Stateside’s breakfast menu boasts a bangin’ Benny

It’s strange to discover that, in the area you’ve lived all your life, the breakfast you’ve been searching for has been waiting for you just across town. I knew Stateside Deli offered breakfast in addition to its gargantuan New York deli-style sandwiches, but I figured it was more of an afterthought. I’d heard good things about the quality, but I didn’t imagine it would have many options beyond the most standard breakfast selections. Thankfully, my endless quest for a satisfying and stimulating breakfast took me to Okemos to prove myself wrong.

After perusing the vast and varied menu, I was torn between the eggs Benedict and the lox platter, so I compromised by getting the Benny but swapping out the Canadian bacon for Nova Scotia lox. Writing this review prompted me to look up how this brined salmon got its name, so here it is: Lox comes from the Yiddish word “laks,” which means — you guessed it — salmon. Jewish immigrants in New York City brought their traditional foodways with them, which eventually ended up in Jewish-owned and operated delicatessens that popularized and proliferated the glorious combination of bagels, cream cheese and lox, among so many other delicious things, many of which can be found on Stateside’s menu.

The lox was a $4 upcharge but well worth it, working beautifully on Stateside’s Benny. Resting upon halves of an impressively large English muffin, the salmon’s silky texture contrasted nicely with the muffin’s crispy, crunchy edges and blended with the runny egg yolk to create a melt-in-your-mouth situation at the center. Speaking of eggs, these ones were perfectly poached and laden with a generous portion of hollandaise. Due to its finicky nature, I find hollandaise quite intimidating, so I’m always impressed when it’s done as well as Stateside’s. The creaminess was perfectly balanced with the acidity of the lemon, light as air but still satisfyingly rich.

The Benny came with a side of rosemary home fries, which could have used a tad more rosemary and been a little more rough-cut and “homey” for my taste, but they still offered a nice, crispy accompaniment. I look forward to an inevitable return visit to try the bagel served with the lox platter, enjoy some fantastic coffee and think about what other restaurants might have a section of their menu that needs exploring.

Eggs Benedict with lox

$19

Stateside Deli & Restaurant

3552 Meridian Crossing Drive, Okemos

8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily

(517) 853-1100

statesidedeli.com