Egg

Nothing is more satisfying when a good, no, praiseworthy dish shows up on your table after an hour long wait. This happens to be one of the rare occasions when I order only one dish; and while all the dishes I passed looked scrumptious, only one looked me in the eyes:

Country Ham Biscuit . . . $8
Country ham from Col. Bill Newsom's Hams in Princeton, Kentucky served on a biscuit with homemade fig jam, Grafton cheddar, and a side of grits.


I've never been a fan of ham texture, but this aged ham is stringy and salty, much like beef jerky. The beautiful, flaky homemade biscuit is flanked with homemade fig jam and Grafton cheddar. The not-so-sweet jam and biscuit cut the saltiness of the ham, but it is the ham that brims with flavor. Pair this with the thick, creamy grits and the plate is a home-run! Side note: You can order products from http://www.newsomscountryham.com/

Egg 135 North 5th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn CASH ONLY http://www.pigandegg.com/menus/breakfast/

David's Brisket

Getting off the E train in Crown Heights can be quite a culture shock, but it is also home to David's Brisket. This absolutely 'no frills' joint has four two-tops and could use a major cleaning, but the food compensates dining space and cleanliness.

Though breakfast is not the specialty here, it is worth the extra calories just to try. If you are seeking pancakes comparable to that of Pink Tea Cup (sigh), try these. The doughy pieces of fluff have enough sweetness in the mixture that you won't even need to use syrup. A family of four could feast on one plate of eggs, pancakes and turkey bacon and breakfast sandwich. It was easily one of the best breakfast rolls I've ever had! $2.95 buys you a three inch thick egg, cheese and turkey ham on a roll.

The guys brought us a complimentary plate of the brisket, corned beef and pastrami thinking the breakfast was our meal, yet they had no idea what we had in mind. We then proceeded to order brisket, corned beef, pastrami and corned beef/pastrami combo sandwiches on rye. Unfortunately, the namesake brisket, was super dry even when topped with gravy.

But, the corned beef/pastrami combo was the clear winner! The partly-dried pastrami and small amount of gelatin in the corned beef was a sinister combination! Wash it down Dr. Browns Cel-Ray and Root Beer and you got yourself a meal.

Take a pass on the side dishes of coleslaw and particularly, the potato salad. Both were chock-full of mayo AND relish. Last I checked, relish was not an ingredient included in potato salad.

All this food for $56 with enough to take home (I actually used the CB & pastrami for omelettes). Now isn't that worth the $2.25 subway ride?

David's Brisket House 533 Nostrand Avenue
http://davidsbriskethouse.com/

There's a bizarre, yet interesting art project to check out as you walk to the subway: http://brooklyntheborough.com/?p=3898

B&H Dairy Lunch

B&H is one of the last remaining Jewish kosher dairies* in New York. The dairies, located mostly on the east side downtown, catered to the needs of the Jewish immigrants and was a complement to Katz's.

This tiny 'luncheon' spot is a throwback to early 1900's New York with their fountain chairs, porcelain hanging lights and mismatched china.

The jumbo potato pancakes taste even better than the ones mom makes! The simple, traditional pancake was shallow-fried and served with sour cream and applesauce.

Recently, I've been in the mood for the sweet portion of breakfast menus. B&H makes their own challah onsite and although it accompanies most everything on the menu, I decide to go with the challah french toast. The french toast is served on a plate with thick slices and although it was good, I need something salty to offset the sweetness.


The lox and onion omelette served with homemade potatoes was outstanding. B&H scratched out all the reasons (taste eggy, too big, not enough filling) I usually shy away from omelettes. This was long and thin and, of course, filled the entire plate. It is made with belly lox, so if you are needing a salt fix, this is what to order.


Other dishes that looked delicious: matzo ball soup, the daily special of mac & cheese, blintzes and grilled cheese on challah.

The narrow space and small tables are not exactly suitable for the portions, but you somehow make it work. I can see why B&H has a loyal following with customers sometimes returning daily; but try and make it before 1pm, otherwise, you'll be on a waitlist. How I never discovered this place while living across the street will be a mystery, but I'll be back at least a few times a month to make it up.

* kosher dairy - no meat is served

B&H Dairy 127 2nd Avenue b/t 7th & 8th Streets
http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/b-h-vegetarian-restaurant/menu