It's the most important meal of the day, which means that every culture has their own unique approach to breakfast. The French are happy with a croissant and espresso for breakfast, while Americans often skip the meal or grab whatever they can eat very quickly on their way to work.
But for the english, breakfast is a proper feast that leaves little room for lunch or dinner. It’s perfect for brunch, especially if you are recovering from a hangover. At the Independent Bar & Kitchen in Deep Ellum, Chef Andrew Dilda is serving up an updated take on the classic English fry-up.
"An English breakfast is just a piling of food on a plate," Dilda says. "But I wanted to do something nice and neat, a bit more refined. We can’t do it too terribly strict anyway because there are so many variations and we would end up disappointing someone."
Instead of using the traditional flat fungi, Dilda’s English breakfast features maitake, or hen of the woods mushrooms.
Taking cues from Asian cuisine, the mushrooms are dipped in tempura batter and fried until crisp.
House cured peppered back bacon and ham sizzle on the griddle until crisp around the edges.
Eschewing the classic baked beans, Dilda introduces a touch of French technique with a white bean cassoulet. This rich, slow-cooked pot of goodness offers a major upgrade.
In lieu of bland hash browns, this English breakfast includes seared tattie scones, or crisp potato cakes made with mashed potatoes, egg, and breadcrumbs.
Rather than using the heart attack on a plate that is the average English banger, Dilda grills a Cumberland sausage made in house with just a few simple ingredients: rye bread, pork, caraway, and mustard seed.
Two farm fresh eggs are fried or poached, depending on your preference.
And the best is saved for last. A zesty pickled tomato is sliced, tossed on the grill, and showered with shredded Parmesan – a perfect foil for salty meats.