happy post-election day. hope you got your democracy sausage
I can’t vote (yet) ((if only immi would hurry tf up with my citizenship app)) but I have a pack of vegie delights in the crisper ready to grill up in solidarity. thank god results didn’t swing the way of my home country
speaking of, I just got back from a FIFO wedding in cali (first time back since our own elections) and spotted a maga hat, maha sign and thin blue line cornhole set within the span of a day – despite being in the country’s 4th most liberal state1
I guess I can get the maha thing from a socal perspective with its cali sober, erewhon-pilled, soy-denouncing2 reputation but there’s something a bit off about simping a guy who drove around with your state’s representative animal in his van
while it seems there’s still some semblance of hope left in australia, (north) america (between canada and mexico) is plummeting from heaven, spiraling into inflation and undermining what makes the country great (democracy+ multiculturalism)
but does that make it any less fascinating to analyse and exoticise? hell no. so scroll down to see some things I ate there
the recipetineats vs brooki war continues + raises questions on recipe plagiarism. i’m #teamnagi but shockingly not everyone is. is it just me or is there a not-so-subtle racist tone undermining this whole thing?
seems like everyone was invited to coachella this year (often by brands you’ve never heard of). you’ve prob seen the vlogs and recaps and grwms but have you seen the food reviews? (1) (2) (3)
mexican-indian fusion finally finds its feet, informed by the mixed-race relationships of the early 20th century that former in the face of closed-border policies
docklands costco is already shut (rip). here’s what you can find at its replacement
MAY
pop-up wine bar by daedalus feat. fin - sun 4 may at icarus coffee - FREE3
dinner party by bigger things club - thurs 15 may at teta mona - $94
rintel’s dinner - thurs 15 may (and subsequent thursdays) at east melb synagogue - FREE5
divestment dinner by next wave x ACFA feat. chef aheda - thurs 22 may at next wave - $45
udom house mor-gang (west melb) - ngl this japanese-portuguese-thai cake was the best sweet I’ve had in a while – prob because it was so savoury. tasted like yam and was crowned with a toupee of fried shallot. as someone who salts AND sweetens my (extra thick) porridge, I approve
hansang beef jeon (west melb) - I fell in love with the idea of this dish after culinary class wars, despite never having eaten it. now I have and it’s lived up to all expectations. the thinly-sliced beef coated in egg then pan-fried tastes exactly like I hoped it would (delicious)
morena heart of palm ceviche (cbd) - is it sacriligeous to get fish-free ceviche at a peruvian-owned restaurant? not when it’s made with heart of palm (one of the world’s most underrated vegetables). this artichoke heart / banana blossom stand-in is good in any form (most commonly, canned) but there’s nothing like trying it fresh dressed with jalapeno tiger’s milk. 10/10 vegan dish
monarch polish cheesecake (st kilda) - this recipe is allegedly over 100 years old and it holds strong. not too rich, not too sweet, subtly tart, v dense (in a good way). if you order the nice but cloying poppyseed cake, this a welcome counterpart
chaggaccino from some coffee stall at the library (san diego) - this functional mushroom drink was popularised by the la chain alfred (I think) and can now be found around california. this one was made with a powdered mix which feels like cheating but it was so fucking good that all is forgiven
hot bread kitchen banana cake + a mocha nescafe (fiji) - this stalwart bakery chain, created in ‘81, has locations around fiji + auckland. amongst lamingtons and jam rolls and chicken pies, you’ll find this thick, (sp)iced banana cake – aside from cream buns, it’s one of fiji’s most iconic sweets. can’t make it to fiji? head to hampton park or sydney
levain choc chip walnut cooke (la) - finally tried “ny’s most famous cookie” several decades too late and in the wrong city. but you know what? after all this time and hype and expansion it actually holds up. best cookie I’ve ever had? maybe not in my whole life. but in recent memory? 100%
canter’s deli matt special (la) - a trip to la is not complete without a trip to canter’s. west and east coast delis both have ashkenazi roots, but this one’s a breed of its own. the $20 pastrami is no katz’s but it’ll feed you for days. this time, though, I skipped it in favour of turkey, meunster, slaw + russian dressing on challah. goes down well with a choc egg cream and a refillable plate of free pickles
though what does that even mean anymore?
fr, it was exclusively oat (ew), almond or coconut everywhere I went!!
not including food + bev
only a handful of tix remain!
not including food + bev