Chowder Loves: Breakfast for Dinner


1221494428With the arrival of The Hen House this summer—the city’s first fried-chicken-and-waffles-centric eatery—I made a happy re-discovery: I really, really, really love eating breakfast foods at night.

Maybe my weird affinity for things like pancakes and sausage in the evening is a vestige of my childhood, a reminder of those nights when Dad was cooking dinner. His culinary repertoire was always heavy on the Bisquick.

As a college kid in Ithaca, New York, I’d cap off an evening of studying (OK, drinking) with a BoBurger, a local delicacy consisting of a greasy cheeseburger topped with an equally greasy fried egg. (Supposedly it was born at a place called Obie’s; I’d get one at the State Street Diner.)

So when I headed into the downstairs bar (which is actually the second floor) of the newly reopened Marliave a few weeks ago, there was no question what I’d have: the Mrs. Marliave, a brilliant grilled ham and Gruyere sandwich, topped with an over-easy egg. Crispy, buttery, and ever-so-slightly sweet from the ham, it’s transcendent when covered with trickle of gooey yolk. This is a fork-and-knife sandwich, for sure, and totally worth the oozing mess it creates.

Then on Saturday, I stopped in to Kingston Station for a late-night bite and discovered the Station Burger. It’s reminiscent of my beloved BoBurger, but the egg is sunny side up instead of fried. Which makes for even more yolky goodness; my companion and I polished it off lickety-split.

Evidently, I’m not the only one who likes eggs and waffles after the sun’s gone down. Anyone else? Where should I go next for all-day breakfast fare, or other yummy breakfast/dinner hybrids? (Brunch menus don’t count—I have to be able to get it at night.)