Last year I met with some former colleagues for lunch at Don Don. I think I might have been there many years ago with some friends from our travels who absolutely raved about the place. Since then E and I have been there for a few quick and cheap dinners before going out, the last one being last week before seeing Blur.
Before Sylvia was born, we were fans of
Gopals for its quick and cheap food. If you don't want any choice about your meal then Don Don is every bit as quick and cheap, maybe more. I have been enjoying it but it is not all vegetarian like Gopals. The menu is small. Vegetarians have a choice of tofu curry don, soba salad and miso soup. I have stuck with the tofu curry don which is a bargain at $5.90.
It is indeed cheap and cheerful with plastic bowls and spoons. The tofu curry don consists of lots of rice and Japanese curry sauce with tofu, a token vegetable (I have had zucchini and cauliflower) and some pickled vegies. The meal is pretty basic and not as generous with vegies as I would prefer. But for the price it is a decent feed.
After dinner we had enough time to go to
ACMI Cafe for coffee and cake. It is some time since we have been there. When Sylvia was a baby and went where we went, we visited quite a bit. (Unlike these days when we go where she goes!) So I couldn't help looking out at the highchairs and space for strollers to see that it is still very child friendly. I suspect that Sylvia would love the booths that are new since our last visit.
E had a coffee with a very nice biscuit. The range of herbal teas was too limited for my tastes so I had a ginger beer with a slice of warm chocolate mud cake with lots of lovely gooey ganache on top.
The main event was the
Blur concert at the Rod Laver Arena. I didn't take a lot of notice of Blur when they were at the height of their fame but I have great memories of dancing to their music in nightclubs and of spending time with friends in London who were the sort of fans who lived for backstage passes to Blur gigs. The band is also a sentimental favourite because one of the CDs that E bought when we were first going out was a Blur EP.
When E and I left the concert we turned to one another and said, wow that was so much better that I expected. It was a fantastic concert. Even sitting up the back, we were immersed in the energy of this amazing band, though shielding our eyes from the intense light show at times. Their songs are beautiful and moody and cheeky and fun. The band members are such fascinating people. (Did you know that the
drummer is a practicing criminal lawyer, a computer animator and a political activist?) It was their first gig in Melbourne for 18 years and I am so glad we were there because who knows when their next gig will be.
Don Don
198 Little Lonsdale Street, CBD, Melbourne
Tel: 03 9670 7113
My head must be in that Blur photo somewhere off to the right! We ate dinner at Red Pepper near Parliament, but I'll keep Don Don in mind for future city events.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cindy - Don Don is good to eat at if you are in a hurry as it is one of those places where you are in and out quickly. But then we had more time than we expected before the concert, hence the visit to ACMI
DeleteI sort of feel a bit old now with realising it's been Blur's first Melbourne gig in 18 years! I used to go to the Don Don near the State Library when I was working nearby in the late 90s!
ReplyDeleteThanks Veganopoulous - just realised I didn't put the address as I wrote this when busy - have put in address - this is in Little Lonsdale st but I had thought I went to one round the corner on Swanston ST - it is well over 10 years ago that I went there so my memory is a bit vague
DeleteI feel a lot old. I don't even know who Blur are! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Quinces and Kale - or maybe you could feel quite young because I am not sure how many of the kids know them as their heyday was in the 1990s when britpop was king :-) I don't think they were as huge in Australia as they were in the UK but they did make the national news in the UK when they went head to head with Oasis in going for no 1 on the charts!
DeleteHoly Moly.... Haven't thought of Blur since my days as a teen. Bet that was crazy amaze. :) And how's about the drummer, I am so impressed with those that are gifted with multiple amounts of skill.
ReplyDeleteLovely dining experiences too. :)
Thanks Anna - given that Blur haven't done much for ages before their recent album, they do bring back distant memories. The whole band seems to have a whole host of interesting skills (I also like the Alex went on to be a cheesemaker)
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