Craving new ways to start their day, Americans are becoming as experimental at breakfast as they’ve long been at lunch or dinner. The new choices popping up on morning menus range from creative twists on old favorites to entirely new options that consumers may never have envisioned as an option to get them going.
Full Irish Breakfast at The Thirsty Scholar Pub, Somerville, Mass.: A protein punch packed with two eggs — traditionally sunny-side up, but served here any style; two pieces of Irish back bacon; two pieces of Irish sausage; black and white pudding; beans; home fries; grilled tomato; and house-made Irish brown bread. It's also available as a Half Irish Breakfast, with just one piece of bacon and sausage. ($9, Full; $7, Half)
Breakfast of Champions at Healthy Food Lithuanian Restaurant, Chicago: Gina Biciunas Santoski saw potential in the traditional Lithuanian dish of kugelis. Made by baking grated potatoes, onions, bacon, eggs and milk, kugelis is sliced and grilled and served with sour cream. "You can eat it any time of the day — breakfast, dinner, whatever," she explained, adding that she came to develop Breakfast of Champions, which is kugelis served with eggs. Santoski said customers can also order kugelis with a side of bacon or even Lithuanian sausage. "It's basically something you eat in place of potato … it could be part of a dish or a meal in itself." ($7.50; price varies for other combinations)
Wa-Teishoku at Four Seasons Philadelphia, Philadelphia: A traditional Japanese breakfast available for in-room dining, the Wa-Teishoku comes with grilled salmon; vegetables simmered in chicken broth; coddled egg; pickled Japanese vegetables; steamed rice; miso soup; seasoned dried seaweed; and complimentary Japanese green tea. A relatively popular item that has been on the menu for five years, the vegetables are pickled in-house and are seasonal. The breakfast option is also available at the hotel's Fountain Restaurant. ($32)
The Mandarin Oriental at The Mandarin Oriental, New York: The Mandarin Oriental offers a traditional Japanese breakfast, as well as a Chinese option called the Mandarin Oriental, which is available both for in-room dining and at the hotel's Asiate restaurant. The Japanese breakfast, which has been available for more than a year, includes rice porridge with soy poached chicken; pickled ginger; green onion; steamed pork bun; and a boiled egg. ($34)
Chilaquiles at Rayuela, New York: Starting Aug. 12, Rayuela in will offer an Estilo Libre Latino (Freestyle Latino) brunch menu for the weekend. Máximo Tejada, executive chef and partner, explained that he became interested in serving the traditional Mexican breakfast dish when he’d see his staff preparing it for themselves on Sunday morning. Chilaquiles traditionally uses old tortilla, but at Rayuela, freshly-made fried tortilla strips get sautéed lightly in a house-made tomatillo sauce made with tomatillo, chicken stock, cilantro and parsley. Tejada said that the dish is favored as a hangover cure. At Rayuela, the dish is sour cream and cheese and is served with a fried egg, grilled chicken breast and a grilled jalapeño for added heat. ($14)