I fell in love with Mimi’s Bakery and Café the moment my dining partners and I sauntered in at approximately 10:45 a.m. on Saturday and our server exclaimed, ‘Well, aren’t you guys up early?’

This was the first of many indications that Mimi’s is the perfect place to treat yourself after a long night.  When you’re craving a hearty breakfast food that  exceeds Ernie Davis  Dining Center grub, a cup of strong coffee and maybe something sweet to top it all off from Mimi’s is worth rolling sluggishly out of bed for.   

Right across from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que at 260 W. Genesee St., the café looks very unassuming by comparison.  However, flashiness has never boded well for scrambled eggs, so the simple arrangement of the plain tables and the unremarkable front counter encouraged me.  Also, the minimal décor allowed my eyes to focus instantly on the one part of Mimi’s that did stand out: the glowing case of baked goods.  But more on that later, I promise.  

After squishing around the small table, we snatched a menu and the hungry perusal began.  We hemmed, hawed and each changed our minds about half a dozen times.  

‘I think I’m going to get French toast!  Oh wait, those breakfast wraps sound good.’

It didn’t help that Mimi’s menu has everything that you would ever expect or desire: omelets, bacon, ham, toast, home fries, muffins, pancakes and more. A breakfast lover’s paradise.  And all priced perfectly for a broke college kid’s budget. 

Finally, I settled on a spinach and feta omelet with rye bread toast ($4.70) and a side of home fries ($1.50).  I split this with one of my dining partners, who selected a sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich on a soft roll ($3.95) to satisfy our meat craving.  

While we waited for our food, our server, Kathy Babgley, amicably chatted with us as she refilled our cups of coffee and tea.  We learned that Mimi’s has another location — in the AXA Towers at 100 Madison St.  — that offers a similar menu, but with an order-at-the-counter café environment that includes a wider selection of coffees. She mentioned chocolate raspberry, and we promptly ‘oohed.’   

When our steaming plates arrived from the kitchen, my eyes widened at the massive quantity of food placed before me.  I could feel my hangover diminishing even before the first bite.  The omelet was thick, fluffy and jam-packed with spinach and feta, when too many other places throw in only meager amounts.  The hot sauce and ketchup on our table complimented the home fries perfectly — just soft enough and excellently browned. However, the crowning jewel was the toast.  Mimi’s bakes its own bread, and those two fresh, delicious slices of rye had me vowing to learn the art of bread-making at some point in my life.  

The breakfast sandwich was average. A secret ingredient or special sauce could have jazzed it up, but it was exactly what you expect from a breakfast sandwich.  The big sausage patty provided a satisfying saltiness and the melted cheese was plentiful. 

We gobbled up our food with the case of baked goods gleaming enticingly from the side.  Of course, we managed to save room for dessert.   

I had to ask Babgley for a recommendation because the rows of cookies, cake, cupcakes, brownies and Danish pastries overwhelmed me.  

‘Those are my downfall,’ she confessed, pointing to a line of what looked like miniature, chocolate volcanoes.  Called ‘peaks,’ these cream-filled chocolate cakes are dipped in dark chocolate.  Having been introduced to such a tasty concept, I think that they could become my downfall, too.  My friend ordered the turtle cheesecake, which was smooth, creamy and also excellent.  

After such filling meals, neither one of us could finish our baked good, but it was OK because Mimi’s offers convenient to-go boxes — meaning we would get to enjoy the ultimate late afternoon snack.

Mimi’s Bakery and Café’s extensive breakfast menu, relaxed atmosphere, cheap prices and freshly baked treats promise a Saturday morning ritual you won’t regret.  

Published on September 21, 2011 at 12:00 pm