On the first floor of the Union Trust building, four entrances create a cross, and the ground is lined with two blue carpets. Intersecting the rugs in the middle is a help desk, and diagonally adjacent to it is a podium attended by a host from The Speckled Egg.
“Hello Madam, have you dined with us before,” he said before leading me to a small table outside the restaurant, next to the blue carpet.
Initially, I thought The Speckled Egg was similar to Einstein Bros Bagels in PPG Place. But it wasn’t, it was a sit-down restaurant, which gave a similar feeling of a fine-dining experience without a high price.
Initially, my waitress was attentive and asked me if I was ready about three times too quickly while I picked the T.S.E breakfast sandwich for $10, the fried chicken biscuit for $15, a devil’s egg toast for $12, and a mocha coffee for $5.25.
The T.S.E. breakfast sandwich came with an onion and poppy bun, two “broke yolks,” T.S.E. sauce, American cheese and Boston lettuce. The bread was impeccably chewy, and the egg yolks inside were cooked so they were firm but still gooey.
It was very simple but done so well. The lettuce addition added a third flavor that aided in elevating the sandwich without raising the price.
It was warm, tasty and could be called comfort food.
Next was the deviled egg toast, which was yummy and had a spicy kick to it. The sourdough toast slice was crispy against the softer and squishy deviled egg salad. Mini pickles were mixed in along with Calabrian chili oil and chives. The pickles that were scattered throughout added an extra vinegar taste.
After eating a large quantity of this, it became too spicy. The chives stuck in my teeth, adding to both this spiciness and a grassy taste.
Sips of the mocha coffee, which had an artful cream design, washed the grass taste down in between bites. The coffee was bittersweet, and grew more bitter as it cooled and the chocolate settled at the bottom of the mug. Due to this, I had to stir it.
There was a proper balance between the chocolate and coffee. It wasn’t too bitter or sweet.
Last, the fried chicken biscuit’s breading was crispy and light, placed onto a square-looking buttermilk biscuit. The biscuit was moist like the chicken, topped with local honey, pimento cheese and pickles. Though, I removed the pickles.
The crispy texture and taste of the oil and condiments mixed nicely to create a different rendition of a breakfast sandwich.
By the third plate, I realized that every dish at the Speckled Egg was thoroughly thought out. The different flavor combinations balanced each other. This sandwich was built to be sweet while the toast, although I didn’t like it much, was supposed to be spicy, cool and crispy.
The price was reasonable and the coffee, out of a mug, was better than something from Starbucks. If you’re in it for fancy coffee art, a classy breakfast experience and just OK service, then the chilly 11-minute walk over to 501 Grant Street is for you.
Although, I wouldn’t recommend it with the sub-zero temperatures we’ve been having.
