Lobster Eggs Benedict – Ceia Restaurant and Bar, Newburyport, MA

Just a few weekends ago I had such a fantastic brunch at Ceia Restaurant and Bar.

What was I doing way up in Newburyport?

I was getting to meet Carrie and Liz!!!!!!!

I have been talking to Carrie for ages and ages on social media, but have never met, although we live a little more an hour apart. Carrie introduced me to Liz when she invited me to brunch. So much fun.

Liz picked Ceia Restuarant and Bar for our brunch as we decided to meet in the middle of all of us. Liz lives nearby and enjoys going there for drinks and dinner so it sounded like a great pick. And it was!

Carrie ordered a Kobe Burger ($16). It’s a burger on a buttered focaccia bun and topped off with Serrano ham, manchego cheese, and a slice of tomato. All of their sandwiches are served with Duckfat fries. OMG! I snagged some and they were fantastic. It was the first time I had Duckfat fries, and I’m hooked now. Plus, they serve a house-made ketchup that is sweet, smokey, and creamy. One of the best homemade ketchups that I’ve ever had.

Liz stuck with the breakfast dishes and ordered the pancakes ($13). The pancakes were studded with black walnuts and thinly chopped pear, and served with with fresh maple syrup. The pancakes were cooked in Candy Cap Oil, which is actually oil infused with forged mushrooms, but has a maple flavor to it. Pretty cool.

Carrie ordered a mimosa and I ordered a Bloody Mary as our brunch bevies. The Bloody Mary was good, but I felt it it was missing something, spicy maybe? Plus, I thought it was ‘weak’. Similarly, Carrie thought her mimosa was too.

I had considered ordering the Shirred Eggs entree but when I saw they had a Lobster Benedict ($18) I just knew it was the thing I couldn’t resist.  I mean how could I?!?

Poached Lobster, poached eggs, and a thick slice of Tomato set atop an English Muffin. And then a Spicy Hollandaise was drizzled on top.  Then some dressed arugula was piled on top all of that.

It all just sounded too good.

 

 And it really, really was so good.

The serving of the lobster was generous and cooked perfectly. As well, the poached eggs were just about perfect. The addition of the tomato and arugula was enjoyable as they added to the flavor and texture of the dish. The arugula added a bit of a pop to it all. The only disappointing element of the dish were the English Muffins. It seemed that they had forgotten to be toasted, or if they were it was done so lightly that the insides still seemed doughy. Yes, I could have requested new English muffins but I didn’t as I didn’t feel that I missed out on the overall experience of the dish but leaving them to the side. Plus, there still was a great side of hash browns to be enjoyed.

The side of potatoes were amazing. I loved how crunchy they were. They were a great vehicle for the ketchup that was served along side of them. That ketchup was unreal. I typically notice a heavy molasses or vinegar taste in homemade ketchups but this didn’t have either distinct flavor. It was a great consistency and well balanced.

Brunch with great food and great company is always fantastic. I can’t wait to meet up with Carrie and Liz again. And I highly suggest going to Ceia in Newburyport to satisfy your eggs benedict craving.

Rating

English Muffin– 13/20 pts

Lobster and Tomato– 20/20 pts

Poached Egg– 23/25 pts

Spicy Hollandaise- 24/25 pts

Homefries and ketchup– 9/10 pts

 

Total: 89/100 pts

Ceia Restaurant and Bar

38 State Street

Newburyport, MA 01950

978.358.8112