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.

The Long Table - Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula

When I say you want to go here for lunch, afternoon tea or dinner, thrust me you REALLY want to go here. The Long Table, nestled in the hills of Red Hill, is one of a number of really great looking restaurants and eateries. The Long Table not only looks the part, having a warm, friendly and rustic feel,  but they deliver on a promise.  Sit outside, inside down stairs with a view of the main road or up the back for a cosy lunch for two. Local produce is very well supported, the wine menu is sufficient and foods selection dreamy.  

The best news is the chef can cook. No he can REALLY cook! I went for two courses, Entre’ and Main. I rarely list what I eat in these reviews but this time (‘cause it was so bloody good) I’ll make an exception. First clean the hungry pallet with a local sparkly. While sipping this delightful drop with its pretentious fizz nibble away, savouring every morsel, at you Swordfish Sashimi in a little green chilli, fine strips of apple, and celery. Eat slowly you really don’t want this to end. Move to the better Sav. Blanc and enjoy your Otway pork shoulder, boudin noir, peach, fennel & BBQ sauce. This has been slow cook and should be eaten slowly. Enjoy! Is that a hint of mild curry? Yum.

Serving size is good but added to the above a shared side of potatoes. These were a little oilier than what I am use to but not unpleasant. Just looking at my wife’s Salmon, the way it has been cooked and served, I would say every meal will surprise here. Staff is friendly and parking is available but the car park can get full. If you like culinary surprises try out The Long Table. Be prepared to be indulged by the guy with the tall white hat in the kitchen. He REALLY knows how apples.

Green Olive - Red Hill, Morington Peninsula

Taking a slow drive through Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsula, searching for an afternoon respite, we eventually ended up at Green Olive. On the day there was breath testing by police on quiet a few roads. Due to the fact we were driving around I got breath tested four times in one and a half hours. No problems with only one glass of white wine under the belt. The wine being an un-wood Chardonnay and accompanied by tapas.

Let’s just rewind a little and talk of the winery\restaurant.  The grounds are very pleasant and the eating areas the same. Inside or out, in the sun or in the shade, take your pick. You have the usual row of vines but if you sit outside you could sit in the veggie garden. Neat rows of rhubarb made for a very stylish almost ornamental garden display. I’d love to do it at home. So very nice, very green surrounds, clean air and from your elevated position, a view of the pound just a short stroll away. Inside the shop area there is lots of produce and items to purchase.  

Back to the wine and tapas. If you are going for a big lunch you may be disappointed, tapas is the order of the day. I was disappointed by our tapas serving which were a few slices of dry bread, a small bowl of even smaller olives in a lot of oil and an olive paste.  The dark olive paste was far to strong tasting, even bitter, not pleasant and I love my olive and olive dips. The un-wood Chardonnay I thought was excellent but to pricey at $40 a bottle at cellar door.

Parking is plentiful, staff is friendly and coffee looks good.  I can’t think of a good reason NOT to visit here and I can’t think of a good reason to visit. It was ordinary. I have been to much, much better in the area. I did like the wine and surrounds but that’s where it stops.

Mornington Peninsula Chocolate - Flinders, Mornington Peninsula

We are in the lucky country. Not only do we have an extended and plentiful range of the best natural produce but we also have a wide selection of manufactured products. When those manufactured delights are made from wholesome local produce, carefully crafted to delight even the most discerning, you have  Mornington Peninsula Chocolates. This store must be the best kept secret on the Peninsula. Well I didn't know it was there and I'll bet you didn't either.

Sleepy old Flinders. The deep south of the Mornington Peninsula maybe not be the place many would venture to for a Sunday afternoons drive. Mornington 'tends to get most of the  glory when it comes to towns to visit on the Peninsula but how about Hastings, Red Hill and Balnaring? The Flinders pub (much extended and modernised over the years) is well known and in the past has served up some great meals. After a belly full of pub food and beer a chocolate and latte may well be what you need.


 Do yourself a favour and take a look at the mesmerising display of milk fat and cocoa in this absolutely glorious store. Chocolate individuals, hand crafted like art pieces, just waiting for the genuine collector with an eye for individuality and a hunger for the best sweet delights. To sweeten the deal this store is art in itself. Light, airy, quiet and pristine. A Chesterfield for two? Scoop up your taste buds new best friend from a highly polished huge marble table top while you sip a well made coffee and gaze at the vaulted ceiling structure above. Now you are prepared for heaven because this is what it will be like.

Easy parking, good service, shockingly good melting delights, all hand cradled in a beautiful sleepy town. Flinders is keeping to itself God's own chocolate shop. Don't wait for the Grim Reaper, head down to Flinders, stroll to the Mornington Peninsula Chocolates store and experience the lucky country and all it has to give. Just take me with you, please.

Dundee, not a crock but chasing the White Rabbit, Hammer 'N' Tongs (beer).

OH MY GOD! Have you seen how many awesome beers are available these days. It's amazing. And don't even start thinking about how many different ciders on the shelves. Some beers are good, some beers are OK and some beers are just plain awful. Let's get the awful one out of the way first. Like Tasmanian Bitter, Hammer 'N' Tongs is an awful beer. When poured you get a nice creamy head for about one minute. Come back for a second sip and the heads dead, just like the beer. After two minutes the beer is completely flat. There is nothing really "beer" about Hammer 'N' Tongs. It's soft and soapy and also mostly tasteless. I'd rather drink Carlton before forced to drink this stuff. Stay away.

I have been enjoying the occasional White Rabbit for some years now. Like hammer 'N' Tongs it is made in Australia (or is it, maybe more like San Miguel - James Boag and Sons - and a Thailand Brewing company. Could explain why it tastes like SHIT!) Unlike Hammer 'N' Tongs it is an exceptionally good drink. This is a dark ale with a dry finish. Think stout (what some call Guinness) dark, rich flavoured, bitter and full flavoured. I love this Beer for its sheer depth of flavour it's dark creamy texture and satisfying pleasures. Dundee may not be chasing a crock but he would be chasing after this beer because, like White Rabbit, Dundee is a full bodied lushes drop.

Dundee is brewed on New York. Generally I don't like American beers. I think it's the water, seriously. I have only ever liked a few. Budweiser, though not a big favourite of mine, is good for something different, now and then. Dundee Indian Pale Ale is not only a stunning tasting bitter beer but looks a million Dollars straight out of the bottle. It's dark treacle in colour with a rich creamy fine bubbled head. It has a bitter-sweet taste which sits at the back of the pallet and stays there for ages.

I drink it icy cold (typical Ozzie) but I'll bet this beer would taste even better just cool. There is so much flavour it has to give and the depth of flavour just keeps unfolding. A shockingly good beer. A really well crafted American ale. I didn't know they could do it. You must try this beer even if you are not a big beer drinker, you may turn for this one.

the rocks - Mornington, Mornington Peninsula

There are many restaurant gems on the Mornington Peninsula, Southern Victoria and the rocks is just one of them. The restaurant is on the second floor with open and closed in dining areas. For us we were there for a mid-morning breakfast. A warm sunny day, looking out over a beautiful bay of dead calm, crystal clear water, what could be nicer? This whole restaurant has a relaxed feel and ambiance about it. It says; “sit, eat and enjoy”. Our orders were taken promptly but there was quite a wait for the food with a table of eight getting in ahead of us.

Staff were pleasant and friendly and the outdoor alfresco area is family friendly.  Parking shouldn’t be a problem but watch out some areas are metered. Menu choices are plentiful and I got the impression the kitchen 'knows its stuff'. Though neither of us were overly impressed with the food served it was well presented and of reasonable quality.  I have had better Eggs Benedict in a small Franskton cafe. A main meal may be a better way of really ascertaining just how good this restaurant is. Try it for yourself, the view is stunning and I have heard only good reports about this well positioned eatery. Now it’s your turn.

Rockpool - Southbank, Melbourne

The term “fine dining” gets used a lot to possible remark about a great night’s meal at an upmarket restaurant. But when you experience real fine dining you are not just remarking about your experience with excellent  food and great service you are saying you had an almost life changing experience.  Of course life changing experiences come at a cost no matter what form they take. Even if you don’t pay with cash there is always some negative in a lot of positive. The fine dining I am referring to can only be paid in cash. Like most things in life you get what you pay for. If you are astute and pay the right amount at the right time and place you get good “bang for buck”.

My wife and I have dined at some fine restaurants but to move into the fine dining arena you have to take one huge step to that next level where the term “fine dining” is truly experienced.  While staying at the Crown Promenade we lined up at the door of the Rockpool waiting with empty stomachs and anticipation for our seat in the house of true fine dining. A Neil Perry restaurant of notary and the winner of many awards.  We had no idea this was going to be as good as it was.

How many restaurant staff do they require to serve well at a small table? We were seated by reception, brought the menu by the Maitre d, brought the wine list by the wine waiter, served some homemade bread by the bread waiter and served our meal by kitchen staff\chef. Through the night we had two or three of the above staff hover to ensure all was going well. Wine was very good and bread unusual and butter even more so. All very pleasant but what of the food?

This is where the term fine dining is stamped all over the total experience. The food was more like a religious experience than a sit down meal. I had trout only a few nights before at a top class restaurant near Apollo Bay. I decided to go the trout again for entree. What looked like trout, red onion and balsamic vinegar tasted like heaven. I knew it was raw trout but it didn’t taste like trout or it DID taste like trout, how it was always meant to taste. Heaven. The menu read red gum fired grill. I wanted proof. A short stroll to the kitchen area revealed large red gum logs poking up from an open flame grill area. I had the lamb once more superb. My wife’s food was sensational with multiple layers of deep flavor exploding on the taste buds. Each mouthful was savored, not chewed or eaten, savored.  With two courses and sides we were full but craved just one more fix of the most intoxicating food we have ever eaten. But, alas, we could eat no more.

To fine dine, and we all should do it before we die, you must go to renowned restaurants where high profile well know chefs are closely associated, work there or own it. It is a culinary experience you will take with you for the rest of your life. You will find yourself wondering how they (the chefs) can possibly get great ingredients to taste as good as they do. What magic has to be performed to take you some place you have never been, raise you to the heavens, lead by a desire for truly great food. Fine dining is! The Rockpool is.