Best of the Gold Coast 2018: Top 10 eggs benedict
IS there a more classic breakfast favourite than eggs benedict? Last year you crowned Bam Bam Bakehouse the best on the Gold Coast. Where will they place this year and who will take out number 1? Here’s where to get your hollandaise hit on the Coast.
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IS there a more classic breakfast favourite than eggs benedict?
Last year you crowned Bam Bam Bakehouse the best on the Gold Coast. Where will they place this year and who will be declared the winner for 2018?
Here’s where to get your hollandaise hit on the Gold Coast, as voted by readers.
FLASHBACK: TOP 10 BEST EGGS BENEDICT ON THE COAST
10. The Fresh Pantry
5a/100-106 Old Pacific Highway, Oxenford
This family-run cafe has made the list for another year thanks to its simple formula of doing the classics right.
Owners Glen Latchford and Meg Mizukoshi are both chefs and Glen reckons they could probably whip up a heavenly hollandaise in their sleep.
“It’s all in the reduction,” Glen says.
“In our opinion, it’s a sauce you don’t muck around with. It’s a simple classic and we make it fresh every day.”
The variations come in the accompaniments — you can opt for an English muffin but Glen says toasted Turkish adds sweetness and there is a choice of ham, bacon or salmon.
The Fresh Pantry has just marked its third anniversary and its eggs benedict has been a winner with the locals from day one.
9. Burleigh Social
2 Hibiscus Haven, Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Social owner Jarrod Barnett says it’s the fresh and local extras that make their eggs benedict so special.
The Social Benny has been a staple on the menu for three years and is one of their most popular dishes.
“We serve it with blanched fresh kale to offer a bit of a contrast to the hollandaise,” Jarrod says.
“Our salmon is smoked at Tugun and the bacon and leg ham comes from the butcher next door who gets it from a farm not too far away.”
Vegetarians can opt for the spinach and mushrooms.
For extra indulgence, you can also upgrade from bread to crossaint.
“We’ve been offering the croissant option for a while now,” Jarrod says.
“It’s gone over pretty well.”
8. Bam Bam Bakehouse
2519 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am, for the wonderful eggs benedict we’re about to receive.
No stranger to accolades for its famous eggs benny, serious breakfast hunters love the simplicity of the option from Bam Bam Bakehouse.
Four ingredients is all it takes — two poached eggs, ham, homemade hollandaise, and the star of the plate: a gorgeous, fluffy croissant.
Owners Ben and Ursula Watts use French flour, butter and equipment to create the croissant, and free-range eggs for the saucy serving of hollandaise.
7. Espresso Moto
2/1389 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach
Cafes come and cafes go but when you make the best eggs benedict list four years in a row, you know you’re doing something right.
Jordan Stubbs from Espresso Moto says it remains one of the most popular dishes for weekend leisure-seekers.
“Sunday is definitely benny day,” Jordan Stubbs says.
“The eggs benedict is one of only two items that have been on the menu since we opened three and a half years ago. It’s a home comfort food — it’s a little naughty and also satisfying.”
Jordan says the ingredients for the hollandaise are a house secret, but he can give away it’s made from real butter, vinegar and eggs.
“We also serve it on two slices of house-made ciabatta bread with two poached free range eggs, then your choice of mushrooms cooked in garlic and herbs, salmon or a hearty serving of bacon.”
6. Paradox Coffee Roasters
The 4217, 7/10 Beach Road, Surfers Paradise
Paradox head chef Peter Navavia says a good eggs benedict is all in the hollandaise.
“It’s a simple recipe but it needs to be right,” he says.
Peter uses a white wine vinegar reduction and lemon juice in his sauce, which is served on perfectly poached eggs, toasted Turkish bread and rocket, with either bacon, smoked salmon or mushrooms and a choice of sides.
For something a little different, Peter suggests the eggs benedict with crispy skin pork belly and Granny Smith apple.
“It’s definitely worth a try,” he says.
“Another great accompaniment is hashbrowns with thyme and onion.”
5. Parc-bah Espresso
4/19 Alicia Street, Southport
This dog-friendly haunt, much-loved by pooches and their servants, has another string to its bow — it knows how to serve up a mean eggs benedict.
Owner Todd Cawe says Parc-bah’s hollandaise sauce is made fresh every morning.
“We serve our eggs benedict on brioche to soak up the flavours of the sauce and also add a little sweetness,” Todd says.
“You can have it with wilted spinach, bacon, salmon or mushrooms as a vegetarian option. We also do a lovely house pulled pork for something a little different.”
Eggs benedict is always on the menu at Parc-bah, along with its menu of healthy and indulgent doggie treats.
“It’s great to make the list,” Todd says.
“We’re only a relatively small, local venue so it’s good to get the recognition.”
4. Department Of Coffee
3/1136 Gold Coast Highway, Palm Beach
Whether you choose salmon, bacon or veggie, Department of Coffee’s eggs benedict comes up with the goods.
Owner Jacqui Scorgie says it’s the house dijon hollandaise sauce.
“We make all our own sauces, relishes and hummous,” she says.
“It’s part of our philosophy to make as much as we can fresh in-house.”
Poached eggs and baby spinach is stacked on crunchy Turkish toast, dolloped generously with the dijon hollandaise accompanied by bacon, salmon or mushroom for vegetarians.
Infused with the traditional mustard of France, Department of Coffee’s tangy twist on the classic has proven popular with diners in its first foray onto the Bulletin’s best benny list.
3. Nonna’s Restaurant
Harbour Town, Biggera Waters
In the 13 years of operating this busy Harbour Town cafe, the owners know you don’t play around with breakfast.
“People want it to be good and they want it quickly,” co-owner Damien Kanaghines says.
“We’re experimenting with our menu regularly but breakfast is always the classics.”
That drives the philosophy behind Nonna’s eggs benedict, served on English muffins with sauteed baby spinach, a hash brown, bacon or ham or the vegetarian option: tomato, haloumi, mushrooms and avocado.
“We make the hollandaise fresh every morning and, of course, everything tastes better with friendly, professional service.”
Nonna’s second year on the list may also be a touch of good karma.
Every fortnight the cafe prepares restaurant-quality meals for Rosie’s to distribute to the Gold Coast’s homeless.
2. Cafe Campanile
Robina Town Centre
If there’s one thing the crew at Cafe Campanile has learned it’s that you don’t mess with the classics.
They’ve been using the same recipe for eggs benedict for the 20 years this original Robina Town Centre tenant has been in business.
“It’s simple and classic; there’s no secret ingredient,” co-owner Todd Balym says.
“We’re not a pretentious cafe and we’re just concerned with what tastes good, not what looks great on Instagram.”
Campanile’s eggs benedict is served with eggs softly poached, spinach wilted in garlic butter and all the classic sides, including mushrooms, notable for the house sauteing technique to bring out their full flavour.
“We pay attention to the little things,” Todd says.
“The eggs benedict is one of our most popular dishes. We’ve had people who’ve been ordering it for 20 years since day one so that’s a pretty good endorsement.”
1. Le Vintage Boutique Cafe
1 Kurilpa Street, Worongary
This suburban gem has been right in the mix of the best breakfast and coffee destinations on the Coast since it opened its doors four years ago.
Owner Joel Aston says the secret is simple: consistency.
“We just aim for good quality every time,” he says.
“We’re a local cafe and we look after the locals and they look after us.”
Le Vintage’s eggs benny is classically served on an English muffin, accompanied by sides of whatever you fancy — bacon, smoked salmon, pulled pork, ham or spinach and mushroom.
It’s one of the cafe’s most popular dishes, much loved by locals.
“We opened with the aim of being somewhere the community comes together,” Joel says.
“But on weekends particularly, we get people who seek us out to give us a try. We’re only 20 minutes from the coast but that’s quite a bit for Gold Coasters to travel.”
So, if you’re a eggs benedict aficionado, a trip west of the M1 may well be in order.
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