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The sculpture of a large, wildly colored rooster, sitting on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Union Street, heralds the arrival of Louisville-based favorite, Wild Eggs. Founded in 2007 by Jeffrey Rothberg, the eatery is rooted in the tradition of big, made-from-scratch breakfasts enjoyed by his great grandfather and entire family, who are industrious potato farmers. More than that, Wild Eggs has garnered raves for its interesting egg cookery, as well as its creative dishes that can tread on the wild side.
The pastel interiors, as cheerful as the staff is welcoming, offer several seating areas, including a curved diner-style counter. There's also a small bar, stocked with the makings of brunch-appropriate adult libations. (Pomegranate mimosas! Tequila Sunrises!) Plus, not to be missed is a rich house-blend coffee. Fresh-squeezed citrus is the Wild Eggs way, using luscious navel oranges for O.J. and abundant lemons for a tart and refreshing lemonade.
Scan the menu, and you'll find the usual suspects for a tame breakfast. But there are so many more tempting reasons to step outside the box: House specialties run the gamut of biscuits, waffles, pancakes, omelets, benedicts, scrambles, salads, and sandwiches.
If you're fan of poached eggs, you can count on the Wild Eggs folks to cook ‘em right (a perfect soft-set with runny yolk)and they arrive in cunning combinations, such as a crabmeat and lemon hollandaise pairing or with green chili-cheddar corncakes, chorizo, and queso. The Hoosier Bennie pairs two poached eggs with breaded and fried pork loin, Dijon sauce, corn relish, and salsa on a buttermilk biscuit. The Veggie Bennie Florentinie is a delicious vegetarian option, the eggs perched on toasted English muffins with sauteed spinach, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and a generous pour of hollandaise. Complete the platters with your choice of golden-fried skillet potatoes or grits of the day.
They've designed a chicken-and-waffle dish with a nod to Nashville hot chicken. The fiery boneless breast is served with bacon over a waffle, whose batter is folded with shredded chicken. Balance the heat with something sweet, and drizzle the signature buttermilk-maple syrup over top. If you're in the mood for more sweetness, wild berry crepeswhisper-thin cakes tucked with cream cheese, mixed berry compote, and blackberry sorghumwould do the trick. Also highly recommend are the buttermilk pancakes, terrific in the classic version, as well as embellished with fresh raspberries, raspberry sauce, and a crisscross of lemon curd, a rendition that could double as dessert.
Kids are covered, too, at this family-friendly place. Check out the Wild Child menu for dishes such as the Iddy-Biddy-Eggy Omelet and Abby's Shorty Stack.
333 Union St., 615-248-3400; wildeggs.com