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.
Anyone can cook bacon, eggs and toast – even Jim – that is why we are constantly scouting the area for a restaurant that serves “egg-citing” breakfast creations. It is for this reason that one Sunday morning we decided to visit Benedict’s Eggs and More in East Dundee.
It’s in an area you wouldn’t expect a restaurant to be, down a narrow one-way street across from an industrial building. The restaurant is housed in a historic home dating back to 1892. Oh, I forgot to mention one minor detail – the huge tree growing through the center of the house. How it got there, who knows.
When Jim pulled into the parking lot – his second attempt after passing it up the first time – we were a bit apprehensive. Why, you ask? Quite frankly the outside could use a little paint and TLC. When we went inside, however, it was a different story. The interior was clean and well maintained, but we think it needed a little pizzazz, like the tree wasn’t enough….
Now on to the matter at hand: food! As if Jim hasn’t had enough German food lately, he decided on Benedict’s Ala Munich, which was grilled Sheboygan bratwurst, caramelized onions, two poached eggs, and a mustard hollandaise sauce on two potato pancakes served with a fruit cup ($8.99). He’s looking more and more like Sgt. Schultz every day.
Mrs. Schultz, I mean Nancy, opted for a combination plate of potato pancakes and eggs ($7.95). With this, you receive a smaller portion of the potato pancakes (3) with two eggs and two strips of bacon. She was looking forward to this since there are few restaurants that know how to prepare potato pancakes correctly.
Jim and I don’t go out for breakfast/brunch that often, since most restaurants are boring, serving the same-old, same-old diner food. If you want a change of pace, this is the place. Their seven page menu offers breakfast and lunch entrees.
As a side note, there is a waitress who keeps popping up in our lives, from time to time, at just about every breakfast place we’ve frequented. She has no idea that we are The Dining Duo. Ask for her by name: Scarol (not a typo), if you want good service and a smile.
Our total bill for being a “traitor” to traditional breakfast was $23.63 including coffee and tea.
FYI: Open daily from 7 a.m. To 2 p.m. It should be noted that there are stairs, and it is not handicapped friendly. If there was a handicapped entrance, we did not see it. Benedict’s La Strata in Crystal Lake is their sister restaurant serving basically the same menu.
He said/she said:
Jim’s take: At first I was really disappointed when I noticed fresh beignets (Louisiana doughnuts) on the menu only served Monday through Friday. I thought Sunday was the big breakfast-brunch day. However, my meal made me very happy. It was an incredibly good combination with a very mild tasty hollandaise sauce. I mean bratwurst for breakfast, what’s not to like?
Nancy’s take: If you think Jim was disappointed, I was even more so after having beignets at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans! The potato pancakes were different. They looked and tasted more like a cross between hash browns and potato pancakes, but they were good, and I would have them again. I’m still looking for the “potato pancake Holy Grail.” I would have preferred the thick sliced bacon instead of what was served.
Benedict’s Eggs & More
8 South River St.
East Dundee, IL 60018
847-836-2222
www.benedictseggs.com
Directions: Route 47 to Freeman east to Galligan south, continue on Tyrell east on Route. 72. Right on River St.
Estimated Travel Time: 20 minutes
