Granola and Yogurt at Cafe Eclectic

Published March 3, 2011 in the Memphis Flyer

On Café Eclectic's breakfast menu, near the bottom, you will see a very unassuming listing for granola and yogurt. "Homemade granola with nuts, fresh berries, and homemade yogurt," it reads. It's easy to brush past it, maybe saying to yourself, "I can eat that at home." Well, no, you can't. The "homemade" part is what makes this dish exceptional. I have had my share of granola, but never before have I tasted any as scrumptious as this. Oats, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, almond slivers, dried apricots, golden raisins (and probably a few other ingredients I missed) are drenched in honey and baked to a warm, chewy perfection. They pile the granola on top of perfectly made yogurt that is rich and creamy and just a little tart. Then they top it with beautiful fresh berries — strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries — not an easy task this time of year. The resulting combination is simply exquisite. I've been dreaming of this dish since my first taste. Thankfully, Café Eclectic starts serving at 7 a.m., and the granola and yogurt is available all day. (For a small: $3.50; large: $5.95.)