Fancy a 9pm Fry Up?

It’s always “eggs o’clock” at these five places around the city that make it their mission to serve you the day’s most important meal—breakfast—at any old time of the day, night even. Get set for the dawn (pun unintended!) of the All-Day Breakfast 

  

By Raul Dias

Craft 
When these guys say ‘Breakfast Anytime’ they really men anytime! Using only “Kegg farms” organic, free range, tan shell eggs in all their egg dishes, this is in-keeping with the fresh produce ethos of Craft. So, this means an all-day menu replete with fun breakfast dishes like muglette which is an omelette made with cheese, cayenne pepper, sour cream and spring onion with an option for bacon, served, in... get this, a mug! Another must-try is the barbecue chicken breakfast bun made with homemade BBQ sauce, smoked applewood cheddar and a fried egg. Great ‘eggs’pectations, this.Where: Level 1, Phoenix Marketcity Kurla, LBS Marg, Kurla (w)
Call: 61802073/74
Timings: 11am to 11:45pm

The Nutcracker
The all-day brekkie offering at this otherwise all-veg Kala Ghoda café truly is an egg lover’s fantasy come true. Available in myriad avatars, the eggs shines in all its sunshine-hued glory. Choose from a selection of international favourites like Turkish eggs, truffle eggs and Israeli Shakshouka to tried-n-tested desi classics like akuri, salli eggs and the green chilli chutney-redolent eggs Kejriwal. And for those not too chuffed with scarfing down eggs, the fluffy buttermilk pancakes, chewy bagels, French toast, breakfast shakes and waffles are the stuff 9pm breakfast dreams are made of!
Where: Modern House, Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg, Opposite One Forbes Building, Kala Ghoda, Fort
Call: 22842430
Timings: Tue-Sat 9:30am to 11pm, Monday 12pm to 11pm, Sunday 8:30am to 11pm

Café Zoe
The breakfast service at this breezy mid-town café starts as early as 7.30am and runs throughout the day fueling you up with an extensive breakfast menu. The all-day menu offers up a plethora of the world of breakfast’s greatest hits from pancakes and Belgian waffles to eggs in all and every way you like, be it a skinny white only fluffy omelette or a classic Eggs Benedict to black lentil pancakes, French toast and freshly baked breads. From the drinks’ menu, take your pick from a range of French press coffees and healthy juices. Try the ABC (apple, beetroot, carrot) juice and thank us later.
Where: Mathuradas Mills Compound, N.M Joshi Marg, Lower Parel
Call: 24902065
Timings: 7:30am to 5pm

Monkey Bar
Dubbed ‘Breakfirst Plus’ this Sunday-only, all-day brekkie bonanza is a literal feast with a ‘Monkey Twist’! The EggHead section offers everything from the egg lover’s original favourite of scrambled eggs to their interpretation of the Parsi staple with a twist—curried akuri with Malabari paratha. They also do the Lord Cubbon’s Vice which is a traditional English breakfast with the works. For those with a predilection for a sweet breakfast, there’s always the cinnamon and toffee pancakes along with French toast. The menu also offers perfect Hangover Cures with signature breakfast cocktails like the morning glory and the Bloody Monkey, along with French press coffee, masala chai, thick shakes and fresh juices.
Where: Summerville, Junction of 14th & 33rd, Linking Road, Bandra (e)
Call: 26005215
Timings: 9am to 5pm

212 All Good
Built from a promise to create incredibly wholesome food and drinks that are shy of preservatives and embrace everything that is good for your gut, the all-day breakfast menu at 212 All Good also carries forward this philosophy. Breakfast options include five kinds of granola with a choice of kefir, milk or nut mylk; eggs marinated in pickled beet juice; a no-egg scramble made from tofu; pearl millet and oat flapjacks, fresh fruit bowls, et more.​ Now, that’s a healthy way to start…err, we mean end the day!
Where: Ground Floor Grand Galleria, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel
Call: 62216020
Timings: 9am to 12am

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 21st August 2017 issue of the evening edition of Mid-Day newspaper, India http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-five-mumbai-restaurants-breakfast-meals-day-night-menu-lifestyle/18522150)

How ‘Eggs’trodinary!

Eggs Benedict—one of the world’s most favourite brunch perennials gets five epic makeovers at some of Mumbai’s most fun all-day, casual diners

By Raul Dias

For the die-hard Mumbaikar foodie
Paying homage to Henpecked’s farm to table concept, Hen Benepict is more than just a play on words and an attempt at recreating a classic Eggs Benedict with local ingredients and preparation styles. So, while you have the traditional English muffin replaced with Mumbai-style laadi pav, potato salli is introduced to add a crunchy texture to the poached eggs that are enrobed with the typical Hollandaise sauce.
At Henpecked, 105, Apollo Street, Kala Ghoda, Fort
Call 65550303
Cost Rs 295

For the carb conscious clique
A healthier spin to the traditional Benedict, this version called The All Good Benedict replaces the muffin with vitamin and potassium rich sweet potato. Served on these sweet potato cakes are dehydrated tomatoes and desi poached eggs. The dairy-free cashew cream that replaces the buttery Hollandaise brings in the creamy texture, while the turmeric not only increases the antioxidant content of the dish but also adds that yellow Hollandaise-y colour!
At 212 All Good, Ground Floor Grand Galleria, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel
Call 62216020
Cost Rs 295

For all those mid-day Thai curry cravings
Called the House Benedict, this truly multi-regional iteration is served on a French brioche base topped with arugula leaves, Italian chicken mortadella, poached eggs and a green curry hollandaise sauce that’s made from Thai green curry paste and lime juice.
At Craft, Level 1 Phoenix Marketcity Kurla, LBS Marg
Call 61802073/74
Cost Rs 295

For the pulled pork fan
While still packed with porky goodness, the Café Zoe Eggs Benedict eschews ham in favour of pulled pork that sits atop two pieces of English muffin, topped with two perfectly poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce and a sprinkling of chives. They also do an Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon for all ‘ye seafood lovers out there.
At Café Zoe, Mathuradas Mills Compound, N.M Joshi Marg, Lower Parel
Call 24902065
Cost Rs 350

For a surf-n-turf spin on things
For the most part of it, this riff on a traditional Eggs Benedict looks like the real deal. But one bite into it and it reveals its pescatarian underpinnings. Yes, here the subtle flavours of crab meat topped with sautéed spinach meld with the unctuousness of perfectly cooked soft poached eggs along with a not-so-classic Hollandaise sauce to which a hint of spice is added to tempt the Indian palette with.
At Silver Beach Café, Jaldarshan Building, Gandhi Gram Road, Juhu
Call 26208930, 9819966495
Cost Rs 145

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 21st July 2017 issue of Mid-Day newspaper, India http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-food-city-restaurants-give-the-eggs-benedict-a-makeover/18440156)