Brunch at Brookline Lunch

Not more than 7 minutes after we made our order, two piping hot plates of eggs benedict were plopped down before us, filled to the brim with food. I was actually surprised to see that each order came with 2 eggs benedict, which, if you are unfamiliar, is a poached egg on top of a slice of grilled ham, on top of half an English muffin, toasted, topped off with some Hollandaise sauce. Here they also sprinkled some paprika on top for contrast. The menu mentioned home fries on the side, but what we actually got was an interesting medley of completely random grilled vegetables, which included peppers, onions, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and some boiled and seasoned potato chunks (not actual fries, like Sunny's). It was unexpected, but certainly refreshing, and I was pretty happy thinking about how I was getting some servings of vegetables with my brunch haha.

The eggs benedict themselves were incredible. The eggs were poached to perfect tenderness, slightly firm on the outside but with the yolk still runny in the middle (similar to eggs over easy but with less runny yolk and more of a tender texture because it wasn't cooked on a surface). The softness of the eggs were great with the slight crispiness of the toasted ham and muffin, and the muffin itself does its job of soaking up the liquid yolk in each bite. Most notable, however, was the Hollandaise sauce that topped the eggs. It was creamy and smooth, without being too thick or too runny, but also not too rich, due to a nice blend of lemon juice in the sauce. It gave the eggs benedict all the flavor that was needed, and was not overpowering at all.

After finishing off my plate, I was very full and satisfied. It was my first time having eggs benedict, and my boyfriend's 3rd time, and we both thought it was phenomenal. What's even more incredible is the price... did you guess it? $4.95!!! For such a small price, we got so much wonderful food, and it wasn't even silly fast food, it was well-prepared and delicate and delicious. I think perhaps this small diner is able to keep its prices down by being completely family-owned and run. There is only one waitress, the mother of the family, serving the entire diner. She was very efficient, though very busy running around from table to table (there were probably 15 tables in the restaurant). But you could see that it was a humble diner, with interesting artwork on the walls rotating in from a nearby art gallery. Almost every single breakfast option (ranging from omelette platters to eggs, sausage, and pancakes) was less than $5 each. The price and the quality of food will definitely keep me coming back, and clearly it is what makes Brookline Lunch such a popular place to grab brunch. I heard that there are usually lines going out the door during the busy hours on the weekends, now I know why!