Tokyo has a bevy of eclectic restaurants to choose from, from outlandish themes, both cute and creepy, to high-end gourmet specialty restaurants, to restaurants or cafes that specialize in a certain food or dish. If organic free-range eggs are one of your favorites, or even something that you are interested in, I highly suggest you check out eggcellent.
Self-proclaimed as Tokyo’s first and only organic egg restaurant, eggcellent is a charming little eatery tucked behind the Armani store in the Hollywood Beauty Plaza in Roppongi Hills. Inspired by a comment from an American friend about how in the morning, people should take it slow in order to get the best possible start to the day, the restaurant owner decided to open up a restaurant that focused on “morning culture”. By serving eggs and breakfast-style food all day long, the hope is that it will encourage people to take it slow and cultivate “excellent moments.”
The restaurant serves farm-to-table eggs from Japanese certified organic (BMW技術農法) Kurokuji Farm in Yamanashi. All the chickens are free-range and the eggs are gathered and shipped as soon as, like the menu cites, they “pop.” Depending on the time of the day, you will encounter one of eggcellent’s five different bilingual rotating menus. The restaurant offers breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner throughout the day, and with a specialized take-out menu, there are lots of egg-themed offerings to indulge in. If all the choices overwhelm you, don’t worry, in the mist of all the poached egg topped kale salads, pancakes, several signature variations of eggs Benedict and other foods, you can always order three simple eggs, cooked to your preference at any time throughout the day. The staff at eggcellent take lots of pride in all of their dishes and products and are more than happy to answer questions or make a recommendation.
On my most recent visit, my friend and I enjoyed some of the eggs benedict dishes. I chose The Greek Benedict, an English muffin topped with feta, hummus, sun-dried tomatoes, a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. My friend went with the Japanese take on the dish with the A.M. (Avocado Maguro) eggcellent Quinoa Rice Benedict which is shiso-sesame quinoa and rice topped with avocado, tuna, a poached egg, mugi-miso sauce, and fried lotus root chip on top. The next time I visit, I would love to try the mouth watering Grand Mariner French Toast. While the focus is on eggs, with sweet and savory, healthy or indulgent choices on the menu, there are lots of options when it comes to meeting your particular hunger needs.
Guests are welcomed through an elaborately-constructed natural wood sculpture of an egg that serves as the entryway. The warm natural wood theme continues into the restaurant, giving the restaurant a simple and rustic feel. With the inviting staff, bilingual menus, and warm atmosphere, it is very easy to take it slow and enjoy a meal at eggcellent, even if the venue is packed full.
Reservations, which can be made through the website, are recommended ahead of time, especially for breakfast between 7am and 11:30am. There is also a private room available for reservation at an extra charge per customer.
