Loveon Cafe — Restaurant in Adelaide

The potato curry breakfast special was one of the worst breakfast dishes I have ever been served in my life. On my first bite I knew it was inedible. Extremely strong and punchy, sour, completely out of balance - this was not a good dish let alone a good breakfast dish.

Don't get me wrong, I'm fine with punchy flavours. I just returned from Borneo eating sour fishy curry, I enjoy all types of traditional Sichuan cuisines, regularly enjoy curry for breakfast when travelling around the world, etc. This dish was just plain bad.

I ate the bread and eggs it came with as I was starved and without my car, which was being serviced nearby. The untouched plate of curry remained on my table for over 30 minutes, without being cleaned away. I ended up bringing it to the counter to pay when the owner asked how was my food. I waited for him to look at my untouched plate but he was completely oblivious. Even when I asked him to look at my plate he still didn't seem to think there was an issue.

I told him my thoughts and he just brushed them off. No admission that there may be a problem, no apology, no offer asking if I was still hungry or if I wanted anything else. He was just completely oblivious. After having a quick look at reviews, my sentiments on the dish are echoed.

So I left paying full price with no acknowledgement that I was even dissatisfied or even there may possibly have been an issue. That is not hospitality,...

I have been to this cafe many times over the years, and it used to be a cafe I would enthusiastically recommend, the vibe and energy was vibrant and friendly from all staff, the decor was colourful and cosy and the food and coffee great. Unfortunately, it’s really declined over the years. The building and cafe is starting to look shabby and unloved, the dirty surfaces around counters, dirty windows and filthy fridge doors, half empty and lacking a healthy amount of drinks for the size of the fridge make the place feel so different. Many of the staff lack friendliness, the person who served me to order takeaway coffees today wasn’t rude but also lacked friendliness or any smile, and was confused by a very basic coffee order. The barista (maybe owner too?) stepped in and repeated the order back confidently and with a smile which was great, but I just don’t expect good service from the majority of staff anymore. The coffee was alright, and I didn’t order food this time but the last few times I’ve gotten food it’s been good, which is even more of a shame that they are still doing great food but the cafes neglected vibe and a lack of a friendly vibe from staff seems to let it down. I hope to see the cafe go back more toward having a better feel and feeling like pride is taken in it, until then I feel like I don’t want to...

Going to remain biased about this place.

An empty shed when they opened (I came first week back all those years ago - and sat confused with the only ambience the noise from a row of fridges against the back wall) but listened as the owner promised big things.

This morning I was there for the big things. A cup of coffee that took two hands. An eggs Benny that offered no buyers remorse.

I hear the original owner has moved on, but the vibe of this place remains. A local landmark (for local people ;) ) - you should feel special and comfortable here. You're going to get fed, not swindled or hustled, and you're not going to be shuffled out either.

Honest approaches to cafe dining like this should be the benchmark. Hoighty-toights like those on every other corner with insanely expensive menus and thimbles of the coffee they want to serve you not the coffee you WANT - take note.

If you want to re-learn that you don't enjoy being looked down at, join the love...