Today we were in Nanaimo for our last breakfast, on our last day. We drove out of downtown Nanaimo to Berakah, where they serve Mexican breakfast and brunch.
The restaurant is easy to spot with traditional rainbow coloured, cut-paper banners. Inside was a little dim, so we took advantage of a clear day and grabbed one of their tables on the patio.
Seeing as it was the tail end of our travels, we were looking for healthier meal options, so started off with a smoothie. This was a sweet green juice that was a mix of apple, orange, pineapple, spinach, and celery. It did the trick and satisfied my need for vegetable.
My guest craved and went for their casual breakfast that was two eggs your way, two bacon strips or two sausages, plus toast or pancakes and breakfast potatoes.
Seeing as this was a Mexican restaurant, I went for something more traditional with the Rancheros that was fried corn tortillas topped with a spicy tomato sauce and refried beans, made breakfast-like with two eggs on top. The dish did not look appealing with its brown on yellow colouring. I also expected the tomato sauce to be red so had to clarify that this was indeed my order. I got the spice, but not a lot of tomato, the sauce was just a salted zest. The beans made it heavy, so I ate from it sparingly. Whereas the tortillas were quick to grow soggy, but were best crunchy to contrast the watery pool of salsa. A pool of water was already gathered when the plate was serve. I know that these were served traditionally, but I would have liked the addition of some avocado or sliced tomatoes for freshness, and some colour. And then to have the sauce on the side with the ability to decided when and how much to pour over the plate. The flavour was good, but flat and one toned from one tortilla to the next. Here, I kept eating interest with sips of smoothie and bites of the salad below, in between.
The rancheros was not enough and I wanted to hedge my bets in case I didn’t like it, so also ordered one of their croissant sandwiches. This is the Spanish version with Serrano ham, Gouda cheese, and lettuce. It came with a side of greens with a couple of sliced cherry tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette. Once again the salad gave me the green I was looking for and filled in the gaps I had with the tortilla. The croissant itself was good, nothing notable, and just as I expected.
In short, this was a lovely spot for a slow morning start. We enjoyed our meal and the welcoming service.
Berakah Breakfast and Brunch
5281 Rutherford Rd #102, Nanaimo, BC V9T 5N9
(250) 268-9293
berakahbrunch.ca
