I’m a big fan of Eggs Benedict.

Back in my East Village days, I would order it at the now defunct 7A religiously on Sunday afternoons. According to legend, it was invented as a hangover cure for one Lemuel Benedick–a Wall Street broker thus afflicted–and from those Sunday indulgences, I can personally testify to its efficacy as such. So when I found myself recently strolling around lower Manhattan after a tour, I decided to sample the version at Delmonico’s, where it is widely believed to have been invented.

The Waldorf Astoria takes exception with this claim, but based on the public record, Delmonico’s probably has the right of it. Eggs Benedict first appears as a recipe in The Epicurean, a cookbook written by Delmonico’s legendary Chef Charles Ranhofer, in 1894. The Waldorf rumor seems to have started with an article in The New Yorker published in 1942.

The kitchen at Delmonico’s, circa 1904

The current 56 Beaver Street location has been a Delmonico’s more or less continuously since 1837. Mindful of this storied history, the present owners maintain an elegant 19th Century decor that will make you half-expect former patrons like Mark Twain, “Diamond” Jim Brady, and Theodore Roosevelt to come walking through the door. Which, if you’re the kind of person to geek out on that sort of thing, is pretty awesome.

Not having planned to pop in, I wasn’t really dressed for the occasion. Rather than upscale broker, or even dressing-down tech start-up guy, I was sporting the eccentric tour guide look, right down to my signature Aussie outback hat. I ain’t gonna lie; the staff definitely seemed a little apprehensive when I first walked in, as if I might be part of an impending flashmob prank. But once I told them I was a tour guide looking for a damn fine Eggs Benedict, they warmed up right away and seated me in all my urban explorer glory.

So, how was it? The best I’ve ever had, and I’ve had ‘em all over the country. Crunchy muffins, thick ham, perfectly cooked eggs (not too hard, not too runny), a tasty sauce, and just to let you know you’re eating at a classy joint, a little caviar sprinkled on top. Yum.

So, if you want to eat at Delmonico’s, but your bank account won’t allow you to sample some of its pricier fare (or if your wife doesn’t eat steak, lobster, oysters, clam chowder, or anything else Delmonico’s is known for, as is my unfortunate situation), you can pop in for the Eggs Benedict anytime and it’ll only set you back about twenty bucks, with tip. That’s just a little more than you’d pay anyplace in Manhattan where ordering the Eggs Benedict wouldn’t constitute an act of supreme bravery. Bonus points if you go with a hangover…

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