If you learn anything in life, let it be that ice cream is suitable for consumption at all times of day. As you might expect, we don’t need an excuse or feel any shame about eating ice cream for breakfast, but if you do, let it be Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream‘s Brutal Breakfast. Launched last month as a partnership with Brutal Magazine, the breakfast is served every day from 8am until noon and features dishes that range from a riff on the classic egg sandwich to a sorbet-topped yogurt parfait and avocado ice cream toast (yes, you read that right). Any remaining skeptics can rest assured that the off-beat menu is the work of an accomplished chef (owner Nicholas Morgenstern is also behind nearby GG’s and El Rey Coffee Bar & Luncheonette). It may not be the most nutritious option, but this breakfast menu as is well put together as that found at any restaurant.
Photo by Becky Hughes
Sure, you could stick with the egg sandwich ($9) and call it a day (or go all in and add pâté for an additional $2). You’re better than that, though, so you know not to go to an ice cream shop and order an egg sandwich. Instead, opt for the breakfast sundae ($7.5o), a yogurt parfait topped with apricot sorbet, toasted sesame seeds and honey. After one bite, you will never look at a typical parfait the same way again. If you’re anything like me, you might even come to the (totally valid) conclusion that yogurt should always be eaten with a scoop of icy, slightly tart sorbet.
Photo by Becky Hughes
Inspired by El Rey chef Gerardo Gonzales, Morgenstern’s “Chill Out Dude, It’s Just Avocado Toast” riffs on one of the last year’s trendiest foods by replacing the usual mashed avocado with a creamy, barely sweetened avocado ice cream. Slightly melted and spread over a slice of white bread, the silky smooth ice cream is topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. If that sounds simple, that’s because it is. Simple is often better though, and that is definitely the case here.
Photo by Becky Hughes
If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, opt for the salt and pepper bread pudding ($7.50), a staff favorite served with thinly sliced beet, edible aster petals and a dollop of yogurt. With a name like “Don’t Get Salty with Me, Miss Pepa,” this is a dish that simply cannot be passed up. As a sweet-savory hybrid that defies categorization, this is the type of off-beat breakfast dish that will leave you satisfied, impressed and ready to take on the day ahead.
Like all good things, breakfast at Morgenstern’s must come to an end, so hurry and get there by March 15th for a taste of the deliciously innovative menu. If you don’t make it in by then, don’t worry, Morgenstern’s opens at 8am daily, serving coffee and pastries for regular people and ice cream for people like us.
Location: 2 Rivington St (bet Bowery and Chrystie)
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thu 8am to 11pm, Fri-Sat 8am to midnight