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18 | December 1, 2016 | The tinley junction dining out
tinleyjunction.com
The Dish
Complex, homemade dishes aplenty at Egg Headz Cafe
James Sanchez
Contributing Editor
A laid-back, leisurely environment
is what one might
expect when walking into a
breakfast establishment on a
normal weekday morning.
There is no such atmosphere
at Egg Headz Cafe.
A Thursday morning at the
Tinley Park restaurant is met
with exuberant chatter from
families and couples at their
tables, while servers bustle
about, taking orders and serving
food. The short clink and
rattle of silverware hitting the
plate was constant throughout
the 190-seat eatery, which
often is near capacity.
Yet, owner Peter Mastorakos
is not fazed, looking over
at the waiting area at the front
of the door to only see a few
patrons waiting to be seated.
“This is calm for us,” Mastorakos
said. This is like a
walk in the park.”
That’s because on weekends
at Egg Headz, that area
is packed to the point where
lines are out the door and
with patrons waiting to eat
from more than 70 different
breakfast options (more
than 150 total, including the
lunch menu) — all of which
Mastorakos proudly said are
homemade and cooked with
quality ingredients.
With numerous breakfast
spots all over the south suburbs,
going the extra step
in making everything from
scratch is his recipe to standing
out against his competition.
And that is not just limited
to the food. It has a juice bar
for freshly squeezed items,
including orange, Fuji apple,
pear and cranberry, as well
as mixtures, like its signature
blend of pineapple, banana
and spinach.
“It costs a little extra, but
you could taste the difference,”
he said of his press
juicers.
The Tuscan Chicken Panini ($9.59) has chunks of grilled
chicken breast as a base, and it is topped with pesto, sundried
tomatoes and mozzarella. Roasted red pepper mayo
and a pickle is served on the side, along with an option for
either a bowl of soup or pasta salad.
The natural, sweet beverage
plays as a perfect complement
to all of the savory
offerings Egg Headz has,
including its signature steak
skillet ($11.59). The heaping
dish comes with 8 ounces of
grilled sirloin steak, shredded
hash browns, mushrooms,
onions, green peppers, and
Monterey jack and cheddar
cheese, topped with two eggs
any way.
Mastorakos served it with
eggs sunny-side up for the
yolk to run through every
layer of the skillet concoction
to help the cheeses pull
together the ingredients for a
hearty, creamy bite in every
forkful.
Those who prefer a sweeter
breakfast can go for the
French sampler ($9.99),
which is French toast served
three different ways. One
third is Egg Headz’s signature
French toast, which is
stuffed with mascarpone and
cream cheese, then topped
with cherry kijafa. The other
is red velvet covered in fresh,
glazed strawberries. And the
last is banana nut, topped with
bananas and walnuts.
A dollop of whipped cream
is placed in the middle, and
powdered sugar and cinnamon
are sprinkled all over
Egg Headz Cafe
16952 Oak Park Avenue
in Tinley Park
Hours
6 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-
Sunday
For more information ...
Web: www.
eggheadzcafe.com
Phone: (708) 444-0880
the plate. Those are all part
of Mastorakos’ motto to “eat
with your eyes first, and then
with your mouth.”
“I think if something looks
good on the plate and tastes
good, that’s very important,”
Mastorakos said. “A lot of
people don’t pay attention to
how the food is presented to
the customer.”
To accommodate a wider
clientele and customer requests,
Egg Headz added
its own gluten-free menu of
waffles, pancakes and crepes.
He said he did his research
in finding the combination
of perfect gluten-free flours.
He found a combination that
makes for light and creamy
dishes.
“You have to listen to the
customer of what their needs
and wants are,” he said.
“You have to adjust with the
times.”
The Egg Headz Signature ($11.59) is a skillet featuring roughly 8 ounces of grilled sirloin
steak, mixed with shredded hash browns, green peppers, onions, a blend of cheeses and
topped with two eggs any way. It also is served with buttermilk pancakes or toast. Photos
by James Sanchez/22nd Century Media
For the sweeter palate, the French sampler ($9.99) serves French toast three different
ways: stuffed French toast, topped with cherry kijafa; red velvet, topped with fresh, glazed
strawberries; and banana nut, topped with bananas and walnuts.
Listening to the customers
and doling out good food
is what has delivered Egg
Headz’s lively, busy atmosphere
since opening in 2010.
The restaurant is to hit its sixyear
anniversary at the end of
the month.
“I truly enjoy this, as hectic
as it gets,” he said. “I still get
a rush every time I come in
here.”
A dish not to miss ...
Mastorakos said the Tuscan
chicken panini ($9.59)
is one of the favorites for the
lunch crowd. It has chunks
of grilled chicken breast as
a base, and it is layered with
pesto, sun-dried tomatoes
and mozzarella. Roasted red
pepper mayo and a pickle
is served on the side, along
with your choice of a bowl
of homemade soup or the restaurant’s
famed pasta salad.