A place with plenty of egg-stra

I've been racking my brains to think if I've ever been as spoilt for choice as I was at Eggspectation at City Walk last week. And I'm going to have to say no. The menu seems never-ending, with dozens of options running the gamut from burgers to crepes to salads and pastas, sandwiches, flatbreads and, of course, signature breakfast meals. This is not counting the drinks and desserts menu. You can look at this 'gastronomic overload' in two ways: one, it can be a tad overwhelming for the decision-making-challenged (such as myself) - especially when everything looks equally good! (Three times, my partner was certain he knew what he wanted, before being lured away by another offering on the menu. Talk about good problems!) On the other hand, no one will be able to say they weren't able to find something that appealed to their palates.
And what are these offerings? The restaurant name should give you a clue. The menu is primarily inspired by eggs - served up in every style you could want: scrambled, poached, omelette, sunny side up... But did you know Eggspectation actually started out as a brunch-and-dinner concept called Expectation? CEO Enzo Renda tells us that the brand's desire to stick to their original profile - established in 1993 - is why they also serve up several non-eggy dishes today.
There aren't many diners when we walk in on a weekday evening: the place is understandably more packed in the mornings. But then there are rebels like us: who, on occasion, wouldn't say no to a spot of breakfast at night. We weren't disappointed.
Taste - Mains like Yolk Around the Clock (grilled bagel, eggs, beef bacon, cheese, Lyonnaise-style potatoes) were solid brekkie options demanding large appetites. The meat wasn't crispy, but we forgot about it when we ended with the Smores French Toast, a delish dessert you have to make space for.
Ambience - A casual diner, Eggspectation really hones in on the 'casual' aspect with white straight-backed chairs and brick facades. We quite enjoyed the playlist of 90s hit songs that kept making us put our conversation on hold to 'bop (and eat) along'.
Service - The servers were friendly and happy to offer recommendations. Given the vast menu, we needed to call on them a fair few times - but they were patient and happy for us to take our time with our orders. We did have them all to ourselves, so suppose a better test would be when it's house full.
Presentation - All the dishes were presented quite well, with plenty of visual appeal. The Montreal Poutine starter - fries coated with cheese halloumi curds and a special homemade sauce - was downright addictive, helped greatly by its plating that said, 'Tuck right in'.
Value for money - Starters are priced between Dh20-40, mains between Dh50-150 and desserts between Dh20-60. A single main can fill you right up, but it would definitely make for a heftier bill if you wanted to enjoy a three-course meal, with all the works.
AT A GLANCE
Eggspectation, City Walk, Safa St, Dubai
Reservations: 04-2406877
Avg cost for 2: Dh200
karen@khaleejtimes.com

• Food and Dining