Paleo Cafe - Main Street Mornington

Fortunately in Australia, well I can speak for Victoria with authority, there is a rich variety of restaurants. Many different cultures are supported across many, many restaurants. Also different styles of foods are well supported. To name one, “Paleo”. Paleo is supposedly only very, fresh free range foods, prepared as nature intended. A great claim but I think in the end Paleo restaurants really only offer variations on foods you may obtain from, say, “healthy food” restaurants and cafes.  Yoghurts, eggs, bacon and berries are hardly anything startling when it comes to something “new”. How they are prepared and paired may vary in an attempt to offer something new. But do they?

Joining my family for a Paleo breakfast, in Main Street Mornington, I was expecting something very different. What I got and saw the others had was breakfast I would expect from the local pub. Eggs Benedict was Eggs Benedict, Yoghurt and Berries was just that and Banana Pancakes and Berries was, yes again, Banana Pancakes and Berries.  OK the ingredients were supposedly fresh and free range but many others can offer you this. I could see no real point of difference other than the cafe we eat at, Paleo Cafe , said they offer Paleo food where others don’t say that.

The cafe is bright, airy and clean with inside and outside (foot path) seating. Though the cafe only had a few customers inside (where we ate) it was very noisy. This time not from the chatter of customers but from the staff preparing coffees, grinding and whipping and organising service. But with a hard floor, high ceiling and no soft furnishings, I would imagine, if the cafe was full, it may be even noisier. Thank God there was no annoying music so often played at these trendy cafes.  At one point we could not hear each other across the table and once our meals were finished we went outside to continue our conversation.

Staff is very friendly, most helpful and there is plenty of parking. The meals though were disappointing. Others I was with had eaten there a few times. This time the meals were nothing like they had had only a few weeks earlier. Sauces were missing, the yoghurt was really runny and pancakes were a lot smaller than usual. My Eggs Benedict was just eggs with a runny yellow sauce which was not hollandaise.  My wife got one large mushroom for $23. Complaints were made at the table and four of the meals were refunded as offered by the manager. Quite a disappointing experience.

I was the only one who had eaten there for the first time. The others have enjoyed some great meals there in the past. Let’s just say they had an off day and the next time we eat there (if there is a next time) will be a lot better. Try it for yourself but I’m not convinced Paleo is really offering you anything better or different. Main Street Mornington is full of fantastic cafes and eateries. Go wild.