I’m unsure whether the name Eggsmart is a fusion word for either Eggs mart or Egg Smart, but if I had to chose based on how I felt after eating at this restaurant, I’d go with the latter of the two. Eggsmart is a relatively new Ontario based brunch franchise with a few locations popping up on the radar. The one I went to was one of it’s newest locations at the intersection of Bay and Elm St. Taking over the shady spot that Coffee Time had for years, Eggsmart lies across the street from the extremely cheap Bay Street Hotel, and is destined to become a good breakfast/brunch spot for its guests.
Antony and I couldn’t believe that the previously vacant Coffee Time had finally been renovated and opened into a new restaurant, so we couldn’t resist the urge to go in and have a bite to eat. We were greeted with an extremely friendly waitress who promptly sat us to the desired seat, “near the sun but not directly in it”. She was very attentive to our needs and was not too intrusive.
Inside Eggsmart
Even though it’s largely a breakfast place, the Eggsmart menu does come with more lunch oriented choices, such as sandwiches, salads, and wraps. But I was feeling like a brunch this time so I ordered the Sausage Scrambler, a bowl of scrambled eggs mixed with sausage, cheddar, green peppers, and onions. It came with a side of excellent texas toast, and home fries. The Sausage Scrambler was an excellent choice, with it’s nice blending of the two tastiest brunch vegetables. There was enough in the bowl for it to be filling too, and I had more left over to share with Antony who also liked the dish. The texas toast came buttered, but was slightly drenched in it. Antony noted that sometimes it’s best to ask them not to butter your toast.
Sausage Scrambler
A container of jam packets sits at each table, so you never have to worry about being short of jam. And the home fries… they were excellent! Soft in the middle, crispy on the outside, and they had just the right amount of seasoning (a bit of salt and a bit of spice) to make them really good. Antony said his home fries came out a bit too salty for his taste, which he told the waitress about. She quickly had them replaced with no hassle, and even inquired later how they tasted. Antony said they were excellent and was glad that there was no problem getting them replaced.
Antony had the traditional breakfast, 3 eggs served with choice of meat (bacon, ham, or sausage) choosing “bacon, extra crispy and eggs over-easy” as usual. His eggs came in perfect shape, with the yolks intact and waiting to be punctured releasing their slimy, yolkie goodness. His bacon was perfect and his request was met, it came extra crispy! Each dish also came with a slice of orange twisted with a slice of melon, a great addition to the meal.
Traditional Breakfast, bacon extra cripsy
We both were extremely satisfied with our meal, and even more satisfied with the bill. The grand total of all this good food for the both of us? Just shy of $14. It’s been ages since the both of us have had great food at a sit down restaurant for under $20. In fact, I don’t think we ever have outside of a fast food restaurant. While looking at the small bill, I’d also like to say that you better make sure to tip your waitress. At $14, I felt stingy leaving the usual 15% tip, so I went ahead with Greg’s Twoonie Rule (that you should usually try to give a toonie per person), and gave her a $4 tip. This place is also open until midnight, and I’m a sucker for great late night eats, so I definitely plan on going back again. [Edit: I recently went by Eggsmart about a week ago, and unfortunately, they are now only open until 3pm. I guess staying open until midnight wasn't viable for them.]
Here’s something cute. On the way home later on in the day, I walked by Eggsmart, and caught a picture of an Eggsmart Smart car in the parking lot across the street. Once again, reaffirming, that these guys are smart.
The Egg-Smart car
Average Price: $6 per entree
Hours: 6am – 3pm
TTC Directions: Get off at Dundas Station, walk west on Dundas St. until you reach Bay St. Walk 2 blocks north to Elm St.
Website: eggsmart.ca