Cutting into the fish cake benny ($19) a sigh of relief is emitted when there wasn’t a gush of yolk spilling onto the plate. Undercooked eggs is something I detest, it’s as if the egg just barfed all over the plate. Luckily, Babel’s poached eggs were perfect where the yolk slowly pours out and is thick enough to spread like soft butter.

The fact that the beautifully cooked egg is on top of a fish cake makes the dish even more coveted. Akin to a crab cake, the decadent bottom pulls apart easily and is seasoned perfectly with a touch of tartare sauce that gives it a briny bite and blends nicely with the hollandaise. If the fish cakes were cooked a touch longer to allow a crust to form, that bit of crunch against the other soft and silky ingredients would make the dish complete. It’s a main that works well for sharing as the combination is rather rich, so they smartly pair the bennys with a simple green salad.

Normally, I wouldn’t think to have a chicken shawarma wrap ($19) for brunch, but when you’re at Mediterranean restaurant it doesn’t seem so strange. Babel’s laffa wrap is uber thin and well toasted so that there are crispy air pockets. Stuffed with slivers of tender chicken, curried chickpeas, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and tahini sauce, the ingredients meld together nicely to create a tasty bite.

Hot and crispy shoestring fries finish off the plate and are the perfect vessels for dipping into the creamy garlicky toum. We should have chicken shawarma at brunch all the time.

Oddly, their brunch menu only lists a handful of cocktails as beverages, devoid of the traditional caffeine and juice options. Luckily, we pulled up all the drink options from their website so that I could enjoy a fragrant cup of Sloane tea latte ($5.50), given not everyone wants a stiff drink at 11 in the morning.

I am just happy we discovered a great brunch spot that is close to home, takes reservations, and has a lovely varied menu. Babka French toast and vegetarian shakshuka, we shall become better acquainted in the future.