November 18, 2021
Something I learned during the most recent lockdowns is that I am actually pretty crap at making pancakes and French toast, which are my favourite fancy breakfasts. I've been keen to treat myself as eat-in dining has reopened, and recently saw a couple people on twitter recommending the sweet options at El Mirage. It's 14 years since we first visited and blogged this cafe (!), and though we've visited and not blogged about it a handful of times since then, it's certainly been a while.
We visited on Thursday morning, the only warm day of the week, and took a table outside. The menu is varied and marks gluten-free options, but doesn't pay as much mind to vegans as we've come to expect in Brunswick - the one breakfast dish that notes a vegan option is the 'avocado hummus', which serves these toppings on gluten-free Turkish bread and garnishes them with shave fennel, apple, sumac, pickled chilli, shallots, roasted almonds, goji berries and pomegranate.
That said, I got exactly what I was looking for! The Brioche French toast ($21.50) arrived as one thick slice, dusted lightly with sugar, topped with two mascarpone scoops and abundant fruits: a poached pear, half a passionfruit, and fresh raspberries and blueberries. I appreciated that the maple syrup was served on the side, because I only wanted a little of it. I also really enjoyed my chai latte ($4.50), which was properly spiced and not too sweet or over-brewed.
Michael ate the chilli scrambled eggs ($19.50). He was a bit frustrated that the two toast slices were stacked, but the portion was generous and he enjoyed the flavours once he'd reconfigured them - the eggs were spicy enough, and garnished with a pickled daikon, carrot, spring onion and herb salad, fried shallots, and sriracha chilli mayonnaise.
It's great to see El Mirage still in business after all these years, especially when neighbouring cafes like Small Block and East Elevation weren't able to weather the pandemic. The staff were great, it's rare that I enjoy a chai this much, and I'm keen to try their pancakes - I reckon I'll be back for more sneaky weekday breakfasts.
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You can read about our first visit to El Mirage (14 years ago!) here. Since then, it's received positive blog posts on off the spork, fresh bread, DO YOU WANT TO STAY FOR BREAKFAST?, A Chronicle of Gastronomy (freebie), and Skinny Glutton. There's a mixed account on Melbourne Gastronome.
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El Mirage
349 Lygon St, Brunswick East
9388 0966
Accessibility: There is a gentle ramp up from the street to the standard-width door. Furniture is fairly dense, with padded booth seating and austere metal and wood seats indoors and low unbacked stools outdoors (see photos). We ordered at our table and paid side-by-side with a staff member indoors. We didn't visit the toilets.
I am not aware of El Mirage but glad to see you got a fancy french toast - and was sad to hear that East Elevation has closed - I had noticed small block closed the other day but I think east elevation often looks closed any way!
ReplyDeleteHi Johanna - yes, I was living in denial about East Elevation for a bit! It seems that they only do private functions now. The gutting of Small Block was much less ambiguous.
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