Eat This Now: NYC’s Most Photogenic Eggs
Read original story on Zagat.com
Chefs around NYC are taking the humble egg to the next level in the form of creative preparations, unique flavor combinations or simply adding an egg to a dish as a cherry on top. See below for a round-up of beautiful (and more importantly, delicious) dishes you’ll want to snap up (and Instagram) ASAP.
Omurice at Bar Moga
A fluffy omelet cooked oh-so-gently is presented atop a bed of chicken stock–flavored rice and sliced open tableside to reveal a soft-scrambled center, then finished with a drizzle of demi-glace "ketchup." The theatrical presentation has made this dish a customer favorite among the other inventive bar snacks on the menu inspired by yōshoku, the Western-influenced cooking style that became popular in Japan in the 1920s.
128 W. Houston St; 929-399-585
The Double Brown at Hudson Jane
Chef Megan Johnson’s signature sandwich at her new all-day cafe in Fort Greene is an updated take on a BLT. It’s made with Berkshire pork bacon, a sunny-side-up egg, tomato, lettuce and Aleppo aïoli, all sandwiched between two hash brown patties and served with a bag of Zapp’s kettle chips.
360 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn; 347-987-3881
Slow-cooked guinea fowl at Le Coq Rico
The self-proclaimed “Bistro of Beautiful Birds” known for its sophisticated mains highlighting responsibly raised poultry offers some egg-focused plates in an appropriately titled “eggz” section, including a slow-cooked guinea fowl egg with green pea and mint hummus in a lemon and cream emulsion. The yolk from the egg mingles beautifully with the other elements when it’s all combined, making for a delicate, delicious start to the meal.
30 East 20th Street; 212-267-7426
The Fisherman at Chef’s Club Counter
Though we are sadly no longer able to grab an Eggslut sandwich without making a trip to the West Coast, egg mastermind Alvin Cailan is giving diners a sneak peek at his latest concept, Paper Planes, with a limited menu of “everything chefs want to eat.” Of the breakfast plates with names like “The Chef” and “The Farmer,” our favorite is “The Fisherman,” a slice of seven-grain toast topped with smoked salmon spread, a sunny-side-up egg, red onion relish, pickled mustard seeds and chives.
62 Spring Street; 646-438-9172
Shakshuka at Dizengoff
Chef Michael Solomonov brings his rendition of the North African egg dish to NYC’s Chelsea Market, the sequel location of a Philly-based Israeli hummus specialist. Served in individual cast-iron pans, the eggs are baked in a spicy tomato and pepper stew and served with freshly baked pita.
75 9th Avenue; 646-833-7097
Lobster scramble (ostrich style) at Tavern62 by David Burke
Seeking to create something luxurious with a whimsical presentation, chef David Burke’s elevated scramble begins with a layer of eggs combined with lobster bisque, herbs, tomatoes and shallots. The eggs are plated to fill the bottom of an ostrich eggshell, then topped with lobster meat, caviar and a dollop of crème fraîche.
135 E. 62nd Street; 212-988-9021
The monkey bread BEC at Quality Eats
On the brunch menu at this West Village Quality Meats spin-off is a decked-out bacon, egg and cheese sandwiched between two sticky-sweet pieces of monkey bread. It’s filled with thick cut Nueske's bacon (from Wisconsin), American cheese, avocado and jalapeño, plus a smear of the steakhouse’s signature bodega sauce and garlic aïoli.
19 Greenwich Avenue; 212-337-9988
Toast at De Maria
Known for presenting vibrantly beautiful and healthy salads, grain bowls and more, this simple all-day offering is no exception. Far from your average avocado toast, De Maria’s version is topped with lavender-cured salmon and a honey egg. To make the honeyed egg, chef Camille Becerra pickles a six-minute egg in a brine with plenty of honey to infuse the flavor.
19 Kenmare Street; 212-966-3058
Soy keema at Indian Accent
Chef Manish Mehrotra’s meatless version of keema, a traditional Indian dish typically made with minced mutton curry, is made with a soy base. It’s topped with a quail egg and served with lime leaf butter pao. Order it à la carte or as part of a tasting menu at this contemporary spot.
123 West 56th Street; 212-842-8070
Savory egg soufflé at Cote Korean Steakhouse
From restaurateur Simon Kim’s modern chophouse, this dish is presented as part of the prix fixe Butcher’s Feast, which features dry-aged cuts of meat, sides and a seasonal soft serve at the end. Eggs are whisked together with dashi, salted shrimp and other seasonings and served immediately after cooking (like a regular soufflé, it will deflate over time) with a sprinkling of scallions over top.
16 West 22nd Street; 212-401-7986
Egg on egg on egg at SakaMai
This egg-ceptional dish goes beyond the classic chicken egg at this upscale LES izakaya, playing with different textures and flavors of other “eggs.” Served in a sea urchin shell, soft, custardy scrambled eggs are topped with sturgeon caviar and uni for a simple, yet sophisticated, dish.
157 Ludlow Street; 646-590-0684
Carbonara suppli at Trapizzino
A popular Roman street snack dished up by an imported fast-casual, these arancini-like fried risotto balls come in a variety of flavors, each inspired by classic pasta dishes. The carbonara (pictured above) is filled with guanciale, pecorino Romano, black pepper and an egg yolk.
144 Orchard Street; 212-475-2555
