There is only one thing that can satisfy a hangover hunger after a night of drinking Hurricanes in New Orleans, and that’s Eggs Benedict.
I never usually like to frequent places that are directly situated in the centre of the tourist area, so Stanley should have gone against everything I stood for. But their interesting brunch menu with several different takes on the classic Eggs Benedict was just too much of a draw for me, so I decided to go against my gut instinct and try it.
The place was very busy when we got in there on a Wednesday morning, and I didn’t know whether that was because of its location of because of the food. They do also serve huge Bloody Mary’s, so maybe this was also a draw for some of those more hungover than I.
Scott ordered their signature dish of Eggs Stanley; Eggs Benedict accompanied by fried cornmeal-crusted oysters, while I opted for the Eggs Stella; Eggs Benedict accompanied by a fried cornmeal-crusted soft shell crab (pictured above). I can’t recall ever having had soft shell crab before in my life, but I was pretty sure that I’d like it.
I tried both dishes and would say that the seafood element was definitely the star of both plates of food. Had the Eggs Benedict been on its own, it would have been a bit disappointing, as the muffins were quite thin and uninspiring and there wasn’t much Hollandaise sauce. However, the fried oysters were salty and crispy and the soft shell crab was more tasty than I could have imagined, with plenty of meat in the middle.
As a whole plate of food it was great, but as I said, I could have quite happily just eaten the seafood and the eggs with the sauce and would have been satisfied.
For the price, I think both dishes were a little expensive (mine was $19 at the time of visit), but I understand that seafood is always expensive, so I have come to expect it, especially in a big city like New Orleans. I do feel that the location next to Jackson Square also has something to do with the prices, but I’m not going to keep harping on about that, as I did enjoy being able to people-watch over my breakfast.
All in all, if I was looking for a decent brunch again, I’d probably go back. More for the seafood and the atmosphere than the Eggs Benedict, but that’s still a pretty good reason.
- Stanley Restaurant, 547 St Ann St, New Orleans, LA 70116, United States
Leave a Reply