Situated in Montclair at 6126 Medau Place, The Montclair Egg Shop is a quaint little breakfast and lunch nook. Its cozy vibe and quirky qualities lead it to be a fun place to catch a morning meal with friends or family. The building consists of exposed brick and dark beams, warm lighting, poetry, and inspirational quotes painted along the walls and ceiling. We entered and were greeted by a waitlist. We quickly put out names down and ventured to the nearby bookstore the Book Tree. The wait was short, only about 15 minutes. We were guided to our place by the window. 

The waiter quickly came over and asked what we would like to drink. Will ordered a small freshly squeezed orange juice and Bella got a Mocha, no whip cream. The orange juice tasted of sweet oranges with no pulp, to Will’s satisfaction. To Bella’s surprise, the mocha came in a large glass cup instead of the standard coffee mug. It was perfect though, not too sweet, and creamy from the chocolate, just the way Bella liked. 

Next, we ordered the Salsa de Montclair, an omelet consisting of scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, avocado, pico de gallo, sour cream, and roasted potatoes, and the Sweet Cheese Crepes, which consists of crepes topped with bananas, strawberries, and a strawberry sauce.

Finally, based on the recommendations of our assertive waiter we ordered the Huevos Rancheros – fried eggs, tortillas, ranchera sauce, and black beans topped with cheese and sour cream.

Our food came swiftly to our table. We noticed that it was on plastic plates which felt cheap in contrast to the atmosphere of the restaurant. Bella dug into the Huevos Rancheros. They were a fusion of Mexican flavors from the beans and ranchera sauce. The highlight of the dish was the cheddar cheese that melted into the tortilla and also had crispy bits which added depth and diverse texture to the palette. Bella splashed the whole dish in hot sauce which added some spice to the already diverse flavors. The spicy addition made the beans stand out as they and the sour cream cooled down each bite. All and all it was a perfect combination of flavor and yummy goodness. 

Will immediately went for the sweet crepes, and they were everything he wanted them to be. In eating his first bite he was exhilarated to find the sweet cream cheese, freshly sliced strawberries, and bananas created a perfectly balanced flavor. This was the first time that either Bella or Will had experienced the classically savory flavor of this sweet dish. It worked excellently though, the cream cheese was reminiscent of the classic cream cheese frosting. It was not too sweet, light, and fluffy, whipped to perfection which elevated the dish. It added a savory element and evened out the sweetness from the fruit and the strawberry sauce. Topped with a sweet strawberry jam, Will was in heaven. Bella, on the other hand, felt that the sauce tasted like artificial strawberries and took away from the cream cheese filling. In short, the crepes were a unique invention that are worth tasting.

The Salsa de Montclair was fine. Once mixed together, all of the flavors on the plate came together. However, individually they were bland, the eggs were cold, the sprinkled cheese did not melt, and the potatoes were unseasoned, resulting in them being doused in hot sauce to give them flavor, unlike the Racheros which used the hot sauce to enhance the flavors.  

Once we finished, our plates were taken away. Our total came out to $52.05, not including tip, which got us three dishes and two drinks. We felt that this was an affordable meal consisting of unique food options and an agreeable experience. A perfect local spot for those wanting to catch up with friends over a meal. Founded in the 70s, this place is an Oakland staple. 

Sincerely signed,

Bishop’s Foodies.