Restaurant Review: MONKI Breakfastclub & Bistro

 

Sometimes I find that I’m a very impatient person (well depending on who you talk to…it might be more then sometimes), driving in rush hour traffic, waiting in line at a supermarket or..well you get the point. This trait has therefore prevented me from going to eat at a lot of the diners in and around town because 1) I pobably have less patience in the mornings when I’m starving and ) I get angry when I get hungry, where the perfectly coined term 'hangry' comes to mind. Luckily for me, when we decided to go check out Monki, there was somebody that was willing to go and grab us a table, solving my impatient problem for the short term (I secretly think they offered because Monki serves delicious coffee while you’re waiting in line)!

Atmosphere: A cozy laid back establishment reminiscent of a place you’d find by the coast.

Price Range: Mid $10s

Food: Shortly after placing our order, the table next to us received theirs and they happened to order the Brisket & Monki Sausage Hash also, I knew at that point that I’d made the right choice, especially with all the amazing eggs bennys to choose from. The hash was topped with perfectly cooked fried eggs, each having an oozy yolky center. I love cutting in to the egg yolk and watching it spill over to hash serving as a sauce. The dish was also topped with a creamy hollandaise sauce, but since the eggs were so gooey and rich, I felt that I didn’t even need the hollandaise. The potato hash very flavourful, extremely crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, holding up well against the saucy brisket and egg yolk. They would also be good alone with just a creamy mayo. They serve it as a side if you’re looking for your fill of carbs that morning!  I really enjoyed the braised brisket, very tender and savory. I preferred it over the sausage. I found the sausage to be a bit more gamey then I’d expected. It’s perfect for those that love lamb or venison. The fruit cup on the side was a nice complement to the salty bold flavours of the hash and brisket.

My friend ordered the Smoked Salmon, Asparagus Eggs Benedict which came with crispy capers and prosecco hollandaise sauce. The eggs were also cooked to perfection, the egg yolk spilling over mixing in with the buttery hollandaise. Whereas smoked salmon and capers are a classic combination. Throw in a bit of asparagus and it kept the dish fresh and inventive. The eggs bennys also came with a side of the crispy hash and a fruit cup, making for a perfect set meal. If you’re feeling adventurous, they also have a huge selection of various hot sauces to top off your meal. Feel free to try them all!

My pick: Brisket & Sausage Hash with Fried Eggs, Hashbrowns with Aioli

Overall: I’m crossing my fingers that the line ups get shorter as the weather cools down, but I guess the lines are a testament to the food being served. I guess I’ll just have to keep sipping on that coffee to keep me warm while patiently waiting for my next table at Monki OR better yet, anybody else want to come for brunch (wink wink)?

MONKI Breakfast Club & Bistro

1301 10 Ave SW

Calgary, AB

(587) 352-7131

Website: www.monki.ca