🍽️ Restaurant Review:
📍 Quick Facts
- Location: 19587 Seton Crescent SE #855, Calgary
- Phone Number: (587) 390-7773
- Website: monkibistro.ca
- Cuisine Type: Breakfast & Brunch
I managed to convince Geoff that he was absolutely worth celebrating for his birthday, even though he initially begged for no fuss to be made. Seeking a leisurely birthday brunch, I booked us a 1:30 PM reservation at Monki Bistro in Seton.
Parking was incredibly easy to find, so getting to the restaurant was completely stress-free.
Monki Bistro Seton sits in the middle of an impressive-looking building, its sweeping circular shape wrapped in a striking steel-patterned facade that sets you up for something grand before you even enter.
The moment we stepped inside, we were warmly greeted at the door and guided to a lovely table right by the window. Inside, the restaurant had a very modern vibe, with hanging plants adding plenty of greenery to the space, providing the perfect energetic backdrop for a birthday celebration.
Our water glasses were filled immediately, and we were handed our menus by the server.
We kicked things off by ordering two coffees—one black and one with cream. While the coffee itself tasted great, the experience took a bit of a dive when I looked at the creamer jug. It needed some TLC. The inside was visibly grungy with a layer of old, built-up milk residue that could literally be scraped off. It was a disappointing oversight in an otherwise clean-looking dining room and put a bit of a damper on our breakfast.
For the main course, I ordered the ‘Classic Ham Eggs Benny,’ smoked Alberta ham served on an English muffin. Geoff chose the ‘Beef Brisket Hash,’ a hearty combination of overnight braised Alberta beef, roasted mushrooms, roasted red peppers, jalapeño crisps, signature hollandaise, and two farm-fresh sunny-side eggs.
While we were waiting for our food, I excused myself to the ladies’ room. My real mission was to secretly let our server know it was his birthday.
When Geoff’s food arrived, it came topped with a lit green candle sticking straight out of his breakfast. Geoff thoroughly enjoyed his dish; the rich brisket and perfectly cooked eggs were a real highlight for him.
My own experience with the Ham Benny was much more of a mixed bag. The smoked Alberta ham was flavourful, and the farm-fresh egg was poached to absolute perfection, with a perfectly cooked yolk. However, the signature hollandaise sauce was slightly gloopy, and the English muffin underneath was bone dry without a single lick of butter or mayo to give it moisture. The English muffin 100% relied on the hollandaise sauce for any moisture or flavour.
The hash browns, however, were a letdown for both of us. Monki seasons their hash browns with an in-house spice mix, but we found it completely unnecessary and overdone. The hash browns were so aggressively spiced that they felt more like a coating than seasoning. They entirely overwhelmed our taste buds rather than complementing the food.
It was an okay experience at a restaurant with beautiful decor and friendly service, but the food and attention to detail fell short. The birthday response was pretty minimal. We certainly weren’t expecting a full, complimentary birthday cake, but given how much effort restaurants usually put into birthdays these days, they could have done more than a single candle.
As we walked out, we both agreed we could have eaten somewhere else for less and had a much better meal and overall experience.
📊 Scorecard
🍴 FOOD — 3.5 / 5
✨ EXPERIENCE — 4. / 5
Average of Service & Hospitality, Atmosphere & Vibe, and Value for Money.
• Service & Hospitality — 4.0 / 5
• Atmosphere & Vibe — 4.5 / 5
• Value for Money — 4.0 / 5
