DENGON NET

「ここ最近、どこも似たりよったりの雰囲気の店ばかり」という声を良く聞く。確かに、飲食店全体のレベルが底上げされたのに対して、店の個性が失われているような気がする。そこで紹介したいのが、これからの季節にピッタリ、ご機嫌な空間で料理が楽しめるGrub Food Van。朝から夜まで楽しめるが、今回は家族で楽しめるように、日中のメニューをいただいた。

まずは、日中でもディナーでも楽しめるPumpkin & Goats Cheese Arancini。サクサクした衣をまとったライスコロッケは、チーズの濃厚な風味の中に時々感じるかぼちゃの甘味が絶妙で、つい「もうひとつ…」と手が伸びてしまうおいしさ。Aranciniの下に敷かれたマヨネーズに似たSaffron Rouilleソースとも相性抜群。軽食にも良いし、お酒のお供にも丁度良い。ちなみに、Aranciniは複数形で、ひとつだとArancinoと呼ぶそう。

Pumpkin & Goats Cheese Arancini    $12

続いて、ヘルシーな色合いのRoasted Swiss Brown Mushrooms。一見シンプルだが、マッシュルームの火の通し加減が絶妙。結構な割合で、火が通り過ぎてクッタリしたマッシュルームと遭遇するが、ここのは歯ごたえも風味もしっかり生きている。クランペット専門ベーカリーから仕入れるクランペットは、表面はカリッ、中はふんわり。トロリとした黄身を絡めていただいて。こちらも季節によってサラダの内容が変わり、今回はケールのサラダ。ケールはジュースやスープでしか口にしたことがなかったので、ちょっとドキドキしながら口に運んだが、思ったより食べやすくて再びビックリ。おいしく体に栄養が充電できそうな一品。

Roasted Swiss Brown Mushrooms  $16

店の看板&人気メニューGrub Egg & Bacon。付け合せは季節によって変わるが、今回は存在感のあるキムチのハッシュドポテト。意外な組み合わせだが、ホクホクのじゃが芋とキムチが良く合っていてビックリ。ハッシュドポテトだけ食べると、キムチの風味が前面に出ているが、ベーコンとポーチドエッグを一緒に食べると、グッとマイルドで濃厚な奥深い味わいになるマジカルなひと皿。ベーコンは豚肉だから、キムチと良く合うのも納得。捻りの効いた洋風豚キムチ的なこのアイディア、家でも取り入れてみたくなる。

Grub Egg & Bacon   $17

お腹いっぱいなので、できたてのルバーブのココナッツの自家製タルトは、次回訪れた時のお楽しみにとって置こうっと。

House Made Cake   $5

子供連れはもちろん、犬用クッキーまで用意されいて、犬を連れての来店も大歓迎。リラックスした空間で家族や愛犬とゆったり、まったり、おいしい時間を過ごしてみては。ごちそうさまでした。

‘Nowadays it seems like all restaurants have the same sort of atmosphere,’ I often hear people complain. It’s true that though the overall standard of restaurants and bars has improved, it seems like they’ve been losing their individuality. So today I’d like to tell you about ‘Grub Food Van’, perfect for the coming warmer weather, where you can enjoy eating in a cheery atmosphere. It’s open from morning to night, but on this occasion I sampled some of the daytime menu, which is good for enjoying as a family. 

First I try ‘Pumpkin & Goats Cheese Arancini’, available during both the day and for dinner. In this rice croquette with a crisp coating, you can taste the occasional bit of sweet pumpkin in the middle of rich cheese   superb. It’s so tasty I keep reaching out for ‘just one more’. The mayonnaise-like sauce ‘Saffron Rouille’ below the Arancini also goes beautifully. It’s good for a light meal, but also great for a snack while drinking. (Incidentally, ‘arancini’ is the plural, for just one it’s ‘arancino’.) 

Next I order the healthy-looking ‘Roasted Swiss Brown Mushrooms’. This dish looks simple at first glance, but the mushrooms are roasted to perfection. Quite a few of the mushrooms one encounters are tired and overcooked, but the mushrooms here are really alive in both taste and texture. The crumpets are crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside; the van sources them from a specialist crumpet bakery. Eat it with the thick egg yolk mixed in. With salads, the ingredients change with the season; on this occasion there is a kale salad. I’ve only eaten kale in soup or juice before, so I am a little worried before I take a bite   but I’m surprised to find it’s much more palatable than I expected. A tasty dish that gives a nutritional recharge. 

Then there is the popular menu item Grub is most known for: ‘Grub Egg & Bacon’. The side changes seasonally in this dish too, but today it’s an sizeable kimchi potato hash. It’s an unexpected combination, but kimchi goes surprisingly well with the soft, flaky potato. Eat the potato hash on its own and the taste of kimchi is at the fore; eat it with some bacon and poached egg and the combination is suddenly mild, rich, and deep in flavour. Magical. Bacon is pork, so it makes sense that kimchi would go well. This idea makes me want to try a Western spin on pork kimchi at home.  

I’m full after all of this, so I decide to save the freshly-baked rhubarb coconut tart for my next visit. 

Of course it’s fine to bring along your children to the Grub Food Van, but dogs are very welcome too   there are even special cookies for them! Why not bring the kids and the dog and have an easy, laid-back, and tasty time in their relaxed space? Gochisosama deshita.

Grub Food Van
87-89 Moor St. Fitzroy
03 9419 8991
Tue-Sat  8am-9pm
Sun  8am-5pm
www.grubfoodvan.com.au