Arriving in Leederville just a few minutes past 7, the usual hustle and bustle of the brunch food strip was absent and everything was dark apart from an inviting glow coming out from a tiny little store with mismatching blankets and little succulents out front. Walking into Pixel, you instantly feel a little at home with it's grand total of four tables and a counter, fresh flowers on every table and quirky mermaid prints on the walls. Even though the area was so small, it's not claustrophobic as the white walls and long wooden tabletops do well to open up the space. I was surprised to see people already ordering coffee and food from the cabinet but with just the right amount of quiet chatter, no noisy coffee machines and the smell of food cooking; I can see why this cosy café makes the ideal early morning hang out.
Menu
The menu is just as minamilist as the decor with only seven dishes on the breakfast menu however I still had trouble deciding on just one. I was a bit sad that the pix plate was off the menu.
Our drinks:
Chai latte
Not very sweet and topped with a thick layer of glossy foam (as in one quarter of the drink was foam!) and my favourite crusty cinnamon sugar top. It had a good amount of spice and tasted more authentic then those chai lattes made from pre-made powder mixes and syrups favoured by most franchises. Something I liked was that it was served at a good warm temperature since I always am too eager to try my drink and end up with a burnt mouth.
Queen Rose: A blend of organic Fujian (China) white peony and rose petals ($5.60)
A light colour with the most delicate, floral perfume, this tea tasted just as dainty as the smell. The tea leaves come in a porcelain strainer and you can ask for more hot water for free top ups, which is good value for your money.
Flat white ($4.00)
Our food:
Pumpkin plate: Wood fired organic sourdough, roast pumpkin, two poached eggs, herbed cream cheese, maple almonds and herb salad. *grain or rye available ($17.50)
I tend to choose the sweeter breakfast options but today I felt like a savoury egg dish. The poached eggs were slightly firmer than expected but thankfully still had a runny yolk. The pumpkin was quite hard making it tough to cut through but tasted nice with the soft cheese and crunchy nuts and seeds scattered around the plate. The herbs were fresh and helped to lighten the dish despite it's hearty elements. Maybe I was a bit more hungry than usual but I felt like it could've done with another slice of bread especially as the slices were on the smaller side and there was enough toppings to eat with it.
Stormy mushrooms: Soft polenta, two poached eggs, mushrooms, parmesan and kale chips ($20.90)
As suggested in the name, this is an ideal winter dish with the rich yolks from the egg mixing with all the crispy crunchy elements served on a bed of smooth polenta. It looked delicious and stands out against the usual mushies dish served with poached eggs, tomatoes and toast.
5 grain porridge: Quinoa, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, amaranth puffs, pistachio, maple, blackberry poached pear and flowers *gluten and dairy free ($13.90)
Sara ordered the porridge, which is totally out of character since she is firmly against ordering porridge and museli out (unlike me who loves a good café porridge). Luckily for her, she was very pleased with her choice and found it just as filling as a traditional hot breakfast although she thought the pear was a bit too hard. I also had a taste and loved the natural sweetness and nutty, oaty blend of grains used.
I know you're thinking, 'Cake for breakfast? Really?' but once you've scrolled through pages of photos of their made in house, beautiful whole cakes topped with flowers, meringues, fresh fruit and dripping with icing on their instagram page; we could not walk out of Pixel without trying some. Since we were there so early, there was only two half cakes on offer: lemon raspberry cake and hummingbird cake.
Hummingbird cake
A thick slab of carrot slice with a nice layer of cream cheese frosting which was so moist that it didn't become a crumbly mess when you cut a piece. Mixed into the cake were pecans for an added crunch, pineapple, carrot and then it was topped with freeze dried raspberries for a slight tang and the obligatory flowers. I was very impressed with the serving size and taste of this cake.
Raspberry, pistachio and rose water slice
Totally instagram worthy with its pretty pastel layers, this slice was definitely the best looking thing on display this morning. Served cold, the flavours were subtle with an almost icey texture and would make a great treat in summer. Like most raw treats, it wasn't too sweet. I personally preferred the hummingbird cake better but Sara loved this slice particularly the base.
Overall
It was easy to see the thought that went into the presentation with a simple bowl of porridge jazzed up with a sprinkle of seeds and colourful flowers. Even though we walked in almost right on opening time, the staff were friendly and prompt; bringing us menus straight away and showing us to our seats. They were also well informed on the taste of the different coffee blends and gave us helpful suggestions on which foods to try from the cabinet. Thanks for a great start to the morning Pixel!
Dishes for the next visit: Stormy mushrooms, acai bowl and more cake (hopefully the vanilla and rose cake)
Rating: 8.7 stars out of 10
Notes
~ Limited seating (4 inside tables, bar counter and outside seating)
~ Orders are taken for and paid for at the counter
~ Breakfast is served daily until 2:00pm
~ Vegetarian and gluten free options are available
~ No bookings
Serena
Pixel Coffee Brewers
Monday - Saturday (7am - 3pm)
Sunday (8am - 3pm)
2/226 Oxford St, Leederville
