Pining after the falafel bars and hummus joints of Tel Aviv since my trip there last October, one of my biggest London foodie joys of recent times has been the rise and reformation of Middle Eastern dining. In that spirit, the Good Egg had long been on My List: invoking Jewish culinary traditions, this haunt celebrates Tel Aviv’s street food scene meets NYC Jewish delis. And when better to enjoy this food than at breakfast! Although usually very busy (booking availability is limited), arrive bang on their opening time of 10am and you can nab a spot immediately. What’s more, hummus is typically eaten in the a.m. in Israel.
The interior of the Kingly Court branch is fun – baby pink meets turquoise. There’s a hint of retro American diner, and of course, there’s a light-up “Good Egg” sign behind the bar.
Onto the food, the good things at The Good Egg really are very good (beyond the eggs – query that name). If you’re after something sweet, the babka will call out at you, either toasted from the counter or refashioned as a French Toast from the kitchen, as it did for my companion.
I went for the Iraqi fried aubergine, naked style (i.e. without the pitta and eggs) (£10). Served with lashings of tahini humms (which was the perfect consistency for drizzling), tasty pickles, zhoug (a punchy herb paste) and the signature dak dak (tomato – cucumber salad), the dish was a visual and culinary feast. The aubergine – served with pine nuts on top of silky smooth tahini hummus – was sensational. Whoever got the contract to supply their tahini must be thrilled. The kitchen must get through spoonfulls of the stuff. Combined with their strident house-pickled cucumbers, the resulting dish packed a crunch and bite.
I got a little food envy at the sight of my neighbouring table’s “Jerusalem” breakfast to share, which is a spread of lots of little mezze dishes including halloumi and green whipped feta. Hand-shaped flatbread emerged from the kitchen, bubbling and charred with a pool of lightly acidic thyme honey and soothing yogurt to dredge it through.
The Good Egg is a fantastic breakfast/brunch spot. I’m eager to try out the current vegan special at the Stoke Newington branch featuring cornbread, chilli pickled aubergine, cashew labneh, zhoug and dukka invention. Watch this space.
Good Egg, Ground Floor, Kingly St, London W1B 5PW
Website: thegoodegg.co
Rating: *****
Yumtini 