my poor waiter was so concerned when i turned down his ‘complementary ice cream’ offer after my meal. fear not my friend - i’m not rejecting your diner, which by the way is charming and full of fun - i can’t eat another bite! while i like the idea of an establishment making sure that one does not go home hungry, lou mitchell’s was a bit overwhelming. as soon as i walked in i was given a free doughnut, then a free orange and then a free date. what i did want was a pancake and an omelette, so i asked for this, and to his credit, my waiter sorted this out for me, even though it wasn’t strictly on the menu. the omelette was incredibly light and fluffy, but didn’t have enough of the green peppers. plenty of delicious mushrooms though. i can’t eat half a plate of potatoes so skipped most of those in favour of my pancake, which i kid you not, was as big as a dinner plate. yum, but some fruit on top would have broken through the sweetness. perhaps some blueberries or strawberries could be complimentary instead of the doughnut?! the housemade maple syrup was delicious and i really did feel looked after. i just think the brunch palate from down under (which prefers freshness and balance) is ruling out, perhaps not quite what the american palate craves.