Mince on toast is a life-changer
France has its fries, Belgium has its biscuits and Australia has dark brown yeast spread, but we also have food that is worth travelling for. This week, Stephen Heard enjoys a pretty special mince on toast.
Ihave no stomach for bread. That’s not through dietary requirements; my crusty dilemma all comes down to the texture. My living hell involves biting into a white loaf and the pillowy filling sticking to the roof of my mouth. The best guess is that it stems from family members pouring vinegar on tomato sandwiches.
Ridiculously, I have no problem with the crust or toasted bread, and baps, bagels and croissants are fine, too.
It’s not your average party trick, but it has entertained friends and strangers for years.
During a pre-lockdown trip to New Plymouth I was told that I couldn’t leave without trying the signature mince on toast at Elixir Cafe.
The sloppy dish is so famous at the Devon St East eatery that brunch-goers can even walk out with their own souvenir mince on toast T-shirt.
With some hesitation about the sogginess of the bread, I succumbed to the pressure and ordered the famed dish. In Elixir’s version, two thick-cut slices of white tank loaf are smothered with saucy mince. On top of the bread tower sits a free-range poached egg, and then the whole thing is coated with a generous drizzle of aioli.
The cafe was launched in 2006 by prominent New Plymouth hospitality figures Craig Macfarlane and couple Lara Toyne and Cohen Baird. Current Elixir Cafe owner Sue Nathan says the dish has been a classic for as long as she can remember.
‘‘It’s one of those dishes we have on the menu that we can never change, modify or – heaven forbid – take off.’’
She puts its success down to the savoury yet sweet angus beef mince, which originates from
Waiwhakaiho’s Green Meadows Farm. The tank loaf comes from a bakery down the road.
For a moment in time, forking into the humble dish helped me overcome my dislike of bread.
I even considered buying the T-shirt (available in black or burgundy) to celebrate.
Together, the rich brown mince and thick tank loaf work in perfect harmony to create beefflavoured goodness.
It’s puffy and crusty at the same, and while the egg helps it count as a breakfast dish, this is one hefty plate that will keep you satisfied far beyond the morning.