Banana Leaf’s Asian fusion brunch debuts in El Cerrito with bottomless mimosas

An Asian fusion brunch menu is now on offer at El Cerrito’s Banana Leaf restaurant.

As part of a shift under new management, the Thai restaurant now offers Asian fusion brunch daily, with menu items like Thai tea pancakes, a roti-rito and spiced maple chicken and waffles.

In April, the owners of Berkeley’s Sistory Thai Kitchen bought the El Cerrito restaurant from a friend who planned to retire, says one of the restaurant’s new co-owners, Mickey Smaili.

Looking to draw in breakfast-time diners, the restaurant debuted a new brunch menu, offering items like the roti-rito, which is essentially a breakfast burrito made with scrambled eggs, popcorn chicken, tomatoes, avocado and spicy mayo, but wrapped in roti flatbread rather than a tortilla ($18); as well as the spiced maple chicken and waffles ($19). That dish combines crispy chicken, Belgian waffles and maple syrup alongside pickled peppers and green onions ($19).

Additionally, the menu offers Thai tea French toast, which comes served with Thai tea syrup, honey roasted oats, mixed berries and whipped cream ($14), as well as Thai tea pancakes. And the housemade bacon is candied and served with plum sauce ($8). You’ll find more traditional Thai dishes on the dinner menu, Smaili says.

So far, the most popular new item is the stuffed French toast, says Smaili. That’s pain de mie toast stuffed with cream cheese and caramelized bananas and served with chocolate sauce, mixed berries, whipped cream and a side of maple syrup ($18).

“We have our own recipe,” she says.

And yes, the brunch menu also offers bottomless mimosas.

Details: Banana Leaf is open daily from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and from 5 to 9 p.m. at 11880 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito; bananaleafelcerrito.com.