Charcoal is the relatively casual Venice restaurant from revered Mélisse chef-owner Josiah Citrin. On Saturdays and Sundays, weekend brunch brings several unique dishes to Venice Beach’s doorstep, none more interesting than signature Charcoal Benedict.

Charcoal Benedict ($16) is an original take on a brunch classic featuring thick-cut grilled ham, tomato compote, poached egg, and charcoal-infused Hollandaise sauce. Thin-sliced, toasted sourdough is not as sturdy as the traditional English muffin, but still does the job, more or less. Each order comes with an oven-roasted tomato, which at least in our case, helped to overcome the weak flavor from wan off-season tomatoes. Crispy smoked fingerling potatoes paired well with the Hollandaise and bright yellow egg yolk, which spilled from the center of the volcanic sauce, which resembled what I witnessed on Hawaii’s Big Island. At least in this case, there’s no danger of encountering any residual magma, but charcoal Benedict can still get pretty messy. Be sure to dab your lips constantly with your napkin or you’ll look like you’ve been lapping up an oil spill. Better yet, bring wet wipes. Either way, this brunch dish is worth it.

Dose of Vitamin P spotlights my favorite pork dish from the previous week.