One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Finding LA's Best Eggs Benedict: The Low-End Edition
So, I've becomed obsessed with Eggs Benedict. Yes, it may be a heart attack on a plate. Or what one friend called a 'glorified Egg McMuffin' but there's something about the concept of a poached egg atop Canadian bacon and a toasted English muffin with Hollandaise sauce smothering the whole concoction that gets this foodie excited. The tricky part was finding the best Eggs Benedict in LA.
Unlike omelettes, Eggs Benedict does not seem to be a standard breakfast item. Like mimosas, it seems to be a staple of the Sunday morning brunch. Since most of my dining adventures occur on Fridays or Saturdays I looked for a restaurant that serves Eggs Benedict more than just one day out of the week (ruling out Clementine).
I decided to go low-end and sample the Eggs Benedict at two greasy spoons/diners: the newly re-opened Du-Par's at The Farmer's Market, and House of Pies. While Du-Pars is better known for its pancakes, it offers several versions of Eggs Benedict including Florentine (with fresh spinach instead of the Canadian bacon), crabcakes (they replace the muffins), and Avocado and Turkey (am I the only one disgusted by the thought of fresh turkey and eggs?).
Photo by Leilani A. Wertens for LAist
For my first ever Eggs Benedict I went for the Traditional, which came with a side of potatoes. I also decided to order a side of bacon, which was rather overpriced, seeing as it usually comes for free with most dishes at diners (though perhaps I'm too used to places like Denny's or IHOP).
Du-Par's came through with light and buttery English muffins, crispy yet chewy Canadian bacon, perfectly poached eggs and a light and creamy Hollandaise sauce. Though Du-Par's seems rather overpriced for diner food, I wouldn't mind coming back if dining again at The Grove.
Sponsored message
After a positive experience at Du-Par's I decided to have Eggs Benedict again, this time at Los Feliz's House of Pies. My Eggs Benedict experience there reminded me why I only go there for dessert. They replaced Canadian bacon with thick slabs of ham that upset the delicate balance of the dish. All I could taste was salty ham. The muffins were also extremely soggy and the eggs rather chewy. All in all, a major disappointment.
Next time I'm going to a pricier cafe... perhaps the Pacific Dining Car. Has anyone tried their version? Also, is Eggs Benedict nirvana really worth $15?
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
