Carthage Must Be Destroyed
01 June 2025
Usually a favorite restaurant dish is aspirational at home, and never quite measures up to restaurant standards, even if all the ingredients are in check. That is not the case with the Carthage Breakfast Salad that has outlived its restaurant roots.
Discreetly nestled in the East Williamsburg Industrial Zone, Carthage Must Be Destroyed was known for its pink duct work, pink plates, and its no photos policy. The rules, the vibe, the plates, and of course the food added to its intrigue. The menu included many appealing dishes, but the standout was a big, bushy, hearty salad, that was served spilling over its plate with two oblong, crunchy sourdough toasts. It came standard with lots of crispy Romaine, avocado, herbs, cucumbers sliced vertically, and sprouts. It was dressed with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, flaky salt, and coarse black pepper. Eggs and marinated feta were optional, but necessary as this was not just a breakfast salad, but a lunch or dinner that was tasty, satisfying and filling. And the best part of its legend was that the menu description included ‘best eaten w/hands’ with an asterisk.
Total time -
About 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS -
Two servings
Two large romain lettuce hearts
2 large hard boiled eggs
I large, ripe avocado
2 Kirby cucumbers
1/2 cup chives
2 or 3 ounces sprouts
About 4 ounces fresh herbs
2 large lemons
Maldon salt and black peppercorns
Extra virgin oil olive
4 ounces soft feta cheese (optional)
1 large garlic clove (optional)
Sourdough toast (optional)
PREPARATION -
Marinate feta in a small container with garlic clove and black pepper. Fill with olive oil to submerge cheese, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Clean, wash, and dry the lettuce leaves, trim white ends; fluff and unfurl on the upper three quarters of the serving plate, arranging them in their natural formation
Squeeze a half lemon over each plate of lettuce leaves
Place avocado halves on each plate
Add alfalfa sprouts, or other favorite sprouts around the lettuce and avocado halves
Slice cucumbers vertically and place on the side
Cut eggs in half and place at the base of the lettuce with a lemon half
Sprinkle salt, pepper, and chopped chives over the entire plate, add marinated feta
Drizzle entire plate with olive oil to taste
Tear fresh herbs of your choice, keeping leaves whole - basil, cilantro, and mint are great choices - add on top
Serve with sourdough toast
NOTES -
Carthage Must Be Destroyed closed in spring 2023. The photos are from separate visits to the restaurant. The Carthage’s no photos policy allowed for photos within your personal space.
