Kaitlyn DeHaven | Social Media Editor
BZZ. BZZ. BZZ. I reached over to shut off my alarm. 6:45 a.m. on a Friday might be outrageous to some, but I had high hopes for my destination — The Magnolia Table.
The week before I visited the restaurant myself, I had seen countless pictures of friends who had already made their way to the Table. The experiences I had heard were all positive, and my own experience in the restaurant did not fall short.
From the moment I arrived around 7:45 a.m. to the moment I was seated, the wait was about 30 minutes. While this is a bit longer than Waco is used to, I didn’t think it was bad for an extremely popular brunch restaurant.
While I was waiting, I observed the “take-away” section of the restaurant, which is a little store you can stop by if you don’t have two hours to spare. Pastries, jams and mugs filled the shop; it was fun to look around and take it all in during my wait.
As I was escorted to a tiny table in the back, I took note of the attention to detail in each of the elements surrounding me. From a high-quality napkin with a cursive inscription of the restaurant’s name to the inspirational quotes scattered on the walls and the mugs, each piece of the restaurant looked like it had been attended to with great thought and care.
I noticed the music immediately; it was old-timey and happy but nostalgic and calm at the same time — perfect for a brunch atmosphere. I was expecting to be crammed in my seat, fighting to hear my friend’s voice over the swarms of visitors also eager to get a taste of Chip and Jo’s newest addition to Waco, but the atmosphere was surprisingly peaceful and quiet.
As soon as I was seated, a very kind waitress took our drink order. I ordered a hot vanilla latte, and it was promptly brought out to me. I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor, which was not too sweet, but rather had a rich espresso flavor with a hint of vanilla. Needless to say, my latte didn’t last very long.
Scanning the menu, which was printed on a light blue folder that complemented the aesthetic of the restaurant, the French toast plate caught my eye, and I decided to order it.
The wait for my food was much longer than the wait for my coffee, which is expected, but my waitress was kind and continued to check in and see if I needed anything. As soon as I finished my latte, she even came by and filled my cup with some complimentary coffee, apologizing for the wait.
When my food finally arrived, I was ravenous and excited to taste what I had heard so much about. Two full plates were brought to me. The first held scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and round hash browns in a cast iron pan. The second plate held the main course — four steaming half-slices of toast with syrup and strawberry butter.
I tried the hash browns first. They were rolled into balls and had cheese sprinkled on top. These were my favorite part of the meal, as they were crispy, salty and altogether addicting.
The bacon and the eggs were also delicious, but they weren’t really anything to write home about. They tasted great to me, but similar to what I could find anywhere else.
Next, I tried the French toast. The bread was soft and flavorful, and the strawberry butter was to die for. The butter added its own element to the French toast. It was unlike any French toast I have ever eaten.
I couldn’t finish my plate because the meal included so much food, but the waitress kindly gave a to-go box so that I could finish my meal home.
Overall, I had a delightful experience at the Magnolia Table. The combination of atmosphere, food and service felt like what I would experience at a Disney restaurant; the brunch felt like an experience, and it seemed the staff honestly cared for their customers and wanted them to have a pleasant time. It was as if I had been taken to a different world for a couple hours.
Overall, the experience took about two hours, and the only things that posed as a problem were the comparatively hefty prices and the extended wait for the food, which was solved with a steaming cup of coffee.
Although some may find the Table cliché, given the excess social media coverage among Baylor students, I would definitely recommend the restaurant to someone looking for brunch served with a smile.
