This blog is about Ausfood and not specifically about the following

  • This blog is not about: anitbiotics, compost, dental caries,farmgate prices, genetically modified food, humane killing methods,
  • lactose intolerance
  • xenophobia

Thursday, 24 January 2013

Time for a lunch break


There are a number of cafes to choose from in the main street of Rutherglen and I spent a pleasant half hour in one of them this morning, sitting in the courtyard in the shade enjoying a coffee, a predictable cake and the passing parade.

When lunch time came around I chose a café that also opens some evenings; it was not going to be open in the evenings of the two days I was staying in Rutherglen, so lunch was my only option. I was curious to see how much Australian produce is offered on the menu.

A blackboard on the wall informed me that the fish were from Lakes Entrance and the oysters were from St Helens in Tasmania. A good start. I ordered the fish and chips and the owner/chef told me the fish that day was gummy shark; the oysters were from Coffin Bay and not St Helen’s. This alteration comes about as the menu items are selected daily on whatever is best available from the markets on that day.

In the days of long ago and far way no right thinking person would countenance ordering fish when eating out in an inland town. Too far away from the sea – who knows what might turn up on the plate and how it might taste. Times have changed – now ordering is done on the same day the order will arrive at the café and it is the best of what is available from the current catch. How good is that?

The plate of fish and chips arrives; the fish is battered and while the chips can be counted on the fingers of one hand this meal is about quality over quantity. There is salad with mayo, a side of tartare and 1/8 lemon. If this is a Taste of Rutherglen I’m all for more of it and I give this meal an A without hesitation. This is my new 2013 meal rating system and an A is not given out lightly. Great meal.

I’m note-taking while eating and this draws the attention of the chef who comes over to ask if everything is alright with my meal. I take the opportunity to praise his local food approach and skate over the idea of all Australian food making an appearance on the menu. We discuss the pros and cons and not unexpectedly he says that is a difficult thing to achieve for many reasons and estimates that 98% of their food would be Australian anyway.  I accept the argument, people running a cafe are running a business and business is business. 

Revived after a excellent meal, I leave the café, turn left and walk down to the tourist information centre where I will browse through the labels in their stock of locally produced food and have another cup of the best coffee in town.



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