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Toasta at Southside Social – Elsternwick – Sunday 17 May 2015 – Lunch

Toasta - Barry (cheddar, pulled brisket, dill pickle, smokey BBQ sauce) and Charlie (swiss, shredded chicken, bacon, basil and walnut pesto, roast capsicum)

Toasta – Barry and Charlie

It is May 2010 and I remember it well because it was my first modern day introduction to a food van. One of my best mates and I had been picked up from LAX by my cousin living in Santa Monica and we stopped in a carpark outside of The Brig on Abbot Kinney in Venice, California. Sascha explained that the food van tweets where it will be and the masses descend, especially on a sunny Sunday for lunch. It was a memorable few tacos for a combination of taste, cost, and of course, the holiday factor.

Five years have passed and now food vans are rife through Melbourne the same way they were in LA back then (and continue to be). The carpark outside of The Brig continues to be popular, and was made even more famous by scenes in “The Chef” which I can recommend as a decent feature film. Even though I love the concept of a food van I don’t get around to many. There are several councils who don’t allow them, and there are many other options on the way to driving to councils that do allow them.
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Today is different because Southside Social is a temporary collection of vans in a carpark for about six weeks in Elsternwick (ending very soon). It is a beautiful autumn day, perfect for eating outside, and because of the collection there is some more infrastructure than you would normally expect (ie tables, benches, toilet etc) as the carpark can be locked up when not operating. There are a few options, but the one we choose is Toasta which Catherine has heard good things about from a friend.
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Toasta serves up several types of toasties that are around $12. They also have some nice homemade drinks such as lemonade. We chose the Barry and the Charlie. The Barry features tender pulled brisket, stacks of cheddar, dill pickle, and gorgeous smokey BBQ sauce. The Charlie has plenty of swiss cheese, shredded chicken, bacon, basil and walnut pesto, and roast capsicum. In common is the salty, buttery taste, enhanced by all the toasted cheese, producing an incredibly flavoursome and guilt ridden experience. While I had chosen the Barry, I actually ended up having a soft spot for the Charlie. Both were a generous sized meals, especially considering the cholesterol!

These types of food van gatherings are getting more popular from Richmond to Yarraville. My suggestion is find out where Toasta is going next and seek it out.

Toasta on Urbanspoon

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Lumberjack – Richmond – Numerous Occasions – Lunch

IMG_3495The daily rotation of places for lunch is largely unscripted and hectic. Venues almost choose themselves based the past experiences of those around for lunch on any particular day. With tens of appropriate options in Richmond near work it is a difficult task to get a frequent gig.

Lumberjack has moved its way into a regular spot over the past six months. There is not one particular reason for its featuring more and more regularly but it goes to show that it is possible to break through!

What I like about Lumberjack is the lack of fuss, or more fairly, the perceived lack of fuss. There are basically no descriptions in the busy lunch display, so naturally our first contact with staff is immediate to get the rundown of what is in the cabinet. The usual offerings include frittatas, tarts, patties, focaccias (chicken snitzel, chicken and avocado to name a couple), wraps (chicken and corn being one I’ve tried), slow cooked (or quickly cooked but marinated) meats, and some great salad options. That is in addition to the regular menu.

While the friendly staff might seem laid back, there is rarely a wait on food (as should be the case), the coffee is well made and quickly delivered, and generally the space both inside, out front, and out back is comfortable. The only exception is some of the random slight bottomed chairs that would be an interesting task for some good eaters.

To the food. Personally, I think it is important to ask questions to understand exactly what you are getting because it changes regularly and is not obvious for some dishes. If you order well, I think most of the time you will get food that is flavoursome and different to many other options in Richmond, in good quantities, at very reasonable prices. I’ve found the focaccias and wraps to be particularly good. If you go larger, for an example, my chicken (pictured) covered in shallots and a spice rub, with one of the better salads I’ve had around Richmond featuring grilled zucchini and radicchio, was both delicious and less than $15. On the other side of the scale, some of my colleagues patties have been a bit plain, so they’ve chosen differently the next time around.

Lumberjack has made a good impression over a length of time, but is equally worthwhile for the odd visit here and there for those outside the area.

Lumberjack on Urbanspoon