Elephant & Castle Review - West Village - New York - The Infatuation
"If there was ever a restaurant to visit just for just one menu item, this is it. Elephant & Castle is a well-known West Village chronic brunch establishment, with a unique menu and possibly the single greatest brunch invention of all time: Eggs’n Apples Benedict on French Toast With Maple Syrup. That’s right. French toast topped with fresh apple slices, two poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Add bacon if you so choose...and you f*cking better. There might not be a better meeting of sweet and savory on a breakfast plate in the history of mankind. There also might be no greater threat to our existence. You should eat that thing about as often as you get X-Rays. Other than the one legendary dish and a few other gluttonously delicious menu items, Elephant & Castle is pretty straightforward - it’s a beloved neighborhood cafe and bar with some character. Brunch is obviously the most popular meal and can be very crowded, but lunch and dinner are both respectable, and it’s a good option for a quick burger and a beer. E&C is definitely worth a weekend trip and even a modest wait, as long as you are capable of exercising some minimal amount of patience. A few drinks should help. Food Rundown Eggs’n Apples Benedict on French Toast with Maple Syrup See above. Puréed Spinach with Poached Eggs, Melted Cheese & Potato Pancakes A strange looking plate of poached eggs in a bed of pureed spinach, but when you pop the yolk and get in there, it’s actually pretty great. Tasmanian “at Anchor” Eggs with Cremini Mushrooms and Madiera Cream Sauce If you are serious about eggs benedict, it should be clear to you that E&C is as well. This is an inventive take, with mushrooms, a brown cream sauce and no biscuit...or French toast. Interesting and pretty damn delicious. Omelettes E&C’s omelettes are a good option, especially if you are looking to eat something that you aren’t laying eyes on for the first time ever. Elephant Burger The burgers here are all pretty standard, except of course for the Elephant Burger, which has curried sour cream, bacon and scallions. It’s another weird one and another winner. Points for creativity." - Chris Stang
