Fried Soft Egg

I think I know the dish you might be thinking of!

Based on your description of a "fried soft egg" commonly found in restaurants in the USA, I'm going to take a guess that the dish you're thinking of might be a "Shirred Egg" or a "Fried Egg Sunny-Side Up".

A Shirred Egg is a cooking method where an egg is cracked into a hot skillet greased with butter or oil, and then cooked until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. The egg is often served with the yolk still soft and runny, hence the name "soft egg".

A Fried Egg Sunny-Side Up is similar, but the egg is cracked into a hot skillet greased with butter or oil, and then cooked until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. The egg is then flipped over to cook the other side for a shorter time, so the yolk is still soft and runny.

Both of these dishes are commonly found on breakfast menus in restaurants across the USA.

If I'm correct, would you like some tips on how to make a Shirred Egg or a Fried Egg Sunny-Side Up at home?

If not, please give me more details or characteristics about the dish you're thinking of, and I'll do my best to help you identify it!