The Egg Station
★★★☆☆ 3.3 (73) • $
"It's easy to miss The Egg Station, driving in Mulberry -- it lives in a plaza that's set back from the road, and doesn't really grab the eye. This is a common problem along Shepherd Road, and the two restaurants that occupied the space prior to The Egg Station suffered greatly from location-based troubles. Some locations work against a restaurant; this plaza has that problem, and honestly, I didn't expect The Egg Station to thrive in it, no matter how strong their offerings were.Then I noticed the parking lot full, and folks parked two deep on the adjacent grass, during its business hours. On weekdays. At 10:30am. At 7:30am. This place is hopping pretty much around the clock, when open -- indeed, if you're looking for a quiet time there, try dropping in at one in the afternoon, or right as doors open in the morning -- and any place that can regularly achieve crowds like that is worth a visit.I'm so glad I did. This is exactly the breakfast and lunch spot that Mulberry has sorely needed. Big enough to handle its crowds, staffed amply enough that food reaches table quickly and drinks stay topped off, open and inviting, a little noisy at times, but I've never seen it too noisy to visit with your tablemates, and hey, the sound of fellow happy people is a good thing. And yet, what really makes The Egg Station stand out is a large crew with some of the best camaraderie and team interaction I've seen to date. The manager clearly understands, and appreciates, the need for a lower guest to employee ratio, even with the additional cost involved, and more, this team works together beautifully. I typically sit at the counter, and there, I'm treated to pieces of the conversations between employees. I listen to them look out for one another, coordinate tasks, catch up recognizably as friends with a degree of sincerity that's a little disarming, in a world full of corporatized restaurant culture and artificial mock-warmth. Nothing's plastic about this crew's smiles, or their commitment to one another, to their guests, and to the restaurant, and their warmth is quite contagious. This is a really, really special group of people, and as much as I like the food -- it's simple, straightforward breakfast and lunch fare, few surprises, but that's exactly what a place like this ought to be -- it's the people that bring me back, again and again. Having my morning meal in an atmosphere of warmth, cooperation and positivity sets the tone for the rest of my day, and I really do feel that The Egg Station's not simply selling breakfast and lunch, but also selling the climate in which we enjoy that meal, and the experience of being surrounded by a particularly well-run restaurant full of warm, welcoming hosts. Many places offer an adequately warm experience; this one has offered, every time I visited, an unforgettably, upliftingly warm experience, and that's quite unusual.I've not tried lunch fare there, but the breakfasts are quite good. Simple, classic, effective, no great surprises on the menu, what arrives at your table will be exactly as the description suggested, and again, that's very much what you're likely after for brunch; the morning's too early for playful amuses-bouche or daring fusion cuisine experiments. Instead, you'll find solid, dependable American breakfast classics. The omelets are particularly good, the eggs crepe-thin, solid ingredients cooked into them, cheese in the middle as the egg-crepe is folded over onto itself. This is a really nice touch, and makes the omelet structurally sound, easy to dice up and dine upon, and the stratification really helps the flavors to stand out. (Their bacon and cheese omelet was, to my surprise, particularly a standout this way.) The half-shaved, half-smashed classic home fries are a splendid complement, nicely browned and crisp at the edges, tender and still fluffy in the middle. Folks in more of a carbohydrate mood would do well to check out the fruit-filled French toast, often in rotation on the daily specials -- it really is like eating pie for breakfast, and while it proved a bit too rich for me, I cannot help but imagine it's likely to be many folks' favorite menu offering. The coffee's smooth and well-paired to the entrees, a light morning blend with a surprising, if subtle-building, caffeine kick.I struggle to find criticism; my only real point of could-be-better is that the front reception area was clearly not designed for the kind of volume this place attracts -- it's a bit small. The young lady working the register does a great job keeping traffic flowing, mind you, but at peak hours, when there's both a line for a table and a line to pay, the front foyer area can get crowded. Be patient, smile, and accept that the place is simply more popular, and busy, than anticipated. This is the brunch restaurant Mulberry needed. Solidly good food, but more, spectacular people and atmosphere. They really brighten my morning; may they brighten yours too."
"This was our first visit to this location. We have been to the one in Riverview and liked it, but it is too far. This location is nice and located not too far from us in Clearwater. The service was great, and our server Angelo was so nice and attentive. The food was good, however, I wish my pancakes would have been a little warmer. They weren't cold, but when served with syrup that has been sitting on the table, they weren't hot enough for me. I also would have liked to have fresh syrup no get the idea of having it at the table and not have to worry about asking for it, but it's now room temperature and don't go well with my lukewarm pancakes. I also ordered a side of bacon, and thinking it would have been 4 pieces but it was only 2. I do think a side of bacon should be 4 slices since everywhere else you go for breakfast it's 4. I ordered a side of sausage and it came with 4 links so not sure why the bacon doesn't. My husband ordered the Southern Bowl and he loved it. He said it was delicious but next time will get the potatoes on the side. It was a large serving and the potatoes and grits took it over the top. I do wish they offered a flavor creamer for coffee because it needed it. I am a true coffee lover and theirs could be a little better; it took me too many to get the bitter coffee taste out. We loved the inside of the restaurant, it was bright, open and clean. We will be back soon as it is nice to have a nice breakfast spot to drive to that isn't too far away from our house."
"Food is great . We had Fried Pickles to share! Sue had a salad with Grilled Chicken of course!! I had the cheeseburger with fries to share! You can find the game you want on the many tv's and so a great place to eat and watch the game!!!"
