Food & Drink The Hangar Food Thread

[monty1104]

x - Xhosa? South African minority, known for Umngqusho. Unfortunately most Melbourne "African" restaurants are more Somali/Ethiopian rather than southern African. I've struggled to find a South African restaurant in Melbourne.

 

[Pweter]

"Eating the Alphabet"...naah sounds too Play School crossed with Alphabet Spaghetti. Gotta nail the name as that's what will draw people in.

I guess there aren't too many Welsh restaurants around?

 

[tesla1962]

I guess there aren't too many Welsh restaurants around?

they a bit rare?

 

[Howard Moon]

x - Xhosa? South African minority, known for Umngqusho. Unfortunately most Melbourne "African" restaurants are more Somali/Ethiopian rather than southern African. I've struggled to find a South African restaurant in Melbourne.

There's a south African shop in templestow that handles sa fare such as biltong but its no restaurant.... Could always cheat and go nandos! Pretty sure that started there.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

W – ?

West Indies, something Caribbean?

Can also recommend a couple - Kao Thai, a great little Thai joint at 347 Sydney Rd run by a lovely Australian/Thai couple. The crispy pork belly and greens is near the top of my list of 'first eats back in town'. And, if you don't mind losing your staff discount, my favourite Japanese is a tiny sushi place called Yu-U, hidden in an alley off Flinders Lane.

 

[Jade]

There's a south African shop in templestow that handles sa fare such as biltong but its no restaurant.... Could always cheat and go nandos! Pretty sure that started there.

It did!

Bare with me for a day, one of my colleagues is a proud Xhosan (spell?); will ask.

 

[monty1104]

There's a south African shop in templestow that handles sa fare such as biltong but its no restaurant.... Could always cheat and go nandos! Pretty sure that started there.

Yeah that shop is good but pretty pricey.

 

[Howard Moon]

West Indies, something Caribbean?

Can also recommend a couple - Kao Thai, a great little Thai joint at 347 Sydney Rd run by a lovely Australian/Thai couple. The crispy pork belly and greens is near the top of my list of 'first eats back in town'. And, if you don't mind losing your staff discount, my favourite Japanese is a tiny sushi place called Yu-U, hidden in an alley off Flinders Lane.

Love the Thai recommendation, will add, long grain seems to expensive anyway, it was my partners request.

're: Japanese , I'm in a pickle, I dont actually do sushi, or seafood really. So I'm pretty bad at Japanese, teppanyaki, katsu chicken type of guy. Was thinking I might change to Jamaican if I can find a jerk store (costanza?)

 

[Howard Moon]

It did!

Bare with me for a day, one of my colleagues is a proud Xhosan (spell?); will ask.

Awesome! I love when they speak with the clicks, I had a saffa mate (white) who could speak it, made my day every time

 

[Howard Moon]

When compiling my list I got to thinking we are kind of unique in Melbourne having so many decent options in the actual cbd. I can't think of many other places other than NYC that has it this way. Most places cbd shuts down outside of business hours and is a ghost town while all the decebt restauranty areas are in the old town or in the suburbs or barrios or baysides.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Also blessed with cheap, quality options. London was shiiiit on that front.

 

[Howard Moon]

I reckon it might be cause of our proximity to Asia? And high Asian population...

I mean things like pho, ramen, dumpling, hawkers foods, noodles ect are all cheap by nature, maybe it drives the entire city cuisine price down by default to compete?

But to Londonders the far east is still pretty exotic, could barley find decent Asian fare. We had Thai at our local pub that was nice but exxy as all hell!

Kebab and curry on the other hand...

 

[Doss]

I've never had pho as good as what I had in Vietnam back here. I reckon the missing secret ingredient is star anise in the broth.

 

[Howard Moon]

I get really annoyed how they dull down certain cusines for unrefined Aussie palettes...

Like we can't take a bit of heat or complexity!

The worst for me is when an Indian shop asks me if I want my dish mild medium or hot. You can't turn it in or off like a tap! I want the dish I ordered authetically spiced, some are spicy some not.

How are they making a mild vindaloo? Pls.

 

[Doss]

Mild vindaloo is an oxymoron!

 

[Pweter]

A mate trekked through some of Loas and Cambodia a while back and he said the amount of discussions he had that went something like below was daily:

Mate: (Pointing to something) - some of that please
Local: You like hot?
Mate: Yes please
Local: I give hot
Mate: Yes, as hot as you eat it. You hot
Local: You want hot?
Mate: Yes, not whitey hot. You hot
Local: Oh you like hot. Ok

He pretty quickly caught on about the difference between local hot and whitey hot, it was just a matter of getting the message across he wanted the local food as intended for the locals, not toned down. Most of the time he got what he wanted.

I agree it's a shame that the food is toned down for our palette.

 

[monty1104]

A mate trekked through some of Loas and Cambodia a while back and he said the amount of discussions he had that went something like below was daily:

Mate: (Pointing to something) - some of that please
Local: You like hot?
Mate: Yes please
Local: I give hot
Mate: Yes, as hot as you eat it. You hot
Local: You want hot?
Mate: Yes, not whitey hot. You hot
Local: Oh you like hot. Ok

He pretty quickly caught on about the difference between local hot and whitey hot, it was just a matter of getting the message across he wanted the local food as intended for the locals, not toned down. Most of the time he got what he wanted.

I agree it's a shame that the food is toned down for our palette.

I agree wholeheartedly, but I do understand it from a business perspective. If a restaurant sells food deemed "too spicy" it will turn a lot of customers off.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

curry on the other hand...

In London? Expensive and bland these days, I'm afraid.

 

[Howard Moon]

They should say .....you big girl? You have korma. You 50/50? You have balti, you big man? I make you vindaloo.

 

[Howard Moon]

In London? Expensive and bland these days, I'm afraid.

Booooo!

What's the London cuisine of the minute?

Gone back to stodge?

 

[Halorad]

I agree wholeheartedly, but I do understand it from a business perspective. If a restaurant sells food deemed "too spicy" it will turn a lot of customers off.

I like spicy food, but I cannot stand it when you are given the mild version with a spoonfull of * off hot chillis added the end. After three or so mouthfuls you somehow manage to scoop half of the chillis at once and it feels like you are eating the ******* sun.

 

[Howard Moon]

I like spicy food, but I cannot stand it when you are given the mild version with a spoonfull of **** off hot chillis added the end. After three or so mouthfuls you somehow manage to scoop half of the chillis at once and it feels like you are eating the ******* sun.

Exactly!! That's the mild medium hot method , and I hate it.

 

[Halorad]

Exactly!! That's the mild medium hot method , and I hate it.

I find Thai food especially bad for this, whereas Indian is usually pretty good

 

[Howard Moon]

I don't really dig the coconut based curries, I find myself always drawn to the pad gra prao, that classic chilli/garlic/Thai basil combo dances all over my taste buds. But apparently the thai basil doesn't like the cold Melbourne weather so the taste here is only batting at 50%. Wonder if true?

 

[Pweter]

I don't really dig the coconut based curries, I find myself always drawn to the pad gra prao, that classic chilli/garlic/Thai basil combo dances all over my taste buds. But apparently the thai basil doesn't like the cold Melbourne weather so the taste here is only batting at 50%. Wonder if true?

Just grow a new crop each year from November to March and make the most of the crop in that period.