Bamboo and Buns

Today I set myself an assignment. Find a satisfying two-course CBD lunch for under $6. 

A quick bit of research prior to leaving the office suggested that that Nam Loong did a vege Bun for $1.50 which sounded like a perfect start for my assignment. Primed for success I marched along Russel and into the door of Nam Loong. I was greeted by shelves and shelves of buns of all varieties and enormous bamboo steamers preparing the more on the stove. Alas, the shelf labelled Vegetarian Buns was empty! And it was only 12:44 pm - sold out! Arghh. Could this be the beginning of an assigment Epic Fail?

I whipped out the iPhone and was relieved to learn that Miss T had found Melbourne Central's Bamboo City offered something similar for $1.80. I arrive full of hope, blinking in the neon, only to run into potential failure Number Two. Alas. Perhaps the GFC or Miss T garnered fame had lead to price inflation to round numbers. I gingerly handed over my $2 gold pieces in exchange for two quite substantial looking vege buns. 

Across the road to the State Library lawn for the taste test. Not bad. Not great, but not bad. The buns were a bit hard on the outside - probably from sitting under the neon for too long, but the filling was tasty enough. The seagull certainly thought so. They were filled with glass-noodles, tofu, carrot and spring onions and were certainly filling.

Now with only $2 remaining for dessert I marched off in the direction of the delightfully named Little Cupcakes on Degraves. Sitting on the little wooden table inside I devoured the Cookies and Cream flavoured morsal. Yum.

I also felt a sense of achievement having marched more than 2600 metres in my mission to fulfill this assignment. I'm keen to try the Nam Loong buns because that would mean a two-course meal for under a fiver!

Kim Sing for a Song

If anyone bragged about a hearty lunch spot where you'd have change from a fiver in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, I'd have called them wishful.

Yet somehow Kim Sing manages to produce exactly that in the form of a tasty, filling, freshly cooked vegetarian fried rice for a grand total of $4.00. Yep, really!

I stumbled upon Kim Sing on a lunchtime ramble yesterday and came back again today. If you're seeking romantic fine-dining with white table cloths and starched waiters you won't find it. But you will find an armada of woks dancing on blue flames, a supersized menu with lifesize pictures of dishes on offer and exceptional value for money.

Kim Sing is tucked in Port Phillip Arcade (which embarrassingly I only discovered yesterday, despite having lived in Melbourne for 30 plus years). The cafe spans both sides of the walkway. There is a small yellow sign to identify the place, but long before you see the sign you'll probably see dozens of tables full of students, backpackers and hungry office workers all munching on delicious looking fare.

Yesterday I had the Stirfried Mixed Vegetables with Tofu and Rice for $6. Presentation might not have been superlative, but it was very tasty and came with a nice sauce. The tofu was good, the vegetables were nicely crispy and the mushrooms were really good.

I didn't notice the Vegetarian Fried Rice on the menu until after I'd eaten yesterday, so I had to come back and try it today just to see if it was possible to make a decent dish for $4. Verdict - yes! It came with carrots, beanshoots, spring onions, cabbage, brocolli and pieces of omelette. The rice was fluffy and light and there was enough on the plate to leave me feeling very satisfied. Was it the best fried rice ever - probably not, but it was infinitely better than the soggy overpriced, tasteless, reheated bain-marie gloop I've suffered through in food courts.

Southern Spice Secret

So you’re out west and suddenly develop a hankering for a fresh crispy masala dosai. Or you’re craving a breakfast poori that tastes like you bought it from a guy on Platform 18 at New Dehli Station as you rushed to board the Kerala Express? If you find yourself in this condition and you don’t mind popping into a café that has slightly less ambience than your local laundromat, then I’ll let you in on a secret.

Situated in a prime location across from a multi-colour-flag used car dealership and next to Pizza Hut on busy Gordon Street Footscray, Southern Spice may well sate your desires. Even though their address is listed as Ballarat Road, you enter off Gordon Street, there is a carpark behind the little group of shops or you can catch the number 82 tram. Here is a Google Street View.

The food is cheap (Entrees $2.00-$4.00 Mains $4.00-$7.00) and delicious. When we used to live near this place and I loved dragging Mi here as often as I could. We even convinced many friends to come with us. And while they were initially dubious, they were instant converts after the first mouthful.

The masala dosai comes with the usual spiced potato and ghee filling and the poori is served with a delicious light dal. They also have great lassis and there a plenty more vegetarian and vegan choices on the menu.

I'll have to go back there and get some photos for you, but in the mean time, why not check it out for yourself?

Thali Time

Oh joy! 

Bismi are now doing an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet from Mon-Wed with around 25 choices including dosai, roti, dhal and several vegetarian (8+) and non-veg curries. 

For $11.90 it is great value but it certainly won't be good for my waistline. I'm going back tomorrow!

Bismi has without a doubt the best masala dosai in Melbourne - crisp, paper thin and very very tasty. I've been enjoying them for around 4 years now and I think they might even be getting better. 

Their roti and thali dishes are great too. I can't comment on the biryani or meat dishes - never made it past my staples. 

I think they might have recently turned down the music (at least when I was there) and it's possible they have even have given it a clean! 

I would probably still frequent this place even if it was the grottiest in Melbourne - the food is that good.