‘Egg’-ers Harbor

Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.

The Dining Duo has been “sailing” to different “Egg” Harbors in the area for many years. We started going to the Barrington location back in 1992 when we lived in Hoffman Estates. When we moved to Huntley in 2009, we frequented their location in Geneva. We must admit we did take a hiatus from the restaurant after they drastically changed their menu. They started focusing on healthy items that featured kale and quinoa along with trendy items such as avocado toast and Shakshuka (whatever that is). Because of this, they eliminated a lot of our favorite entrées.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You need to start your day with healthy doses of pig fat (bacon, sausage, or ham) held together with sodium nitrates. Along with this, you need the cholesterol of eggs fried in butter, and toasted white bread slathered in butter, crust to crust is a must. Finally, your system must be jump started by your favorite stimulant, caffeine.

Even as a young child I never had a bowl of quinoa for breakfast. We powered up with the golden goodness of “Sugar Pops” or Tony’s “Sugar Frosted Flakes”, they’re grrrrreat!!! Hope springs eternal and we decided to give Egg Harbor one more try in their newest location in Schaumburg.

Walking in, directly in front of you is a small coffee bar. The restaurant seating is to your left or right. Egg Harbor did not subscribe to the current gray and stark white décor prevalent in most new breakfast eateries. Instead, still scattered about are the chicken and egg tchotchke that Egg Harbor is known for.

Jim was in a hot and spicy mood today, so he ordered the Habanero Hash and Eggs ($12.50). This was habanero hash prepared in house with chorizo, peppers, onions, then topped with jack and cheddar cheeses, all served with two cage free eggs. Are eggs really kept in cages? Will they run away? We never understood what “cage free eggs” meant. We still don’t get it. His entrée came with a buttered English muffin and a house-made jam. He said the entrée was unique, very tasty, and hit about a four on his “sweat head” meter. And to his surprise, the eggs didn’t run off his “cage free” plate.

If you’ve been following this column, you know that a menu is, at best, just a suggestion to Nancy. Today, she didn’t even want breakfast, instead she tried to order an entrée that was on the menu years ago, and to her surprise, our waitress remembered it. Nancy wanted the long-lost Lincolnshire Duet ($12.50), which is one scoop each of tuna and chicken salad served on top of mixed greens with cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, avocado, and tomatoes. Of course, she had to trade-out the tomato and avocado for an extra hard-boiled egg and red onion. This is served with poppy seed dressing and comes with an English muffin. Of course, Nancy didn’t want their homemade jam, instead she asked for the pre-packaged orange marmalade. Her entrée arrived exactly as she requested. This was exceptionally tasty, but Nancy’s picture is now hanging up in the kitchen, and the cooks are throwing darts at it.

We think the management made a wise choice in returning more main stream items to their menu at reasonable prices. We will be back!!!

FYI: This restaurant is handicap accessible.

The price for docking back at Egg Harbor was $34.72. Getting Nancy’s order right, priceless…

Jim’s take: This is a new twist on corned beef hash and a spicy one at that.

Nancy’s take: I love when I can order something that’s not on the menu and they get it right!!!

Have comments or restaurant suggestions for the Dining Duo? Send them an email at: thediningduo@gmail.com

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