Optimistically Cautious: Generic by Choice: White Spot

Thwarted by the long line at Tim Hortons, Dickson and I had to find an alternative breakfast/brunch place this morning. Wanting very much to satisfy my craving for eggs, I suggested we give White Spot (3921 Calgary Trail) a try.

The only thing I had heard about White Spot was that a friend who dined here once saw Steve Staios and his family at the restaurant. Other than that, my impressions were assumptions - that the White Spot was another generic establishment billing itself as family-friendly but also sophisticated enough for adult-only dining (cf. Boston Pizza, Ricky's All Day Grill, Applebee's, etc.). I wasn't wrong.

It was nearly noon by the time we pulled up to the restaurant, and we found that the wait was between fifteen to twenty minutes. That was enough time to visually explore the decor - including a prominently placed fake fireplace out front and "welcome" in a variety of languages imprinted above the waiting area. White Spot really did remind me of Kelsey's - a sports bar just off the main thoroughfare, cozy booths, friendly, girl-next-door waitresses, and a nearly identical menu.

We were seated in the back near the kitchen, in an area adjacent to a skylight, an unexpected but much appreciated design feature. It didn't take us long to decide on our meals, as there were only five brunch options available at this location (a far cry from the twelve listed on the website - there was not a pancake, waffle, or omelet in sight). We both chose Nat's Country Style Breakfast ($8.95) - toast, hash browns and 2 each of eggs, bacon and sausage.

Our orders arrived in record time - after about five minutes - though as Dickson commented, it wasn't a difficult plate to put together, nor was the serving size particularly impressive. While it was a filling first meal of the day for me, it still wasn't wholly satisfying. Perhaps it was my mistake in ordering something that I could have made myself without too much effort.

For brunch at least, there are a lot more interesting options than White Spot to choose from.