Most of us have rolled through drive thrus and been satisfied with just-OK breakfast sandwiches. They’re awfully small — not really a full breakfast at all. But wow, do they come loaded with marketing doublespeak. There’s a certain restaurant chain that’s currently advertising the fact that its breakfast sandwiches now contain, a real “fresh-cracked” egg.
Congratulations on using the egg. And, well, as for “cracked,” how else are you supposed to get at what’s inside?
The thing is, there are some Edmonton cafes and restaurants that make really great breakfast sandwiches, efforts that far surpass anything you’d get from a drive-thru. Here’s what we tried:
The cafe is a converted, green home in Bonnie Doon, with a large patio in what was once a backyard. It’s pretty darn inviting.
The cafe has a breakfast sandwich on offer, and it’s the ciabatta bun that makes it all work. Bacon, egg and cheese are sandwiched in a pretty darn big package. But, what’s that French-toast kinda feel? That comes from the fact that a light drizzle of syrup is added, giving you a surprising note of sweetness.
Was I still hungry after eating this? No. Was eating this on the patio a nice way to spend a part of my morning? Yes.
Rosewood offers three takes on the breakfast sandwich: griddled scallions, bacon or chicken sausage.
I went with the house-made chicken sausage, a patty that’s as big as a burger. It’s served on a shiny, soft house-made milk bun, cheddar and a chili jam that’s, well, pretty tangy and sensational.
This is about as ambitious a breakfast sandwich as I’ve had in Edmonton; if you get it with a side of the home-fried potatoes, well, it’s the kind of breakfast that might require you to have a nap, afterwards.
Seriously, the chicken sausage is delicate, and doesn’t overpower the egg and cheese. It’s a fantastic balance, and maybe the most nuanced breakfast sandwich you can get in Edmonton.
Serving eggs Benedict as a sandwich is a challenge. After all, a poached egg is a runny egg, right? The Handheld Bennie is a poached egg with hollandaise served in a Portuguese bun — and this is not something you are going to eat in your vehicle, unless you hate your vehicle. The egg is delightfully gooey and will run over the bun, and we won’t tell if you lick some of it off your fingers.
There are choices of fixings to go on the sandwich; we had it with bacon and a lemon-garlic aioli that has just enough zip to cut the richness of the hollandaise.
As well, the patio is located in front of what may be the coolest strip mall in Edmonton, with a Ukrainian art gallery, vintage kitchen appliances and an art collective located upstairs.
