Waiting in line for a seat at a cramped café on Saturday and Sunday mornings in NYC is kind of a big deal. Here, we don't refer to it as "jumping on the bandwagon" or "freezing my ass off outside for 2 hours" or "doing it for the Instagram." We simply call it "brunch."
There are a ton of spots where a two hour wait for breakfast food that you could make in 15 minutes in the comfort of your apartment is completely socially acceptable. In fact, who are you if you aren't eating avocado toast from Jack's Wife Freda or an acai bowl from Two Hands?
Is it absurd? Absolutely.
Did I wait in line in the freezing cold for over an hour to be seated at Egg Shop one Saturday morning? Most definitely.
Do I have an entire list of places with similar wait times that I intend to try one day? You betchya.
Egg Shop
Egg Shop first showed up on the NoLita brunch scene in 2014 with an egg-centric menu in a small space on Elizabeth Street. We waited outside for over an hour, and when a table opened up, some fancy bloggers cut us in line and got to be seated ahead of us. It hurt a little, but the free coffee we received as a "sorry, you're joe schmoe," helped mollify me.
When we finally sat down, ravenous, anything on the menu would have done. However, we had dutifully studied each entrée and had our orders ready to go.
Buttermilk Biscuit with Honey Butter & Seasonal Jam
Well butter my biscuit. While I've never had a biscuit in a true Southern city, these seemed to me to be the real deal. Moist on the inside, crispy on the outside - served warm with soft butter and sweet sweet jam. We all knew we had made the right call in ordering 2 for the table. Look at all those nooks and crannies perfect for smothering in BUTTER.
Spandex
That's right, I went real basic with my order here. Bowls are all the rage - since we somehow delude ourselves into thinking they're healthier no matter what - and I am totally on board with the trend.
This "cruiser" (what Egg Shop calls their various bowls) came with poached egg, miso quinoa, avocado, pickled carrot, greens and tamari dressing.
It was light and refreshing yet satisfying - though it wasn't anything that was necessarily worth an hour wait in the cold.
Bottom line, I can cross it off my list. The biscuits were great, the space is cute though crammed and most importantly the prices are fair for a spot that serves up such a staple food. If you're anything like me - eggs aren't as simple to master as you might eggspect. Poaching, frying, flipping, scrambling - I haven't got it all down quite yet but the folks at Egg Shop do.
Maybe I can't cook the perfect eggs - but I can get the perfect brunch Instagram!
