The Spice of Life

Australian culture has been influenced by English, American, and Asian. This is evident in the cuisine especially. There are a few popular chains and dishes that have surprised me since arriving.

No longer is the "5, 5 dollar, 5 dollar footlonggggg". Now the actors in the commercials throw up a peace sign to indicate the bargain $7 footlong! Gotta love a "thriving" economy..

Back in the 60s, some mom and pop restaurant opened under the quaint name of Burger King. When the corporate giant  from America wanted to expand, the trademark was taken so they were forced to rename. "Welcome to Hungry Jacks!"

Its 2 am, the bars are closing down for the night, and your group is starving and craving some greasy, delicious snackage. In Atlanta, you'd hit up Waffle House for an All-Star Combo (or pork chops if you're David Brown) and some sweet tea. In Brisbane, however, you'd stumble to one of the 24hr meat pie shops that grace almost every street corner in the city centre. Curried chicken and vege or egg/bacon/cheese are the perfect combo for drunk food (grease stains on the paper bag are unavoidable) and fill you up enough to stop the slosh of alcohol in your stomach. Its a win win win (did I mention 24hr?!)

The most amazing food discovery I have found is the multitude of sushi takeaway shops. There are sometimes two in one street block and for $2-3, you can get an entire sushi roll that you are meant to just chomp into. No chopsticks required! And how do you add soy sauce to your on-the-go sushi? Why drop it from this cute little fishy teaspoon-sized plastic container of course!

I had burgers one day at this place that reminded me a lot of Yeah! Burger. Everything farm raised and organic. You know how on a menu, the first variation listed is usually the cheapest and most traditional? Well I got their first-listed chicken sandwich, and as delicious as it was, still caught me off guard. The toppings? Shredded carrots and beets (with sweet chili sauce, yum!)

So nowadays, my diet consists of sushi and meat pies. Which I'm okay with! I still need to experience a sushi train restaurant..yes they do exist!