Egg
Address:
135 N. 5th St. (near Bedford)
City:
Brooklyn, NY
Zip:
11211
Phone:
(718) 302-5151
Map:
Map
Cuisine:
Southern
2nd Cuisine:
Coffee Shops
Area:
Williamsburg
Payment:
Cash only
Review:
Once you're seated at Egg, the toughest aspects of your meal there are
behind you. But first you've got to find the place. It's not exactly
hidden--actually it's just steps from Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg's main
drag--but there's no sign to mark it, as at noon the space converts to
another restaurant with another menu and name (Sparky's). I made the
mistake of heading to Egg without carrying its address. I'd passed it
before and figured it wouldn't be too hard to re-find. But I was
misremembering the street it's on, and other pedestrians were less helpful than
I'd hoped ("I've lived here 10 years, and I've never heard of it," said
one). Finally I found a young woman who said she was pretty sure it was
on the next block, which it was.
Then there's the noon issue. Egg serves breakfast only, and until noon
only. This means you've got to get there on time, of course, but also
that you're competing with others for not only a table but a time slot.
I imagine that weekdays are less active--but though the line when I
arrived on a Saturday was manageable, by the time I left, at about 11:30,
it looked daunting. Get there on the early side if you can.
I loved the 1920s blues music and the clear jugs on the tables holding
simple flower arrangements. And the menu (more basic during the week,
fancied up a bit for the weekend) looked great--offering, actually, lots
more than eggs. Most of what's here is organic and locally grown. The
eggs, if you choose them, are "laid by free-roaming hens." I got the
oatmeal with dried fruit, almonds, and brown sugar. It was hearty and very
good, but it was also quite sweet. If this doesn't appeal to you, it
might be best to ask for your sugar on the side. The
coffee--"press-brewed and sustainably grown"--was $2, but it was delicious, and a serving
was enough for two full cups.
As I was alone on my visit and thus not sampling lots of dishes, I
asked the guys at the table next to me for input. One had had grits and
eggs, the other an egg, vegetarian sausage, and warm applesauce (though
Egg does serve meat, I didn't see too many people having it--perhaps the
liberal and artistic bents of the neighborhood lend themselves also to
vegetarianism?). "I come here about three times a week," one of the
guys said. "This place is amazing. Even if your hopes are high, it's
consistently fresher and better than you expect."
On the weekend menu, the broiled organic tomatoes and the carmelized
grapefruit with mint looked like sidedishes I'd like to try in the
future. And, happily, I can afford to have a future here: The weekend entrees
topped out at $7.50, the weekday offerings at $5.
After settling up, I walked to the counter to chat with a staff member
and get some background info on the place--but that was not going to
happen. All tables were packed, the line was snaking out the door, and it
just wasn't a good time for employees to talk. "Be with you in a sec,"
said one--but when, five minutes later, she was still rushing around, I
headed out.
I very much look forward to returning on a weekday. And I'd love to
visit again on a weekend, too--the earlier in the day, the better.
All in all, the place--with its artistic touches, its neighborhood
feel, its environmental/ecological concerns, and even its insidery lack of
signage--seems to me a good example of what's best about Williamsburg
right now.
Review By: Pamel Grossman; February 13, 2006