Exterior of egg bistro with old antique showroom frontage
The egg is a rather peculiar food. It sometimes it doesn't do to think too much about where it came from and how it all works. But what works for the hen also worked for us – especially since we were hungry and looking for a gourmet breakfast close to home.
What better way then to pay our respects to the beloved egg than to visit the Egg Bistro, a busy bistro built within traditional antique showrooms on East Brisbane's Stanley Street. The Egg Bistro or simply 'The Egg' as it is known to its enthusiastic local following, devotes itself to showcasing the egg and its remarkable versatility in cooking in their breakfast menu.
There's been plenty of buzz in the Brisbane press about the Egg Bistro, and for good reason: the stylish and sophisticated decor including the cast iron gates and the restored mahogany bar demand you pay attention. With the traditional feel of an English pub but with none of the dust or grime, the Egg bistro is freshly coated and polished in every corner. However it was the breezy courtyard out the back that really stole the show with its spectacular white furniture offset by wooden ceiling fans and potted ferns. It was an ideal place to sip my vanilla latte (to my delight made from actual ground vanilla bean) as I waited for my egg soufflé. Served on a bed of watercress with a seasoned avocado salsa and smoked salmon, the fluffy soufflé was a real winner. With a side of perfectly cooked juicy mushrooms it was hard to find anything to fault with the dish.
I did however look over enviously at my breakfast partner who had eggs like I'd never seen before. Called the baked egg shakshouka, it was a Moroccan influenced dish with a whole egg baked in a cast iron pan in a stew of tomato, spices and sliced chorizo. It was a rich and bold breakfast choice but also a hit and no doubt what I'll be having next time, with a side of mushrooms – definitely more mushrooms!
After consuming our generously sized breakfasts we left with a new found respect for the egg and feeling quite pleased at discovering such a swanky, unique and affordable brekky joint just on our doorstep.
