While New Yorkers are quite familiar with a bottomless brunch, Bacchanal‘s new menu has at least one item the brunch crowd hasn’t seen before: the Everything Bagel Eclair.
Is it a bagel? An eclair? An eclair shaped like a bagel? A bagel shmeared with eclair custard? These were only a few questions a friend and I had for a server at Bacchanal’s brunch last week. Unable to comprehend what, exactly, this illustrious Everything Bagel Eclair ($14) was, we went ahead and ordered the Frankenstenian breakfast pastry for ourselves (along with a round of Bloody Marias, i.e. a lot of tequila with a little tomato juice).
The Everything Bagel Eclair debuted with Bacchanal’s brunch menu in early December, but has since seen some changes. Originally two small bagels, the pastry is now served as one larger hole-in-the-middle orb, covered in everything bagel seeds galore. Served with silky dill cream cheese, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, this breakfast sandwich encompasses pretty much all of the best elements of a savory brunch.
As for the bagel (or should we say eclair?), the dough is light and flake, like that of a French pastry, yet holds enough heft to support all the protein layered inside.
We split an order as a breakfast appetizer, supplementing with steak and eggs and an omelette, but the dish, served with tossed green salad, is easily substantial enough for brunch. And with $20 bottomless cocktails (Bloodys, Mimosas, tap wine, beer and Negronis) to add on, you may very much appreciate the carbo-load.
Bacchanal, 146 Bowery, serves brunch 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. every Sunday. Reservations: 646-355-1840 or Opentable.
