best eggs benedict.

After a waffle and pancake infused January, I awoke on the first Saturday morning in February craving poached eggs smothered in hollandaise like you wouldn't believe. A dirty martini happy hour at Bacco followed by drinks with a few friends downtown on Friday night prompted a visit to nearby Caffe Nuovo the next day. Their robust Italian coffee teeming with specialty brunch dishes are a splendid way to fend off any trace of the previous nights effects. With homemade lemony hollandaise and a pinch of cayenne over perfectly runny eggs and a lightly toasted English muffin, Nuovo's Benedict nails the essentials and then proceeds with a fanfare of fresh seafood (meaty chunks of crab for her, velvety pieces of lobster for him, succulent shrimp for the next guy) and stellar homefries. Read more about the refreshing establishment that is Caffe Nuovo here.