Eggs Benny
You want to know where the best Eggs Benny in Kelowna is…
Because let’s face it. Eggs Benedict is unreal and hard to master! It requires precision and attention to detail to get it right. I personally love a savoury breakfast more than sweet so I was super excited for this challenge.
I decided to check out four different local restaurants in Kelowna: The Jammery, Oak + Cru, The Bohemian Cafe, and The Curious. No chain restaurants here! If you missed the video reviews and want to watch them before finding out the winner, click here!
But before we begin, let me refresh you on the process. And what even makes a great Eggs Benedict?
There are four essential components:
hollandaise sauce…needs to be warm, creamy, smooth, and unbroken
english muffin…needs to be crispy and buttered
poached egg…needs to be a real egg that is poached perfectly and cooked soft so that the yolk comes out
topping…topped with bacon (or ham) that needs to be crispy
Now there are many different variations of a Eggs Benny which made this a fun challenge, but also difficult to critique. I tried my best to order just the “classic” benny from every restaurant so that it would be easier to compare.
Let’s dive in:
The Jammery’s version is the home cooked benny that grandma would make for you. They give you the option of ham or bacon, I personally prefer bacon. They give you lots of potatoes and lots of hollandaise. Their sauce was very buttery and thick. I was definitely missing a bit of “green” in this, just to cut through how heavy and starchy this dish was. All around, super tasty “classic” benny but very very heavy. I was full for hours after eating this. So if you’re looking for a meal that will fill you up, this is the one.
Their Eggs Benny was so gourmet and decadent. The hollandaise was so light – I spoke to the chef and he told me they make it home made every single morning. Damn I love that! You could definitely taste the freshness. However, their hollandaise was very lemony. I’m all about the lemon in hollandaise as it’s a key ingredient, but sometimes too much makes it tangy. Their poached egg was perfect. Green chives were sprinkled on top which gave it a nice freshness. Their potatoes were separated in a bowl – which gave the plate a very neat look.
If I’m being honest, this benny actually disappointed me the most. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE the Boh and have been going there for years. It’s a great breakfast establishment. My favorite dish from there is actually the huevos rancheros but I could honestly eat anything from there. They have so many unique breakfast items and the service is incredible. However, that is not why we’re here.
Let’s start with the positives. Their english muffin was nice and crispy and I loved that they serve fruit on the side, breaks up the salty. However, I found the hollandaise sauce lacked flavor/was a little plain compared to the others. The potatoes also seemed a bit mushy and the presentation in general seemed a little sloppy. But they do give a lot of potatoes and have a green component on top.
I would hands down say that the Curious had the best presentation. I loved the height on the stacked potatoes – height in any meal makes the dish look that much more extravagant. They also nailed the “sauce” smear that you always see on cooking shows. Various greens are present on the dish which I really enjoyed. The hollandaise sauce I felt lacked a bit of flavor. The potatoes as well seemed like they could have more spices. The portion is also significantly smaller so you won’t walk away feeling overly full and bloated. But for some, this might be a negative as you might not be full and satisfied. All around, a decent and different spin on a benny.
OKAY! So which benny takes the cake?
Drum roll please….
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Congrats to Oak + Cru!!
When it came down to the technicalities, Oak + Cru just nailed them all.
The freshness. Home made hollandaise sauce with the perfect consistency.
Presentation. A super clean tidy plate that is appealing to the eye.
Green component. I thought it was a smart move to add the chives on top.
Perfectly poached egg. The egg was perfect and had the best yolk break.
Right amount of food. Fills you up but not to the point of feeling full and bloated.
All around, all the bennies were delicious and I would have them all in a heart beat!
Thanks for tuning in!
Stay tuned for my next #stuffwithsvetfoodchallenge….fish tacos!
-Jenna xoxo