There were more diners at The Big Egg (5107 Detroit Ave.,
216.281.1600) on a recent Saturday morning than I had ever seen at
Saigon 88, Pho Que Huong or Long Phung, the restaurants that both
preceded and superseded it. In fact, there were more diners at this
version of the Big Egg than even the original could claim in its final
desperate years. Apart from the name, address and egg-shaped menus, the
two Eggs share little in common. The former was a beloved and reviled
dive that posed a significant health hazard to even the casual
passerby. The latter appears to be a welcome addition to the
neighborhood. Don’t get me wrong: The locale still attracts its fair
share of characters, but also young couples, families and cops. The
corner spot is bright, clean and airy, made all the airier by wall
cutouts that unite the restaurant’s two rooms. A sweeping diner-style
menu features large salads, Greek and Italian entrees, fried-fish
platters and open-face sandwiches. Breakfast is served all day. Service
is quick and friendly, and the food — at least the breakfast
— isn’t half bad. Popular items include omelets, pancakes,
skillets and the 2X4, two each of pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage for
$4. The western omelet ($5.99) is pretty much textbook (though a tad
dry), with onions, green peppers and diced ham. Pancakes ($3.99) are
large and fluffy and served with Hungry Jack from its original
container. Biscuits-and-gravy ($4.79) fans won’t have much to complain
about in this version, which comes with or without eggs. The hash
browns could use some jazzing up, but at least they arrive with a nice
crust.
In other breakfast news: East Side fans of Heather Haviland‘s
delish Lucky’s brunch no longer have to hightail it to Tremont
for their fill. Haviland and chef Ky-Wai Wong have begun
offering the same thoughtful breakfast fare at Vine & Bean (12706 Larchmere Blvd., 216.707.3333, vineandbeancafe.com). Enjoy beloved
items like cheddar biscuits and gravy, gingerbread waffles and the
aptly named Shipwreck, a delicious collision of scrambled eggs, bacon,
cheddar and fried potatoes.
Ty Fun (815 Jefferson Ave., 216.664.1000, tyfunthaibistro.com), everybody’s
favorite Tremont Thai bistro, can get pretty crowded at dinner time.
Save yourself the hassle by visiting during the new lunch hours, 11:30
a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The entire menu is available, as
is the full bar.
This article appears in Apr 1-7, 2009.
