When we wake up on the weekends, the first thing we do is run to the kitchen, open up the fridge and figure out what’s for breakfast. Seldom do we make it out of the house before at least having a snack. As you can imagine, any sort of a wait list or line up would deter us merely because it would lengthen the amount of time between us and the food, especially that early in the morning. Essentially it’s an ‘I want food and I want it now’ type of situation. So how shocked was I, when my husband proposed that we should go have brunch at OEB one weekend. We’ve attempted this several times before to no avail because there was no way we were going to make it standing there in line for 30+ mins. I don’t know how we did it, but it happened and I’m glad to not have missed out on this experience!
Atmosphere: An energetic and bustling dining space with limited seating with a first come first served basis. The décor is bright and fun, really livening up the room, with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee right when you walk through the door.
Price Range: Mid $10s
Food and Drinks: OEB is known for their famous Soul in a Bowl, a brunch-style poutine with poached eggs, potatoes and bacon smothered in their brown butter hollandaise sauce. Variations of the soul in a bowl include avocados and tomatoes or pulled chicken, you can even get it without eggs.
However that shouldn’t be the only reason why you visit OEB. There are many other amazing dishes just as delicious if not more so. The hubby decided to order the Maritime Lobster and Shrimp Scramble, which is only served in limited quantities daily, all dependent on how much fresh seafood they’ve received. If it’s not fresh, they won’t serve it. The butter poached Canadian lobster are scrambles with shrimp, eggs and green onions then served inside a thin crepe topped with brown butter hollandaise. To elevate the plate even more, it’s garnished with French kelp caviar and micro greens!
Although it might sound a bit decadent, the dish was actually quite light. The eggs were fluffy and the seafood was sweet and juicy. Even with the lobster being poached in butter, it wasn’t oily. The hollandaise sauce was what really brought the whole dish together. The crepe would have felt bare otherwise.
As for me, I wanted to satisfy my sweet tooth and had the Belgium Waffle with fresh strawberries and raspberries. The waffles are normally served with either fresh strawberries or blueberries or a combo of both, but they were out of blueberries that day and the raspberries were an excellent substitution. Tart and juicy, it was perfect with the super fluffy waffle. Each bite literally melted in my mouth. I barely even had to use any maple syrup. Instead I decided on a side of whipped cream (how can I not?) which was a bit extra cost wise but well worth it. Nothing beats strawberries and whipped cream on waffles.
I wouldn’t have asked for anything more, however having a cup of the Café Umbria americano was the perfect accompaniment to the waffles and it came with a lovely biscotti cookie on the side. For those that don’t want coffee, OEB also has a great selection of Mighty Leaf Teas (one of my favourites is the tropical green tea). If you’re looking for something more to help wake you up, they also serve ‘specialty’ coffees like Baileys and Coffee or Kahlua and French Brandy. Don’t forget that you could also opt for something a bit more like the Morning Glory sparkling wine and orange juice or just go straight for the Bloody Mary.
My Picks: Belgium Waffle, Maritime Lobster and Shrimp Scramble Crepe
Overall: Now that we know what all the waiting is about, it is definitely worth it and I can see why the line up was all the way out the door. The food is fresh and flavourful with plenty of selection to satisfy all your cravings. It really is true, good things do come to those who wait. We might be on to something here. No more scrounging for food first thing in the mornings!
OEB Breakfast Co.
824 Edmonton Trail NECalgary, AB
(403) 278-3447
Website: www.eatoeb.com
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