m. henry

5707 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL - (773) 561-6100

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Posted By Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle on 3/10/2013 11:34:00 PM

There's no shortage of great breakfast spots in Chicago, and many of them have already been written about here at Roadfood.com. Let us add one of our favorites to the mix, Andersonville's m. henry. Their motto is "chow for now," which apparently refers to a modern food sensibility that focuses on locally sourced and organic provisions and healthy eating. But, clearly, taste comes first here because the breakfasts we've tried have been sensational.

Fannie's Killer Fried Egg Sandwich, a breakfast menu highlight, fills toasted sourdough slices with two over-medium eggs, applewood bacon, sliced plum tomatoes, gorgonzola, and fresh thyme. It sounds great and tastes even better. A spectacular breakfast special of butternut~applepecan hotcakes (tilde theirs) incorporated butternut squash into the batter. The whole shebang was garnished to a fare-thee-well with fruits and nuts, creams and syrups. We have our eyes on a dandelion, leek, and shallot omelette for a future visit. No, this ain't your uncle's diner grub!

Fruit juices and lemonade are fresh-squeezed. Locally roasted coffee is organic and fair trade. On your way in you'll pass through the bakery, and those cinnamon rolls (and cakes and tarts and brownies and cookies) look mighty tempting.

The lunch menu features a roster of well-thought-out sandwiches, including some vegetarian options like a nut-and-grain meatloaf and a veggie Dagwood. And we have to love a place that features two versions of grilled cheese. There are also hot bowls built around noodles, brown rice, or black beans.

Prices are more than reasonable for food prepared with this much care. Most breakfast and lunch dishes run in the $7-10 range. Brunches are particularly popular, and you can expect a significant wait on weekend mornings. The restaurant closes at 3, the bakery at 4.

Scorecard

Overall: One of the Best - Worth a Trip

Fresh-Squuezed Orange Juice - Large	Butternut Applepecan Hotcakes
Fannie's Killer Fried Egg Sandwich	Applewood Smoked Bacon

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"Butternut Applepecan Hotcakes were a special the morning we visited. The batter includes butternut squash, and between the cakes are apples and maple mascarpone creme. They are crowned with toasted pecans and drizzled with apple cider syrup."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"Fannie's Killer Fried Egg Sandwich is a showstopper of over-medium eggs and gorgonzola, with applewood-smoked bacon, tomatoes, and fresh thyme, on toasted sourdough. M. Henry's excellent house potatoes are served alongside."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"You pass through the bakery on the way to the restaurant, which makes your breakfast decision that much harder."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"The room is bright and casual. Their website notes that if you like the feel of m. henry, they are available to help design your home or business."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"Hanging windows and window frames divide the space."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"We have a feeling something food-related takes place behind this facade."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

"M. Henry, in Andersonville, is one of our favorite breakfast spots in Chicago."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle