Toast Bakery Cafe
8221 W 3rd St @Harper
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.655.5018
www.toastbakerycafe.net
Can the word “favorite” even exist in a plural form?
A “favorite” is one thing that is preferred above and beyond the rest. Maybe I am being too picky, but if a favorite is one thing, does not that force the impossibility of having multiple favorites of the same type of thing? When some people improperly overuse “favorite,” what they really mean to say is “like a lot.” You can like this, that and the other a lot, but only this can be your favorite. Having multiple favorites is the equivalent of saying you have five best friends. It doesn’t make sense.
So I’m just a promiscuous little hypocrite because breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day, along with brunch, lunch, dinner and fourth meal, which in The Delicious Life, is actually fifth meal, given my hippo-crisy and uncanny resemblance to an Asian, which means I can out 2 and 2 together and get Benito's nachos at 2 am.
At breakfast, Eggs Florentine is one of my favorite meals. My other favorites are Crabcakes Benedict, Egg White Omelet that includes any but not necessarily all of my favorite vegetables and an unhealthy amount of melted cheese, and of course, Egg McMuffin.
I should be banned from the food blogosphere. Especially since I didn't even go to what is now my new favorite place for breakfast, Toast Bakery Cafe, to try their Eggs Florentine and Eggs Benedict.
Toast is a local favorite for breakfast and brunch, but I am not a local. I live on the Westside, so the only way I would ever heave my hungover huge butt out of bed on a Saturday late morning and haul it over to West 3rd Street in time for brunch is...never. I have never perpetrated being a card-carrying member of the Hard Kor club. Even on those inexplicable occasions on which I might be driving near that area, I have seen the type of frack that clusters in front of toast, rendering it near impossible to sit down at a table within an hour of developing hunger.
Luckily, special delivery brought Eggs Florentine and Eggs Benedict from Toast to the Westside. I swear I didn't pout like a little princess to have it delivered, but don't ask me how it happened. I don't kiss and tell.
bulbous benedict
put me in a hollan-daze
I pulled each round metal foil container out of the bag, put them on the table and teased myself by taking my time to pull back each crimped edge one by one from around the paper lids. It was an olfactory punishment that I deserved for being such a lazy little food blogger. Toast had been conscientious enough to pack Hollandaise sauce for the Eggs Benedict in a separate plastic container that was steaming up under tightly wrapped plastic.
more than just melons
After the torture of opening the containers, I wielded my fork, let loose and attacked the Eggs Florentine first. Perfectly poached eggs cuddled up on a mattress of sauteed spinach piled on top of crisp sourdough toast that had begun to soften under the weight of what was on top. I am accustomed a simple Bechamel on top of my Florentine, but Toast blanketed their eggs with a velvety cream sauce made with mushrooms and even more greens to emphasize "spinach." I tried not to inhale the whole thing at once. I tried to hold back. I detoured to the fresh fruit on the side. I was impressed that the fruit included mangoes, even though I'm allergic.
The Benedict, after pouring Hollandaise all over it, was good, but nothing near as luxurious as the Florentine. How does one ever go back to an English muffin with a simple slice of ham after having a fabulous Florentine? Better (and blasphemously) yet, how does one go back to Eggs Benedict after having an Egg McMuffin?!?!
Incidentally, I might make use of Toast's online ordering and their own delivery service. The site does say that there is a minimum order for delivery, but with something like a Florentine costing $10.50, it won't be hard to make that $200. They have so many of my favorites on their menu.
** a year ago today, life was not a blog of cherries (i was censored) **
** two years ago today, vegan tasted a lot like thai, and i accidentally made a moscato slushie **
tags :: food : and drink : breakfast : brunch : bakeries : american : restaurants : reviews : los angeles
J. says
Sarah - that picture is ridiculous. I never order Eggs Florentine or make it - must begin. Also Crabcake Benedict? How have I never had that?
There are people who prefer the McGriddle to the Egg McMuffin - these people are out of their mind. If McDondald's ever goes through with the 24-hour breakfast menu that will be the end of me.
I didn't really like Toast but I was there like a year ago. You've probably eaten at both these places, but if not, Square One has the best Eggs Benedict in LA, imo, and Auntie Em best overall brunch.
sarah says
J: McGriddle...such a tragedy, don't you think? i understand the whole "sweet AND savory" thing about breakfast and all, but why? WHY?
Karen says
...and this is in LA? I have to go then. Your one of many "favorites" looks just divine.
but...
who doesn't [secretly] like McDonald's Breakfasts?
www.TeesMyBody.com T-Shirts says
If you're ever so lucky to find a seafood restaurant that serves Shrimp Florentine. It's the most delicious thing you will have ever eaten.
Tarie says
Ok, please don't hate me but, I have never had Eggs Florentine. Spinach doesn't appeal to me. But after reading this post... maybe I'll finally try Eggs Florentine. :)
Binh says
hmmmm - breakfast. my favorite meal. have a graving for corn beef hash. hmmm
Toast's sleepy neighbor says
I just want everyone to know that Toast does not treat its neighbors kindly -- Please choose a PRO-SLEEP restaurant if you love your fellow human being -- Toast had midnight drilling and construction on Yom Kippur, both Kol Nidre night and Saturday after the holiday ended. Every night they clean 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. midnight (they could clean earlier), making periodic banging noises (trash can lids, cleaning rubber containers). You can't call the police, who won't come for at least half an hour, because they are not noisy every second - they are quiet and then they bang and then they are quiet and then they bang and if you call the police and they are not loud, the police may discount you later. So please support PRO-SLEEP restaurants. Thank you