Thrifty Eats

I finally got around to the mind-blowing Mandalay Bus.  I will straight up say: these guys make seriously good food.  The night L and I set out for the bus was bitterly cold, but the food was hot, heaters were set up and the bus itself shielded us from the wind.  

The menu is almost entirely $10 or less, with most meals being $9.  The meals are mega sized as well, so you get great value for money, regardless of what you choose.  From the specials board, we ordered the parmesan chili waffle fries to share, and from the regular dishes we chose the vegetarian samosas.  

The waffle fries were the good kind of greasy, packed with flavour, properly crunchy on the outside and soft in the centre, with plenty of potato to go ‘round.  The parmesan was bitey, and had a vintage taste that you don’t often find on fries.  The chili was a pleasant level of spicy, especially considering the weather, and the dish was topped with fresh spring onion.  The shape of fries were half-waffle, half-crinkle-cut-chip, which added texture, an important feature for a dish where the main ingredient is the versatile potato.  The waffle shape collected the sauce, cheese and salt, making them perfect vessels for toppings.  

The vegetarian samosas were filled with peas, potato and beans.  The filling was similar to a mash though, so I may be completely wrong.  Either way, the mash was encased in glorious, golden, super crispy pastry. While I’m awful at taste-testing and guessing spices correctly, I can rightly say the samosas were full of flavour.  They were topped with rock salt, sour cream (or yoghurt? I actually have no idea - but it was amazing) and fresh herbs.  

L said he was most incredibly impressed with the place, and will definitely endeavour to return. 

Most of you may have heard that Westside Acton Park has opened. That's the tall yellow and blue building/tower you can see when driving past on Commonwealth Avenue Bridge heading North-side. Westsi...

Review by Food Porn Journal.

Pie Day is located just inside the entrance of The Hamlet, on Lonsdale St.  They sells pies ($6), sausage rolls ($5) and salads ($6).  The set up is pretty cool.  They’re in a storage container, covered in vibrant street art, with bright blues and greens.  Inside, there is retro black and white tiles, and they have apple crates set up for purchase. 

S ordered the barley, pomegranate and mograbiah salad, which was a bit heavy on the grain side of things. The flavour combination of feta and pomegranate was a fresh, bursting mix of creamy, tangy cheese and sweet pomegranate.  Despite this epic flavour combo, the salad overall was a little bland.  The ratio of ingredients was a bit unbalanced.  There wasn’t enough of the flavoured elements like the feta and pomegranate to balance the barley and mograhbiah (a pasta similar to couscous).  It would definitely be nice as a side to a pie or sausage roll, but in going solo, it didn’t hold its own.  It needed some greens, like a peppery rocket or spinach leaves, and would have benefitted from a sauce or dressing.

I thought it was only appropriate that I went for a pie, and chose the Butter Chicken with a spicy aioli sauce, on recommendation from the lady on counter.   The pie was piping hot and very decently sized (ie. massive!).  It had chewy, finger-licking buttery pastry, but it lacked that crispness you get with pies fresh out of the oven.  The chicken was tender, and in big, proper chunks, the way pies should be made.  The chicken was swimming in its creamy, buttery sauce, that was peppered with hints of chili.  It was truly a curry in a pie.  I loved the addition of peas and corn kernels, which was a pleasant surprise, and went well with the chicken.  The pie was thoroughly filling, and I couldn’t finish it despite my best efforts.

My colleagues in Canberra were regularly keen to get away from the office for a team lunch. On one of these occasions, we made our way to Treehouse in the Sydney Building, located on Northbourne Av...

Review by Capital Food Journal. 

I haven’t, by far, explored the entirety of Lonsdale St, but I feel like the lunch menu at Elk & Pea is the most gorgeous, sensory, lip-smacking and plate-licking menu in Braddon.  A disclaimer: my boyfriend L and I fully splurged at Elk & Pea.  We broke the $9 rule and bought drinks (exceptional coffee!) and shared a burger after we devoured the reviewed dishes.  

I highly recommend throwing your money at Elk & Pea, because you will receive an incredible experience in return.

Another disclaimer: the dishes in this review are snacks, not full meals, so just be aware if you intend on trying these out.  Also note that Elk & Pea don’t run their lunch menu on weekends (they have an all-day breakfast), so be sure to check them out during the week.

L had a taco, filled with braised lamb shoulder, ‘ancient grains’, and a smoked garlic and rosemary yoghurt.  He demolished this pretty quickly.  It was mellow, mild and relaxed.  Perfect for a summer’s day, which was a shame given the weather was chilly and overcast.  The lamb was excellent, and the flavour combinations were subtle and worked well together.  He’d love for the taco to have been bit warmer (given the weather), which would really mean more lamb (which would be great!).  

I had the empanada of the day, whose flavour was chicken and cauliflower.  The filling was bursting with salty, tender chunks of chicken, soft cauliflower, and sweet onion.  I was amazed, and so, so keen to get it in my mouth already.  The generous serving of sauce was spicy and creamy, and offset the sweet and salty pastry.  Speaking of, the pastry was crisp and flaky outside, and delicate inside.  Exactly how it should be.  The lime was zesty, and rounded out the other sensory elements.  The empanada was big on flavour, small on size.  I am all for a bigger empanada!

The happy ending doesn’t end there though.  We were waited on by the most charismatic, lovely man.  He saw to our every need, gave well-received recommendations, and was so jolly, it was impossible not to enjoy his company.  Super friendly service with an infectious smile is an understatement.  

Honestly, get to Elk & Pea immediately.  They won’t disappoint!  

Located within The Hamlet, Miss Mae’s (run by April’s Caravan) is a quirky little milk bar.  Lit up with sparkling fairy lights, you enter Miss Mae’s through an arch covered with Madeline reminiscent vines, to the sounds of a vintage cassette deck softly playing The Beatles.  The atmosphere was a bit kitsch, but ultimately quite cute.  Sadly, the other stores in The Hamlet detracted from the experience.  The external music dominated Miss Mae’s, and the clash of visual style was a little jarring.  But in a space of its own, I think Miss Mae’s would thrive, and it brings the milk bar vibe to Canberra.

My friend S and I ordered the Peppermint Honey Iced Tea ($5) and the Coconut Ice Deluxe Milkshake ($8).  Miss Mae is known for its experimental flavoured shakes like Apple Pie, Lemon Meringue and Mocha Java Spice.  They also make other cold drinks such as old fashioned lemonade, iced teas and spiders.  Waffles are available for $8 if you’re looking for dessert.

The peppermint iced tea was instantly refreshing.  We agreed it would be an excellent way to cleanse the palate between sampling meals.  It had the slightest honey aftertaste, without being overly sweet.  The tea tasted full-bodied and authentic, and we had the impression that no powders or syrups were involved in its making.  The peppermint wasn’t overwhelming either, it had a subtle flavour that is often easily overdone.  S described it as one of the “best iced teas” she’d ever had.  Its price point is mid range, when compared to Lipton iced teas and other iced teas available at cafes.  

The coconut ice milkshake tasted strongly of sweet, nutty coconut, and had a surprise hint of strawberry to it.  I’m not a fan of strawberry milk usually, but this berry addition worked well in combination with the more dominant coconut.  The pink, shredded coconut garnish was super cute.  Though the milkshake was smaller than what you would receive at a standard cafe, I found that it was a better sized shake.  Often you’re struck by a brain freeze or a sugar overload by the end of a regular one.  It was a little too sweet by the end if you weren’t eating anything alongside it, but that comes with the classic shake taste.  A standard milkshake is usually priced between $6.00 and $7.50, so the $8 is a stretch, but it was worth the real coconut flavour and the whimsical setting.