Fried Macaroni and Cheese

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Grand Trailer Park Taverna – Melbourne, City – Saturday 25 July 2015 – Lunch

KSA and Mac and Cheese Croquette

KSA and Mac and Cheese Croquette

Hype is a wonderful thing. It does not come out of nowhere and is a sign of something worth trying, but it does set expectations higher.

At Grand Trailer Park Taverna you can smell the hype. In one of the most random refurbished upstairs locations in the city there is now a sanctuary for burger lovers overlooking the intersection of Exhibition and Bourke Streets.

I’m not sure how they got the trailers up there but it is a great look. The strong crowd is not a surprise but gladly the space, whether in caravan booths, on more usual tables, or benches with stools, is nice and comfortable. Here you order at the counter so after a quick assessment of the menu I decide on the Ivan Drago, Catherine on the KSA, and we also share some chips and a mac and cheese croquette.

The Ivan Drago and Hand Cut Chips

The Ivan Drago and Hand Cut Chips

My Ivan Drago has an Aussie beef pattie, cheddar cheese, black Russian tomato, streaky bacon, beetroot, McDowell sauce and comes in a brioche bun. The classic Aussie inclusion of beetroot is great and I’m guessing its name comes as a result of the Russian tomato. Everything works and the pattie is high on flavour. Catherine’s KSA has the same beef and cheese in a brioche bun, with normal tomato and butter lettuce, special burger sauce and American mustard. Again it is a delicious burger and a good option if you don’t want too many flavours in each bite.

The mac and cheese croquette is just indulgent comfort in a perfect little package. It is huge so the decision to share one with Catherine works for us. The chips are terrific but that is to be expected.

With a good selection of drinks available, there is plenty to quench your thirst and offset all that grease. It is not out of the question to see out an afternoon over a few courses and a few drinks but today we have Melbourne’s Open House to get involved in. The pie of the day will have to wait until next time.

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Ace Pizza – Highgate – Sunday 17 August 2014 – Dinner

Creme brûlée doughnut

Creme brûlée doughnut

“Break-ups are never easy” is a line used so often for such an obvious observation. But what about restaurant favourites.

I am seriously considering taking Ace Pizza out of my favourites on Urbanspoon. Sure, I definitely like you, but I just don’t feel the same spark. You let me down bad last time, and I’m not sure the fire in your pizza oven burns as brightly for me anymore.

I am not the world’s biggest restaurant critic. I don’t want to be. I like food too much to want to find faults that are not already obvious. But burnt and at the same time soggy pizza? Please.

We had to tell our waitperson. And they didn’t really comprehend but we told them we’d prefer another one please. I saw her conversation – firstly with the humble pizza chef, then the chef de partie, then the head chef. I was too far away but I don’t know if they saw a huge issue because the waitperson never came back to explain. Put it another way. It was so burnt that the burnt base had come though to the, hardly covered in anything, top of the pizza (the black on the right of the pizza in “take one” is not olives).

Lincoln Lady pizza take one

Lincoln Lady pizza take one

The next attempt was better but the oven is overcooking without crisping up the pizza and the result is nice ingredients being left on a dark and dirty, soggy base. I’m sorry, but it’s over. And I loved you so much a few months ago.

Lincoln Lady pizza take two

Lincoln Lady pizza take two

The save is the before and after. Before we had the fried macaroni and cheese and it is decadent genius. After we had the creme brûlée doughnut and that is just crazy good. A doughnut filled with creme brûlée and covered in toffee. The only thing that could possibly go wrong is medical in nature and we can’t talk about food in those terms if we are enjoying it.

Fried macaroni and cheese

Fried macaroni and cheese

Fried macaroni and cheese

Fried macaroni and cheese

It’s not like the service here is bad. It is actually pretty good. But come and say we are sorry the chefs burnt your pizza rather than “was that one okay?” It’s not like I want it for free or we ate half of it to begin with.

Ace Pizza is no longer a favourite but I would never discourage anyone from trying it. I like the vibe, the staff, and most of the food, not to mention the drink selection. But it is a pizza place and that aspect has to be perfect every time.

Ace Pizza on Urbanspoon