Not only is it tasty here, but it is also close to where both A and I live. So we went back to Mill Creek because we liked it the first time and good food is helpful in smoothing bumps in any relationship... right?

Last time we came here, we both had the Cajun Shrimp benny, which was delicious. This time I wanted something different as Mill Creek has a couple of different bennys to choose from. I have to reveal a bit of a secret here... I'm a little bit afraid of eggs florentine. I had a florentine benny once at Smitty's and there was just a mass of spinach under the eggs and it was just.. not good. So I stear clear of that, as I did this weekend too, lol. Someday I will test my bravery and hope that it is worth the risk.

I was a little bit worried because when the manager came to take our order he said he wasn't sure that they had any hollandaise sauce left. Luckily, the next time he came back it was with our food...

Smoked salmon benny!

Now, for those of you who like capers, you will like the fact that these ones are big and juicy. I ate one, just to see if my opinion of them changed, and then proceeded to pick them all off. This prompted A to make a comparison between them and olives, so perhaps that is why I don't care for capers as I despise olives with a passion.

As you can see in my pic, there wasn't much fat sauce on my benny this week. I would guess that perhaps I got what little bit was left... lucky me! Because the eggs at Mill Creek are nicely soft poached, the sad amount of fat sauce this week didn't break my heart. The dark rye bread under this benny makes it taste all the better. I'm not sure if it is made onsite, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is as they make their own gluten free bread. The only minor compaint I would have about this benny is that here were a few more red onions on it that I would like in my stomach first thing in the morning. This would be a good brunch option if you've had an early, light breakfast and have some cushioning in your stomach for the onions. Perhaps my stomach is a little bit sensitive to this, I'm not sure. I picked pretty much all of them off in addition to the capers.

Conclusion: Mill Creek Cafe has yet to disappoint. This is the third time I've been here, second time for eggs benny, and all three times have been healthy, delicious, and worth whatever we paid. They use quality ingredients and their homemade bread options are really delicious. I think next time we go I will ask for my benny on a gluten free bread option and see what happens :)

http://millcreekcafe.ca/
http://millcreekcafe.blogspot.ca/

Sugarbowl Benny - $12

Another weekend of waiting in line for breakfast. And another case of it being worth the wait. I think A chose the restaurant this weekend. All I know is that I was super hungry and could hardly stand the wait for my Benny! Sugarbowl (10922 88 Ave) didn't have a "traditional" benny on their menu... And although I was a little disappointed at first that the benny didn't have fat sauce, I was willing to take my chances. I can say that I had no regrets!

The Sugarbowl benny is untraditional in that there is no English muffin... The poached eggs and ham sit atop a slab of cornbread and is slathered with a generous amount of black pepper infused béchamel sauce. OMG. The first bite was heaven on a fork. Perhaps it was because I was famished, or maybe it was because this Benny was not technically what I would call eggs Benedict.... But it was delicious. The cornbread was crumbly but good, there was the perfect amount of meat for me (I am all about the eggs 'n sauce as you know), and most importantly, there was a lot of sauce! Even though the sauce wasn't hollandaise, it was very flavourful and creamy.

I do have to make a few unfortunate comments about Sugarbowl: the service we received was not the best, the waitress seemed a bit grumpy or something... Just not as pleasant as I would've liked for my Easter Sunday benny. The mimosas we ordered weren't very good, but we did receive one free because A told our server that we weren't satisfied by the very obvious difference in taste between hers and mine. The potatoes weren't that special, but the ketchup was delicious! The coffee didn't wow me either and I don't think I even drank one cup. Lastly, when we first entered the restaurant after waiting outside in the sunshine and fresh spring air, I had to comment to A how I thought it smelled like stale body odour inside the building. Maybe it was one very ripe patron, I'm not sure, but it wasn't pleasant. By the time we finished our breakfast we were quite warm ourselves. I think this is because of the south facing windows.

Conclusion: The Sugarbowl Benny was delicious! I would eat there again despite the initial smells and the less than cheerful service. Based on the criteria I am trying to use to find the BEST eggs benedict EVER... Even though this Benny was yummy, it did not have hollandaise, which to me is a key ingredient for the dish. So, as the next best thing and I would have to say that béchamel sauce like that made at Sugarbowl is the perfect substitute for fat sauce and a pleasant change.

http://www.thesugarbowl.org/

Blue Chair Cafe Benny - $13.95

This weekend A wanted to go back to Mill Creek Cafe, but we were going to eat breakfast with my sister and her two little boys, so we needed to go somewhere that had a bit more room. So we returned to the place where the idea for Bringing You the Benny was first born: Blue Chair Cafe (9624 76 Ave). My sister and I arrived with the boys just minutes before 10am on Sunday morning. There were two other vehicles waiting in the parking lot for the cafe to open. We got a table for 6 and A joined us shortly after we arrived. Sis, A, and I got coffee and little K wanted tea, so him and Y shared a pot of peach herbal tea. Since A had the smoked salmon benny last weekend at Cora, I decided that I would have it this weekend at Blue Chair:

The fat sauce here is advertised as chipotle hollandaise in the menu, but I didn't feel any kick to it and recall feeling the same way last time we ate here. Presentation-wise, the flecks of chipotle in the sauce is appealing to the eye and hints at a benny that is different from others. This benny was delicious, however I'm not sure if it was the sauce or the smoked salmon, but there is something very acidic, or vinegar-y, about this one. I like that the bread option under the eggs is a nice fat slice of dark rye bread. As much as I enjoy English muffins as the base for my benny, it's always nice to see creativity in a menu.

Blue Chair doesn't disappoint and I know I would eat breakfast there again. My sister had the most delicious banana bread French toast! I only had one bite, but is was decadent. The boys both enjoyed their beakfast, but neither one ate their poached egg... I assume it just looked weird to them as they are accustomed to hard boiled or fried eggs I think. A wasn't too excited about her breakfast of huevos rancheros, but I think that is mainly because she forgot to ask for no onions.

Conclusion: The food and atmosphere of The Blue Chair Cafe are the main reasons that I enjoy breakfast there. The service is always really good and they have live music which is nice and it wasn't too loud first thing in the morning. They are family friendly without being a "typical" family restaurant. Have I found the BEST eggs benedict EVER? As much as I enjoyed the smoked salmon benny here, there was something missing and I hope to find it eventually... but not too soon cuz I am enjoying my benny weekends too much to stop now!


http://bluechair.ca/

Cora Restaurant Ben et Dictine - $12.55 +tax

My sister is in town visiting for the next couple of weeks. On the weekend, I had to drive her to the Holiday Inn Express down at the south end of the city for a life coaching course that she enrolled in to be certified and for her own personal growth. On my way to drop her off on Sunday morning, I decided that A and I were going to eat our bennys at Cora (2920 Calgary Trail N.W.) this week. Am I ever glad we did!
Despite the line extending out the door, which is inevitable on a Sunday, we were still excited for breakfast and willing to wait in line for it. Once we were seated and coffee ordered we then had to make decisions. Cora's offers 4 different Ben et Dictines, all of which sounded delicious. A decision had to be made and I was torn between two choices. A ordered the smoked salmon Ben et Dictine, so my choice was made: I ordered the Brie and Mushroom Ben et Dictine. It was worth the wait!
(I made sure to take pictures of both of our bennys this time!)

My benny:

A's benny:

I think one of the best things about Cora's is that they use fresh ingredients. No canned mushrooms here! The combination of the brie, mushrooms and fat sauce was a delicious mixture in my mouth. Eggs benedict is a rich dish on a normal day; the added creaminess of the brie and the juicy mushrooms made my morning. The sauce alone was really good, and I assume it was made from scratch as this is the Cora way for all of their food (except the cold cereals, lol). A was nice enough to give me a bite of her breakfast too (which I was hoping would be the case when we ordered) and it was delicious. Smoked salmon benny tends to be a bit saltier than other bennys, but I didn't find Cora's smoked salmon benny too salty in the one bite I had.

Conclusion: I think presentation/first impression of your breakfast helps make it taste that much better and Cora's has the monopoly on breakfast presentation. My mouth was watering before I even had a bite of my benny. While I'm not going to stop my search for the BEST benny EVER here at Cora's, I think I would definitely come back and try one of the other varieties. After all, anyone who has ever eaten at Cora's knows that once you've eaten here you will, more often than not, brave the line at the door to enjoy the food here again and again.

http://www.chezcora.com/home

ABC Country Restaurant - $11

This week, A and I went to the ABC Country Restaurant on Gateway (4485 Gateway Blvd) which is in the Holiday Inn. I would have to say that this restaurant had the best customer service so far out of the places we've tried. That was the best thing about our experience this week, and the reason why it has taken me so long to write this entry. The food was not near as good as the service. Within the first 15 minutes of sitting down, we had been attended to by at least 3 different staff members. To some people I suppose this could be annoying, but we found it refreshing that the people serving us were happy to be there and took pride in providing us with the best experience. I'm really sad that the food didn't enhance our experience. I ordered the Farmer Benny and A ordered the Cheddar Bacon Benny. I wish I had taken pictures of both of the bennys...

I found it kinda difficult to take a good picture of this one. The table we were sitting at was away from the windows so I had to use the flash, which lit up the blue underneath. Without the flash it was all orange and weird, lol.

So, as you can see, my benny had farmer sausage which was butterflied and placed on the muffin under the eggs and hollandaise. The hollandaise was kinda bland, nothing special, and pretty much what I am starting to expect at chain family restaurants. It wasn't tangy, or buttery, but it was creamy and yellow... I enjoyed the break from the norm by having the sausage vs. some sort of ham, but I had sausage burps well into the late afternoon. This would have been great had it been the best meal I have had.

I think A's eggs benny was much more interesting.. but only because of how they made it. So hers had slices of cheddar melted on it, I believe on top of the bacon and under the eggs. It looked really good, but as she tried to cut it, her face changed and she couldn't figure out why it was so tough. She lifted the whole thing up and we tried to figure out what they had done. At first it looked like they had served it on some sort of flat bread. We then discovered that the slices of cheddar had melted and cooked onto the griddle and created crispy cheese "wings" for her benny. The cook had then folded these "wings" under the muffins! Had I been the cook and this had happened, I would have cut that cheese off... as it was obviously inedible. This lack of care for presentation and pride in the food tainted my whole ABC Country experience. Luckily, the excellent customer service made up for it.

Conclusion: If the food was as good as the service at this ABC Country, I think I would continue to return there for future meals. For the price of this benny, I would definitely pass on it if I returned to this restaurant. Unless they obtain kitchen staff who care as much as the waitstaff about the customers, I highly doubt ABC Country will ever have the BEST eggs benedict EVER.

Albert's Family Restaurant Benny - $9.99

I wanted to go somewhere this week that wouldn't require a lot of planning, or waiting, or money. We went for our weekly breakfast on Saturday morning instead of Sunday. A had had a rough night, we had gone out for karaoke and some drinks on Friday night, but she was chipper and ready to eat! Albert's is easy to find and has many locations in the city. We went to the location on 99th street (5107 - 99 Street) and got there around 11am I think.
As soon as we walked in I saw that the chalkboard special was Eggs Benedict!We had to wait a few minutes for a booth to open up as the restaurant was full when we got there. We had brought A's friend L with us because she was down visiting from Ft. Mac, so we needed room for three. Browsing through the menu I didn't see Eggs Benedict on it. A and I got coffee and I asked the waitress if Eggs Benedict is a regular menu item to which she informed us that it is only available on weekends and holidays. Hooray for Saturday!
I ordered the Eggs Benedict, soft poached, (obviously). A got bacon, eggs, hasbrowns, and toast and L ordered French toast and bacon. I was happy with the presentation of the benny when it came:

I kinda wished I had gotten the fruit cup after I saw another diner at another table had chosen that, however I thought the potatoes were good.

Now the moment of truth: the first bite.

While the fat sauce didn't have a whole lot of flavour, I thought the texture was nice and there was a good amount of it (although I did reach for the ketchup for my potatoes after the benny was gone). I think the meat on this benny was kinda chewy and it didn't impress me. Luckily I don't usually eat benny for the meat (unless it's salmon or something different than the regular bacon or ham, I wouldn't usually comment much on it). This meat was no different. The eggs were cooked almost as soft as I like... the yolks were runny and that's all that really matters. Both A and L had a bite of my benny. L said she didn't care for it and she had never tasted a benny before. A thought last week's benny was better and that the fat sauce didn't have much flavour.

Conclusion: While this Benny didn't wow me, I think it was still quite delicious and worth the $10 I paid, however I'm not sure the coffee was worth $2.50. I don't think I've found the BEST benny EVER just yet...



If you fill out the comment card on their website, you will receive a "bounce back" coupon.
http://www.albertsfamilyrestaurants.com/

Mill Creek Cafe Benny - $13

Last week I did a bit of research regarding restaurants that serve Eggs Benedict. I used the Urbanspoon app to look at breakfast menus and bookmarked a bunch of restaurants here in Edmonton that serve a benny. While doing this research I saw the menu for Mill Creek Cafe (9562 82 Ave) and their selection of unique bennys intrigued me. I knew right away which benny I was going to have for breakfast on Sunday.

Immediately upon entering the cafe, I knew it was a popular place despite what I felt at the moment were slightly inflated breakfast prices. A and I had to sit by the window at the counter, rather than having a table for ourselves, but it was fine because we got to look out the window and criticize how people were parking on the side street. We sat for a couple of minutes before the guy who handed us menus when we walked in came over and asked us what we were going to have to drink. He offered us lattes or cappuccinos, but we both just wanted coffee. They have a handy coffee and tea bar which is help yourself. It has various coffee blends, loose tea, and bagged tea. We also gave him our order, since we both knew what we wanted. Then A whipped up a couple of delicious cups of coffee for the two of us. When our food came, I knew we had chosen the right thing to order...

The Cajun Shrimp Benny! Mill Creek Cafe only serves their Eggs Benedict dishes on the weekend. Every table I saw ordered one of the 4 bennys that they offer here. All of them come with potatoes and a fruit cup. I'm pretty sure the reason they only make it on the weekend is because they make their hollandaise sauce fresh. I can definitely tell the difference between their homemade sauce and the sauce at Denny's (and most other places I've had EB). It was slightly tangy, but creamy enough to impress me. I prefer my hollandaise creamier on eggs and a bit tangier (lemony) on vegetables like asparagus. At first glance, I wasn't sure there would be enough fat sauce to satisfy, however upon discovery that my eggs were poached to perfection and the yolks flooded over the English muffin onto the plate, I knew there would be no problem.

 

I have to say, the first bite is always the best, and the Mill Street Cafe Cajun Shrimp Benny was no exception! Each muffin was toasted nicely and had three large shrimp under the egg and sauce. It wasn't until I was almost finished that I realized that there was some sort of hot sauce on the muffin under the shrimp. It added a nice tanginess that I had thought was the fat sauce without adding heat that would overwhelm the overall flavour of the dish.

 

Conclusion: I think this benny was worth the $13. I wasn't overly impressed with the service here and I commented to A that I hoped the front counter staff split the tips with the kitchen, as I tipped $5 based entirely on the fact that the Cajun Shrimp Benny was delicious. Is it the best EVER? Perhaps we will have to revisit that question in the future :)

 

http://millcreekcafe.ca/

 

Route 99 Diner Benny $7.79

Sunday afternoon was the perfect time to eat my Eggs Benedict this weekend, and I hadn't been out partying the night before so that was a bonus. I decided that Route 99 Diner at 8820 99th street here in Edmonton would be a good spot to go as it was close and I drive past it fairly regularly.

The restaurant was busy, but we were greeted and seated immediately. I had never been to Route 99 before this visit and was impressed with the service. My worst fear was that Eggs Benedict wouldn't be on the menu.. it was. While Route 99 is a somewhat small diner, it is perfect in that it feels like an olde time 50s diner with the walls coated in memorabilia.. perhaps a bit much, but it kept the eyes busy. The table next to us had gotten there just minutes before us and we all ordered in succession. The young lady next to me ordered the same as I did: Eggs Benny, soft poached.

It didn't take long at all for our meals to be brought out. The shocking yellow of the hollandaise sauce is not represented very well in the picture I took. It was almost glowing! Although I'm not new to eggs benny, I'm still trying to determine the factors that separate homemade hollandaise from packaged. I told A that I thought the colour could justify it as real... You've seen how orange some yolks can be, right? Combine that with butter and maybe it's possible to be such a bright yellow?

 

Despite the colour of the sauce, my mouth was watering. As A commented that my eggs were jiggling, I smiled because that is a very good sign that they are soft poached well. So I wasn't surprised that when I cut into the first egg, my plate began to flood with yolk, hooray! The sauce itself was a bit thinner than I prefer and the flavour wasn't as salty and creamy as I normally like, but the soft poached eggs were all I could think about. The English muffin wasn't toasted very much and there wasn't a lot of meat, so if you like a lot of meat on your Benny, you may be a little disappointed. 

I could have used a bit more fat sauce. Once the eggs were gone, I didn't have enough sauce and yolk to eat with my shredded hashbrowns (which I like a bit crispier, but that's personal preference). I ended up putting a bit of ketchup on them... Something I rarely do as I am not a huge fan of ketchup. I asked A if I should ask the girl beside me how hers was, she hadn't finished the whole thing (as I did!) and what I could see that was left peeking out from under her discarded napkin didn't look soft poached at all. Maybe I misheard her as I eavesdropped when she ordered. Or maybe the cook isn't very consistent, I'm not sure. I guess I'll have to eat there again to answer that question... Or you could let me know if your Eggs Benny at Route 99 Diner was poached the way you like it.

 

Conclusion: While I thoroughly enjoyed the Eggs Benny at Route 99 Diner, and A even commented how quiet I was while I was eating it, I don't think I have found the BEST Eggs Benedict EVER... Although I'm sure that won't stop me from eating it in this particular restaurant again.