M. Henry
5707 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60660
USA
Date of Last Visit: Sunday, October 18th, 2009
The Victims: Christina, Kent
The Damage: $15 each + one $50 parking ticket.
The Background: I miss pancakes. And french toast. Home-made blueberry muffins. Corn muffins. Grits...I love grits. (And I'm a Yankee by birth. A southerner only by my parents' retirement--and many would argue that South Florida doesn't "count." But whatever the case, me liking grits is saying something.) Ah, and I miss American bacon, crispy crispy American bacon. I never knew there was any other sort of bacon until I arrived upon these shores and was handed ham when I asked for bacon. So my first stop last week when I arrived in Chicago was breakfast with my good friends Christina and Kent at M. Henry on Chicago's northside.
The Entrance: I've somehow convinced Christina and Kent to meet me at 9 a.m. for breakfast. This is way early for brunch. Even for the States. But we know M. Henry doesn't take reservations and we also know they're super-popular. And I also know that I'm super jet-lagged.
We arrive at 9 and already, there's a 15 minute wait for a table. We power through it and nearly exactly 15 minutes later, we're seated and ordering. Christina and I opt for the pumpkin and pecan pancakes, topped with blackberries, apples, and caramel syrup. They're pretty outstanding...soft and warm and delicious. Ah, and two sides of crispy American bacon, of course. My only possible recommendation is the pumpkin...pumpkin on it's own isn't so exciting. I think they could have tarted the pumpkin up a bit
Kent opts for the breakfast sandwich. That's toasted sour boule layered with two over-medium eggs, applewood bacon, sliced plum tomatoes, gorgonzola, & fresh thyme and served with house potatoes. Apparently, every time he goes to M. Henry, he tries to order something else, but he can't. It's always the breakfast sandwich. I have a moment of sandwich envy. But just a moment.
The Verdict: I like M. Henry. They do good breakfasts. Constructively, I felt our silverware could have been cleaner. And I felt a little rushed, but that's probably only because I've lived in the U.K. too long and am just not used to having my bill arrive unasked for. I'd also say that if you're visiting Chicago, you should only go to M. Henry if you're up for a field trip...5700 North Clark is way north of downtown. (9 miles?)
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