New eatery a great addition, writes Dayna Comeskey
The newest café to open its doors in Mount Maunganui is Wildone Wholefoods Eatery, which has given us yet another much-needed addition to the Mount Mainstreet area.
Whatever you choose to call it - clean, wholefood or natural eating - it is here to stay and isn't the bland, unattractive food you may imagine. The concept is real food that tastes and looks amazing, which leaves you feeling satisfied.
On the menu: New to superfoods? Don't fret, Wildone has provided a bit of an ingredients glossary to help explain some of its favourite ingredients and their benefits.
The cafe's name suggests what sort of items you can expect to find on the menu, with the majority being vegan. However, there are options to add bacon or salmon to some meals.
In addition to the winter menu, there is cabinet food available, salads and guilt-free sweet treats.
The buzz: Relaxed and simplistic, a calming clean white space with natural plywood elements that reflect their food and service. It was only day three for the owners and they had a mix of people enjoying their space. Uni students huddled around one end of a large table catching up over hot drinks, women stopping for a break between shopping and exercise, business owners chatted over lunch and tourists huddled over a laptop along the bar leaner.
I'll have: Portobello Blackbean Beetroot Burger with avocado, red cabbage, sprouts and red onion, served with a side superfood slaw salad (vegan, df, gf option). To drink I had a coconut chilli salted hot chocolate.
I had assumed the portabello burger would be bunless like I have had before so this was a large lunch meal for me. There is the option of this being gluten free also.
My hot choc was as good as it sounds. I'm not a big hot choc drinker but this is one of these things that once you've tried it you will crave it. The flavour layers in this drink worked so well together, it was creamy but not too sweet.
She'll have: Blueberry Banana Pecan Pancakes served with banana, crushed pecans, coconut flakes and agave syrup (vegan, df, gf, rsf). To drink she has a turmeric latte.
Light and delicious doesn't even begin to describe these pancakes. How can something that tastes so good have so many excluding abbreviations attached to it? Don't put these into the 'breakfast only' category - these should be eaten regardless of the time and day.
New to the turmeric latte, we both enjoyed it. It was a nice savoury accompaniment to the pancakes.
Value for money: Great value for money with all items on the menu sitting under the $20 mark. Also their coffees are great value in a town obsessed with coffee prices.
The verdict: I can't wait to go back and will be taking the kids with me. You walk away feeling full of goodness. The pricing is great and it is a very welcome addition to our eating out options in the Bay.