by Tim Blight | Jan 20, 2016 | Lounge (The City Life)
Misty’s Diner
If you’re a fan of Americana, the 1950s and 1960s, or if you just love comfort food, then Misty’s Diner is the place for you! We’ve been going for a couple of years now, although it had been quite some time since our last visit.
Some small things change, but on the whole, this place is still a classic fixture on Melbourne’s comfort food scene. Think Johnny Rocket’s on steroids – Johnny Rockets is tempered a bit by its chain-store status, but with Misty’s, it’s no-holds-barred food porn!
Let’s be clear – this is not haute cuisine, nor is it paleo, clean-eating or diet friendly. None of these explain why we come to Misty’s. Instead, Misty and her devoted fan following (they do exist!) come here to worship at the temple of shameless Americana diner fare. Misty herself is something of a celebrity around these parts; hailing from Arizona in the USA, her endearing story is told to diners on the menus.
The walls are plastered with memorabilia from the 1950s and 60s; like a vision from the movie Grease, Elvis and Marylin gaze out from every other wall, atop rows of car number plates from various states. A classic rock’n’roll soundtrack plays in the background.
Upholstered in turquoise and pink vinyl, with trimmings of canary yellow, each booth comes with a jukebox and a bottle of ketchup. The menu is replete with American diner specialties like curly fries with ranch dipping sauce, root beer soda and key lime pie.
As this was our first visit in a long while, we decided to go back to our old standbys; I chose Misty’s classic burger with a side of wet fries (thick potatoes fries drenched in salty gravy and grated cheese). The burger comes out with a fried egg on top, sunny side up, “just the way my daddy used to make it” according to Misty!
We also got chilli cheese fries (a chilli version of the ‘wet fries’), hot dog and blooming onion; a onion deep fried and slowly falling apart on the plate lotus-style.
To wash it all down I chose a chocolate brownie thickshake – soft serve ice cream and real chocolate brownie blended together until only a few chunks remained. This doubled as dessert, but if I had opted for a dessert ‘dish’, there’s everything USA from sweet pumpkin pie, pecan pie and red velvet cake, right through to Peanut Butter M&Ms and a deep-fried Twinkie bar.
Yes, Misty’s Diner also has a small candy shop where you can stock up on Big Red cinnamon gum, Reeses Pieces, Butterfingers, Sioux City Cream Soda, Dr Pepper and Cherry Cola.
This is no ordinary restaurant – it’s an institution, and there are additionally many more reasons to love it; while the meat might not be halal certified, Misty’s menu is very clear about which products do and don’t contain pork – nearly all the hot dogs are made with beef, while the burgers can be easily ordered sans bacon. There’s even a “secret menu” – for those not in the know, this is an American concept at fast food stores where specialty dishes can be made on request – the items don’t appear on the regular menu, but all the ingredients are on hand in the kitchen. Extra hot chilli sauce (like, seriously hot – known as “Po’ man’s cocaine”) is also available for those of you who can’t get enough spice.
We left, as always, happy as ever, overstuffed and giggling at how slightly corny but overall awesome the whole experience was, and already dreaming of what we might order next time. This is not the place to come every night (as much as I’d love to, there aren’t enough hours in the day to work off the calories I would consume), nor is it the place where you’re going to lose a whole heap of weight. But sometimes food is supposed to be fun, and if you’re the type of person for whom fun means getting served by someone called James Dean, and trying to wrap your lips around a shamelessly delctable burger cooked up ol’ southern style; well partner, you’re in luck.
As Misty says; “I hope you brought your appetite, cause things are gonna get messy. No-one leaves the diner hungry!”
Food: 10/10
Ambience: 9/10
Service: 9/10
Cost: Mains $10 – $25
103 – 105 High Street, Prahran, another location at Reservoir
(03) 9510 1959
www.mistysdiner.com.au
Opening hours; depends on the day and store, check the website for details.
Have you been to an American-style diner before? Either in the USA, or elsewhere? What did you order? Tell us below!
by Tim Blight | Jan 16, 2016 | News and Opinion
“The Departure Lounge”
There are times in life when it feels like we are “on borrowed time” somewhere. It could be in a relationship, or at a workplace, or even at a house. The moment we realise that time is running out, and soon, we will have to move on.
I have often been fascinated at the thought of leaving a city; what makes us get up and move on from the urban habitat that we call home for so long? Often, I feel it’s the things going on around me that indicate when it might be time to move. Friends move on, cities change, and we are left standing in a place that was once familiar, but is now just a colourless shell of its former self. It’s a strange, empty feeling of loss, a sense of an era ending.
After all, what is a city but for the people who make it? And what are our public lives but for those who populate them? And when people move on, out of our cities (both physical and metaphorical), we are faced with a decision; to remain, or to move with the times. And until we decide, we wait. Too late to start something new, too early to bank on the next path. I call this place “The Departure Lounge”. The time when you know; it’s nearly time to go.
Kate Bush alluded to this when she sang;
“Somewhere in between
Breathing out and breathing in
Like twilight is neither night nor morning”
The place where you can either retreat, or move forward. But instead we stand, and wait, at the end of one chapter, waiting for the next to begin.
(Image: Ivan Bandura, Wikimedia Commons)
I’m also reminded of an episode of a television series I have watched, in which the main character wonders about fate, and the people who come into and out of our lives.
“Maybe our mistakes are what make our fate. Without them, what would shape our lives? Perhaps if we never veered off course we wouldn’t fall in love, or have babies, or be who we are. After all, seasons change. So do cites. People come into your life and people go. But it’s comforting to know that the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you’re very lucky, a plane ride away.”
by Tim Blight | Nov 25, 2015 | Lounge (The City Life)
Melbourne Night Noodle Markets
Last week I went with some friends to the popular Night Noodle Markets at Melbourne’s Birrarung Marr. It was my first time to the noodle markets in Melbourne, which are part of The Age Good Food Month in Melbourne.
The location, at Birrarung Marr, is great – right by the Yarra River and with the city’s imposing buildings as a backdrop. Every year the city’s best Asian restaurants come together to build stalls in Birrarung Marr, dishing up the city’s best Asian cuisine as the sun sets.
Already planning a second trip, I began by going for my favourite – Thai. Pad Thai and Pad See Ew might be “boring staples”, but I figured they would be my best shot to start with. I also picked up some yummy satay skewers – all of this was from the Spanthai stand in the lower terrace of the park. The satay was great, but the noodles weren’t the best I’ve had.
We took a walk around the middle and upper terraces, where we were afforded a great view of the city at dusk.
Near the western end of the middle terrace we picked up ‘Lime in the Coconut’, a lip smacking lime and coconut ice cream with lashing of sweet syrups and toppings, served in a cute coconut bowl.
Back on the lower terrace, we picked up mango and sticky rice for another round of dessert, but like the rest of the Thai offerings that night, was just ok.
One thing the noodle markets isn’t is cheap – expect to pay upwards of $10 for a plate of noodles or anything else.
I’m planning another trip to the noodle markets this week, so will report back soon with tastes from another part of the market, and hopefully more positive news!
Noodle Markets: Redux!
One week later, and part two of my Melbourne Night Noodle Markets adventure had me in search of better Pad Thai food, this time from a stall named “White Guy Cooks Thai” – as ridiculous as it is hilarious!
This time the noodles were as good as I had been hoping for on the first visit.
We washed it down with iced teh tarik (Malaysian frothy milk tea) – in a bag, just like on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Or something. I mightn’t have experienced anything like that while I was actually in KL, but I guess it was sweet and rustic.
Check on the UrbanDuniya YouTube channel this Sunday for a full video round-up!
The Melbourne Noodle Night Markets are on nightly at Birrarung Marr until this Sunday. The Sydney edition is held in Hyde Park annually in October.
by Tim Blight | Nov 4, 2015 | Lounge (The City Life)
Gujju’s Chaat House
Gujarati food is one of the true pleasures of Indian cuisine. Once you get past the standard fare of ‘butter chicken’, ‘chicken tikka’ and ‘rogan josh’ which gets served without fail in Indian restaurants abroad, it’s time to explore regional cuisine, like Bengali, which I reviewed here two years ago. Gujju’s Cafe and Chaat House in Melbourne is the perfect introduction to Gujarati cuisine.
Spicy Papdi Chaat
Chaat is a catch-all phrase for any number of dishes thrown together from salty, snack-like ingredients. And while Mumbai and Delhi are iconic cities for street food chaat, it’s their Gujarati-style chaat that leaves the punters raving. Gujarati food is usually vegetarian, spicy, and includes elements of sweet mixed in with usually savoury dishes – a challenge for some tastebuds accustomed to having the sweet and savoury served separately.
Dahi Papdi Chaat
Chaat at Gujju’s comes in 43 different varieties, but on a recent visit we chose our favourites to sample the menu. Papdi chaat; small pappad (also called pappadum) slathered with chopped vegetables, crushed dry noodles, semi-sweet yogurt, mint, tamarind and coriander chutneys. A spicier version comes without the yogurt.
Dhabeli
Dhabelli is a kind of hamburger with sauces and mashed vegetables in side, and served along with a fiery chilli sauce.
Dahi Bhalley
Dahi Bhalley is a large spongey fried lentil ball covered in semi-sweet, semi-savoury yogurt and topped with chopped vegetables. It’s a common snack across India, and a popular breaking-of-fast dish during Ramadan in Pakistan.
Sev Puri
Sev Puri features fried lentil flour shells stuffed vegetables and topped with crushed dry noodles and chutneys. Although we didn’t order it, another standout chaat dish is pani puri, known in Pakistan as golgappe, and sees the same lentil flour shells filled with tamarind- and mint-infused water to create mouthful bursting with flavour. (Eat them quickly before they start leaking!)
Bhel Puri and Mango Lassi
And bhel puri, a bowlful of popped rice (like Rice Bubbles), crushed dry noodles, chopped tomato, onion and coriander, then tossed through with tamarind, mint, coriander and chilli sauces is not much to look at, but is brimming with spicy tastiness!
Gujarati Thali at Gujju’s
It is possible to make a whole meal out of chaat, but if you’re looking for something more substantial, look no further than the Gujarati thali. This large silver platter is placed before you then filled with the specials of the day – usually a bit of chaat, small bowls of sweet and sour lentil soups (kadi and dhal), two or three vegetarian curries, spicy pickle, Gujarati salad and a few rotis or theplas (Gujarati buttery bread) to mop it all up with. The attentive waiters stop by with pots of each dish to keep you topped up until you can eat no more – it’s an Indian version of Yum Cha! Thali is accompanied by the dessert of the day (like sweet semolina pudding) and a stainless steel glass of chhaach – salty lassi. It’s all you can eat for $17, and it’s simply divine.
Gujju’s Cafe and Chaat House
It’s no frills at Gujju’s, and occasionally the Bollywood song on the TV drowns out the noise of the next table’s rather noisy conversation. But if you’re tired of the same old Indian food every time you eat out, and are looking to expand your horizons; if you’re vegetarian and looking for a new place to be a favourite; or if you’re a homesick Gujarati in Melbourne, then look no further than Gujju’s Cafe and Chaat House in Malvern East – you won’t be disappointed!
Details
Food: 9/10
Ambience: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Cost: Each chaat plate is $8 – $11, and the thali is $17 per head.
1/141 Waverley Rd, Malvern East, another location at 1/13 Watton St, Werribee
(03) 9571 1188
www.gujjus.com.au
Dinner: Monday – Sunday 5:30pm – 10:30pm
Lunch: Saturday and Sunday 12:30pm – 3:30pm
by Tim Blight | Oct 4, 2015 | Traveller
The Yarra Valley
The Yarra Valley is just one hour’s drive from the centre of Melbourne, but it’s a world away from the daily grind. While it’s famous for its multitude of wineries, there are plenty of things to entertain the non-drinker as well.
We stopped first at the Yarra Valley Dairy, where the ‘House Cow’ and ‘Saffy Cow’ (marinated in saffron-infused olive oil) cheeses come highly recommended!!
After that we headed to the Innocent Bystander, a restaurant and wine bar, for lunch. While the highlight for many is the wine tasting, I’ll leave that to the experts and talk about the food. A cheese board to start, followed by crispy ocean trout with puttanesca sauce, woodfire pizza and twice cooked duck, along with a range of cool drinks and cakes.
Innocent Bystander cheese board
Innocent Bystander twice cooked duck
Innocent Bystander buffalo mozzarella pizza
Innocent Bystander crispy skin ocean trout
LOVE this!
We tried to get into the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, but the lines for that were ridiculous enough to have us on our way back to the big smoke. Instead we finished up with a drive around some of the pretty wineries for which the area is known, clicking pictures and being shamelessly touristy.
For more from the Yarra Valley, see the latest UrbanDuniya video here!
