WHAT’S the world coming to?

First covid-19 and now Bill Gates has done a Ctrl-Alt-Del on his marriage.

As I drove to Pixel Coffee Brewers for lunch, I wondered if Bill would sign up for Tinder Mature, or maybe he’ll just get an old 486 computer and put some lipstick on the floppy drive.

Thankfully Pixel cafe is still a constant in these strange times, serving up great breakfast and brunch dishes at the quiet end of Oxford Street in Leederville.

A compact cafe with minimal seating and a pavement alfresco, the decor is almost non-existant with the odd planter and artwork on the wall creating a neat-and-tidy vibe.

Pixel’s brunch menu had a nice range of nourish bowls, breakfast dishes and a savoury and sweet section including Berry Porridge, and Potato and herb cake with poached eggs.

I was instantly drawn to the Mushroom Medley ($22.90) so I ordered that and a pot of ruby breakfast tea ($5.60).

I was doing a Bill – lunch on my own – so while I waited for my meal I fiddled with my face mask and enjoyed a Green Delight smoothie ($9) which was ice cold and came in a lovely old-school heavy tumbler.

There was a nice balance to the drink with the ginger and turmeric not overpowering the mango and banana, but it wasn’t thick enough for my liking and the star of the show – the spinach – needed to be more prominent.

It was refreshing though and made from high quality ingredients.

The chef appeared from the kitchen and carefully placed the Mushroom Medley on my table with a very proud expression.

It certainly looked the part with two poached eggs artfully perched on a mound of funghi and sourdough toast.

The sautéed mushrooms tasted delicious and the mix of enoki and chunkier specimens created a pungent and complex burst of flavour. 

The eggs were right on the money – the perfect level of runniness with a delicious rich yolk.

Superior breakfast dishes often have one or two tasty quirks; the Mushroom Medley had beetroot hummus slathered on sourdough toast and a “green goddess cashew hollandaise”, which tasted almost like a creamy foam.

These flavour twists elevated this dish to another level and it was a delicious take on a breakfast classic.

I washed it all down with a pot of ruby breakfast tea, a light and refreshing Ceylon brew that didn’t need any milk to shine.

The cafe also had a display cabinet with loads of nice looking cakes, so I got some mini chocolate ones to take home for the family ($3 each) which my wife quickly devoured on returning from work, noting they were “super rich and decadent”.

Next time I’ll try their coffee, which is meant to be excellent.

I thoroughly enjoyed my solo lunch at Pixel Coffee Brewers, so Bill don’t despair, one man’s sautéed mushroom is another man’s Windows 95.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

Pixel Coffee Brewers
2/226 Oxford St, Leederville