Battle of the Brunch: Avocado & Eggs – London, UK
These days brunch offers up a lot of new and exciting options, a new favourite being avocado and eggs on toast. Any respectable brunch establishment should (in my humble opinion) serve up some variation of this crowd-pleaser, and if you’re like me you’ll inevitably end up comparing and contrasting the fine (and sometimes not so fine) points of this plate from restaurant to restaurant.
For those of our readers who find themselves in London, I’ve taken some of the guesswork out of brunch by comparing the avocado and eggs on toast at two popular locations.
In the red corner, Limeyard, Ealing; and in the blue corner, Bills, Ealing. Each is a mid-priced chain establishment featuring a diverse brunch menu. This challenge will be judged solely on the food, with comments on the venue, atmosphere, service, etc., checked at the door.
Limeyard
Presentation
Limeyard’s “Smashed Avocado” comes seasoned and garnished with fresh coriander, sliced red chilli and lime. Bill’s less imaginatively named “Avocado on Toast” is served with a lime dressing, seeds and a pinch of dried chilli. One point for Limeyard with a dish that is vibrant in colour and very appealing to the eye.
Quality & Taste
The freshness of the ingredients in the Limeyard creation really stood out. The eggs were perfectly poached, with solid whites and warm oozing yolks. The freshly sliced chilli added heat and a zing for the taste buds, while the Sriracha sauce (available as a side) elevated the experience. Also amazingly good was the sourdough bread, bringing texture and bite to the feast.
Bill’s offered a tasty alternative but lacked that something special. The eggs were poached well enough but even when topped with Tabasco, they still couldn’t rival the flavour at Limeyard. The brown bread had lost its crunch and become slightly soggy on the bottom. Another point goes to Limeyard.
Bill’s
Value for Money
Limeyard’s “Smashed Avocado” came in at £6.50 while Bill’s “Avocado on Toast” totaled £6.95. In the cost-to-quantity ratio, I estimate that Limeyard used a whole avocado while Bill’s seemed like only a half, tilting the scale in Limeyard’s favour once again.
Taking into account all of the above, Limeyard comes out on top any day of the week. Congratulations to Limeyard for the best avocado and eggs on toast, a great dish that I would gladly return for.
The Bottom Line: Limeyard 5/5 Brookie Stars and Bill’s 4/5 Brookie Stars
Limeyard is a hip and happening place, with a light and airy atmosphere backed up by trendy but tasty food. You couldn’t ask for any more. Bill’s is more of a ‘safe-bet’ and somewhere you’d maybe take your Mum after a Saturday afternoon shopping trip and lacking a bit of va-va-voom.
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With 30 years of general management experience in the global insurance industry and having lived in 4 countries, Jacqui now spends her time between London and New York where she continues to pursue her passion for writing, food, books and travel.
A Reiki practitioner, yogi and huge animal advocate, her home isn’t complete without a furbaby or three. In addition to being a BooknBrunch contributor, she writes for industry publications.
Favourite book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Favourite brunch dish: avocado toast with tomato and chilli
