Breakfast branches out beyond morning classics

Just different enough: The Dutch Baby is an Original Pancake House signature item.

Trends driving today’s breakfast menus include ethnic-inspired dishes and brunch-worthy items with all-day appeal. According to Mintel research, 52 percent of restaurant-goers at breakfast say that having all-day breakfast is an important factor in selecting a restaurant.

Traditional breakfast items have taken a turn toward the trendy, too. Fried and poached eggs have gradually migrated from the breakfast plate to the burger platter  (consider The Undead Elvis Burger at The Zombie Burger Drink Lab in Des Moines, topped with peanut butter, fried bananas, a fried egg, bacon and more). A brunch-worthy egg dish that messes with tradition in just the right way is Chef Lauren Tourondel’s Poached Eggs and Short Rib Popovers, served at Arlington Club, NYC. And speaking of tradition, the popover-like oven-baked Dutch Baby is a signature item at the Portland, OR-base Original Pancake House. It’s priced at $8.29 at the six Dallas-area locations.

For inspiration, check out these breakfast recipe ideas, including Poached Eggs and Short Rib Popovers, the Salmon and Egg BLT, the Pear-Kale Super Smoothie and Apple-Raisin Sopaipillas.

• Poached Egg and Short Rib Popover
• Salmon and Egg BLT
• Pear-Kale Super Smoothie
• Apple-Raisin Sopapillas

Anatomy of a brunch sandwich

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At A Toute Heure in Cranford, NJ, sous chef Kelly Zavala’s Breakfast Croque Madame arises out of the restaurant’s seasonal, ingredient-driven bistro menu using locally sourced cheeses and produce from the restaurant’s garden or farmers markets. Karen Decker is the executive chef.

1. The sandwich starts with roasted ham from a bone-in whole ham, layered on house-made sourdough bread along with seasonal vegetables.

2. Ingredients are topped with a sharp béchamel and a grating of Gruyere cheese, and then the sandwich is toasted in the oven and finished under a salamander until the cheese is bubbly and brown around the edges.

3. The Croque Madame is  topped with a local farm egg and accompanied by a side of frites with aioli.