We all crave a certain comfort food when we are feeling down, under the weather or just looking for a pick-me-up. It is soul food that provides a nostalgic or sentimental value and is quite often characterised by its high-caloric nature and association to childhood or home cooking.
Ultimate Aussie soul food choices include everyone’s fave butter chicken, chicken parmigiana, barbequed snags, lamingtons, a burger with the lot and the humble meat pie…here are five venues to get a soul food fix:
Traditional Balinese Fare
Discover a traditional Balinese culinary experience at Bali Tuka on Bonner Drive in Malaga. Located in Malaga Markets, this Perth dining venue is the place to head to indulge in the rich flavours of Bali from whole roasted suckling pig to everyone’s favourite nasi goreng.
Perhaps start with fried chicken drumsticks or satay chicken skewers and peanut sauce, before comforting dishes such as soto ayum with soft-boiled egg, roast chicken, tomatoes and greens in a flavoursome broth; choose classic plates such as nasi goreng fried rice with chicken and a fried egg on top, or richly flavoured, mouthwatering slow cooked beef rendang, served with rice and vegetables.
Food and Music for the Soul
Good food and music for the soul are on the plate at Chinta Ria Soul on Acland Street in St Kilda. This modern hawker-style Malaysian restaurant presents an earthy vibe with dark wood furniture, terracotta tiled floors and potted palms, while a full glass frontage allows an abundance of natural light.
Take a seat beneath the colourful wall mural of well-known jazz musicians and delve into entrées like shredded duck rolls with carrots and silver thread noodles; move onto mains such as wok-fried flat noodles with prawns, fish cakes, egg, spring onions, bean shoots and a hint of chilli, or everyone’s favourite black bean beef with capsicum, onion, broccoli and a side of fragrant coconut rice.
Mouth-watering Soul Food Choices
Enjoy the delights of Asian cuisine at Siam Pagoda Thai Garden restaurant, well known and loved by Clayfield locals and visitors alike. An exotic vibe reverberates through this Junction Road venue with a spacious, open-plan layout extending through wide doors to a tropical courtyard, ideal both for smart-casual family dinners and celebrating special occasions with a banquet.
Aromatic herbs and spices mingle with fresh produce to create a menu of mouth-watering soul food choices; perhaps snack on Siam fish cakes and dipping sauce, or dip your spoon into a steaming bowl of spicy tom yum soup with prawns, mushrooms, lemongrass and herbs; comforting curries such as beef massaman with peanuts, palm sugar, onion and potatoes are best enjoyed with steamed vegetables and jasmine rice.
Melbourne Dining Icon
Established in 2005, Dandenong Pavilion on Princes Highway has become an icon in Melbourne, drawing customers from across the city. Renowned for its large and inviting menu, generous portion sizes and one of the best value-for-money establishments in the city, it is hardly surprising the venue has entertained more than two million guests since opening.
Settle in with a glass of your favourite wine and peruse a Modern Australian menu dishing up comforting hearty choices such as a Philly cheese steak roll with tangy steak sauce, pickles, caramelised onion and cheese sauce; for the main, soothe your culinary soul with slow-cooked lamb shank, red wine jus, mashed potatoes, seasonal greens and a side of char-grilled corn. Finish with sticky date pudding, warm butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream and almond meal.
Comforting Slow-cooked Meat
Follow the tantalising aromas of slow-cooked and smoked meat down Railway Street in Rockdale to appease ravenous hunger at Smokin’ Al’s BBQ. Let Al cook for you using unique flavours and ingredients to plate up the perfect Texas-style low and slow BBQ meat, along with char-grilled Angus burgers and housemade frankfurters in fabulous hot dogs.
Perhaps devour 12-hour smoked beef rib with sides of slow-cooked spicy beans, mac and cheese and red cabbage, fennel and apple slaw with cider dressing; wrap your mouth around Smokin’ Al’s beef burger with American cheese, beef rasher, caramelised onion, lettuce, chipotle mayo and BBQ sauce on a milk bun, or crispy fried chicken with cheese, iceberg, mayo and housemade chilli sauce.
