Why: Moretons Cafe’s made-to-order sandwich menu, full coffee bar and sampling of pastry items offer a simple stopover for breakfast or lunch. Daily lunch specials are posted on the front window for quick reference, and you can inquire within regarding the drink special of the day.
Owners Elyse Moreton and Tom Fadness opened the coffee shop in June.
Atmosphere: The space has a bit of a south Florida vibe, with a light tropical green-and-taupe color scheme, trimmed in white and accented with black. The cafe supplies magazines and a few games for those who come empty-handed. An electric fireplace creates a separate, cozy sitting area, suitable for lingering for a while.
What I tried: I decided on the Monte Cristo sandwich, and my dining companion had a turkey sandwich. We both chose chips to accompany our sandwiches. To drink, I tried the Mexican Mocha, and my companion sampled the Vanilla Smoothie.
Moretons delivers an unconventional take on the Monte Cristo. The bread is multigrain, and the sandwich includes turkey, ham and Swiss cheese. Thousand Island dressing is added before the sandwich is placed on a panini iron for heating.
The result was flavorful and appetizing, but it didn’t have the character of a traditional egg-battered Monte Cristo sandwich.
My dining companion’s turkey sandwich was also made with multigrain bread. In addition to turkey, it came with Swiss cheese, tomato, lettuce and bold mustard added in a modest amount.
Both sandwiches contained quality deli meat, which was very lean, and both were adequate to fill a moderate appetite.
The Mexican Mocha had almond and cinnamon flavors, and it was not excessively rich. Likewise, the Vanilla Smoothie was light and refreshing. It was also well blended and had an even consistency.
Highlights beyond what I tried: Diners can order bagels with a choice of meat and cheese. Wraps are available with tuna, Caesar or turkey. All sandwiches come with either soup or chips.
Other observations: The cafe is extremely tidy.
I thought the price of my sandwich was a bit steep for its moderate size. However, if I had paired it with soup instead of chips, I might have come to a different conclusion.
Cost: Coffee, mochas, smoothies, frappuccinos and other beverages come in 12-, 16- and 20-ounce sizes, and range from $1.25 to $4.25. Sandwiches, wraps and bagels start at $4.50 and top out at $6.50 for paninis. Soup of the Day is $2.50 for a small and $3.50 for a large.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Telephone: 360-831-2218.
Where: 309 E. 15th St., Suite B, Vancouver.
On the Web: http://moretonscafe.webs.com.
Health score: Moretons Cafe received a score of 15 on Dec. 10. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants that score 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
