A king’s breakfast

Although the precise origin of eggs Benedict is disputed, there’s no refuting the fact that it’s the king of breakfast dishes. And when done to perfection, it’s second to none. There’s a fine line between a perfect eggs Benedict and a disappointing one. The poached eggs: fluffy whites and a runny yolk. The hollandaise sauce: syrupy and light with a hint of mustard. The spinach: not overpowering but flavoursome enough to complement the sauce. The meat: substantial in flavour and texture. The muffin: spongy, but a firm bed to domicile the main characters of the dish. Not much to ask? Well, let’s find out!

1. Circle
The great thing about Circle’s eggs Benedict is the bagel: you can choose your flavour (sesame, whole wheat, onion or plain) to complement your dish. I found the onion bagel produced a symphonic encomium with the turkey breast, the treacly yolks and a hollandaise sauce that was perfectly done: light with a slight hint of mustard without total Sinapis domination. The baby spinach, resting under the yolk and atop the turkey was tasty without being intrusive and its dark green hue added an extra colourful component to the eye. Amid this glistening circle of culinary wonders resides the perfectly poached, seasoned and sauced eggs benedict. All in all, Circle’s is an eggs benedict feast.
Price: Dh40
Score: 5/5

2. Crumbs Elysee
How would you like your eggs poached, sir? Not a question I was asked by anyone until I reached this Parisian outpost. The extra attention given to the individual customer augured well for the Benedict. Smothered in a rich yellow hollandaise, resting on seared turkey ham and a bouncy muffin, the poached egg here is as good as it gets. The accompanying shredded and fried potatoes are a nice touch. The only detriment is the missing greenery, which would render it an eggs Florentine. But this is just a quibble. Elysée’s eggs Benedict is a moreish, wholesome and satisfying dish. And, as the cheapest of the lot, it’s definitely the best value for money out there.
Price: Dh30
Score: 4.5/5

3. The Palace Cafe
This was an opulent eggs Benedict. Enthroned on a golden muffin, the two poached protagonists were supported by crispy veal bacon, sautéed mushrooms, steamed asparagus and, bizarrely, a stuffed tomato. A liberal dousing in a well-whipped, mustardy hollandaise, sprinkled with cayenne pepper,  gives a real vibrancy to the eye. The eggs were well poached, but not exactly the spectacular result you expect a restaurant with an epithet evoking royalty to conjure. But nit-pickings aside, this was a fantastic eggs Benedict, which combined the spice of the cayenne, the crunch of the asparagus and the velvety texture of the yolks and the hollandaise.
Price: Dh45
Score: 4/5

4. More Cafe
Apparently I had absolutely no option between ham and salmon on my eggs at More Café (it was assumed that I’d prefer salmon — and we all know the outcome of assumptions). The dish itself was rather disappointing, which is unfortunate for a charming eatery with a calming ambience. The dish placed before me looked like a standard eggs Benedict, but it wasn’t. The white of the egg was slightly gooey and the sour cream resting atop the salmon didn’t do justice to the simplicity of the dish. Lastly, the hollandaise sauce (I’m not sure you can call it a sauce) resembled a processed cheese slice. But the runny yolk saved the breakfast somewhat: it was the perfect fodder to be mopped up with the muffin.
Price: Dh39
Score: 3/5

5. Shakespeare & Co
I’ve never thought of accompanying  eggs Benedict with roast potatoes; but that’s what Shakespeare & Co. do. This unusual addition added a new dimension to the breakfast. It worked well with the turkey ham, and a smattering of the runny yolk across the potatoes was delicious. But sadly, the poach wasn’t quite right and the hollandaise sauce was yoghurt-like in texture and contained no mustard.
Price: Dh36
Score 3/5

6. Marina Yacht Club
Make no mistake, when you order eggs Benedict from the Marina Yacht Club, what you get is an English fry-up minus beans and mushrooms. This, in my view, renders the breakfast dish something of a misnomer. There’s no spinach and the hollandaise was already separating and slightly cheesy to the taste puds. The eggs sit on a toasted slate of brioche, which offers something different. Price: Dh55
Score: 2.5/5