The Mendocino Café – Staple of the Village
A Mendocino tradition…
On a lush green afternoon in the village, we thought it best to hit up a wonderful old standby, as we hadn’t been in quite some time. After the recent rains, the air was sweet and soft with a light warm breeze. The sun was just peeking through the clouds, and we were hungry! Time for lunch! The ocean was raging and the sound of the waves crashing into the rocks was wildly entertaining, a perfect Mendo day.
Sample menu for your drooling pleasure…
On the corner of Lansing and Albion streets, next door to the Mendocino Firehouse, you’ll find the Mendocino Café. The restaurant has been around many years and happens to be a favorite among many locals, the consistency is outstanding. Menu options to warm the belly and expand your heart. The international blend of fare, complete with local and organic ingredients, is packed with flavor. From Thai fusion style to the simple corn tortilla quesadillas, and the downhome old-school pot roast, they’ve got something for everyone. Fresh seafood and tasty daily specials will have you coming back for more. Pull up a chair at one of their comfortable tables with eclectic local art on the walls or sit in the garden under the tent. Outdoor heaters fun hanging lanterns, and twinkle lights make for a very special experience if you choose to sit outside. A sampling of great local wine and beer tops off the selection.
Deck seating under the tent overlooking their garden…
A Thai burrito in flight?!
Mirrors give you a great view of the art from all angles…
The menu options are drool-worthy, and we had a hard time deciding, so we started out with a couple beers and some appetizers to wet the palate and dove right in from there. Steamed clams and mussels along with a big basket of bread and butter, and blue corn tortilla chips with fresh house made salsa and guacamole tantalized our tastebuds, leaving us wanting more. It wasn’t nearly as hard to choose a next course.
Steamed clams & mussels… Blue corn chips with fresh salsa & guacamole…
We ordered the classic Stout-Braised Pot Roast, made with Covelo beef, carrots, mushrooms, fingerling potatoes and horseradish cream. Scrumptious bits of beef and vegetables in their own juices were beyond comforting on this autumn day. The ever-popular Healing Bowl is a Red Miso broth with soba noodles, kale, and shiitake mushrooms is just right for those days when you really need to melt into your heart and soul and nourish your being. The Thai Firepot being the quintessential upgrade to the healing bowl with Red Curry broth, or substitute for their Garlic-Ginger-Chili broth for a spicier kick, with organic vegetables, and choice of brown rice or thread noodles, it is divine! We wanted to try some dessert, but alas, we were filled to the brim having over-indulged a bit with two appetizers before our meal.
Covelo Beef pot roast…
Healing Bowl with soba noodles…
Thai Fire Pot…
The Café has been a longtime community supporter helping those in need when times are tough. Through the “Great Plates Delivered” program they fed seniors on the coast hundreds, if not thousands of meals during covid. A much-needed resource during Covid, they kept many folks from going hungry! The owner and her staff have always been friendly and welcoming, reserving judgment and criticism for the politicians. It’s a very Mendo style experience that all visitors should stop and check out, lunch or dinner, the Mendocino Café is a wonderful option and caters to those on the fly. Always open, seven days a week. No reservations are required. To avoid a wait, stop in during the off hours. Lastly, be aware that they do close up the kitchen for about an hour to switch from lunch to dinner service, so watch out for that pesky little hour when you won’t be able to get in!
Are you hungry, yet?
~ Words & pictures by Sarah Rowe