A few weeks back my mum and I met in the city (CBD) for a most excellent lunch at Paperboy Kitchen. I had bookmarked the Vietnamese cafe after
Veganopoulous reviewed it a while back. Noodle bowls are just my thing. Paperboy Kitchen is tucked away in Little Lonsdale Street near Hardware Lane where it was doing a roaring trade.
It only has a few communal tables and a bench by the window so it doesn't take much to fill up. However the takeaway trade seemed even busier with office workers waiting for their takeaway. I was impressed at how quick our eat-in order was and I am sure the takeaway crowd wasn't waiting around long.
The quick turnaround of orders is no doubt due to Adam Milgrom starting as a pop up at markets before opening the Little Lonsdale Street cafe. He offers banh-mi (rolls) or noodle bowls with a selection of fillings, plus a few side dishes. It is all very simple. And fun. I really liked the zoo animals we were given so the waiter knows who to serve each meal.
I started with a freshly brewed kombucha to drink. It was lovely and refreshing. A bit more flavoursome - ie sweeter and spicier - than the ones I usually buy in bottles. For my meal, I chose a satay tofu bowl. The fried tofu and satay sauce were served over vermicelli noodles, Asian slaw and carrot-daikon pickle with sriracha mayo and coriander. On the side was a complementary small dish of sweet and spicy popcorn.
It was a delicious and very filling lunch. And good value at $13 for the noodle bowl. The tofu was perfectly crisp. The spicy satay sauce was generous and lasted all the way to the bottom of the large bowl. I found the popcorn very spicy but also too sweet for me. I saw another person at our table tip all the popcorn into her bowl before she started eating but I was glad I didn't. A little of the popcorn was fun but that was enough.
Despite it being busy, we found a place to eat as it was not the sort of place where people linger over a coffee or a laptop. The tofu satay also comes in a banh-mi ($10.50) and the other vegetarian option is the red curry cauliflower which also comes in a banh-mi or a noodle bowl. I look forward to returning and trying these other options.
Paperboy Kitchen
320 Little Lonsdale Street
Melbourne CBD
03 9642 0147
http://paperboy.com.au/
The food there looks really good! For the first time I actually craved kombucha the other day! That was a new one for me! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks Lorraine - I really love kombucha though it is often so expensive that is stops me drinking more of it. Though I think the home made stuff at paperboy was cheaper that usual ($4 or $5 ???)
DeleteThis sounds like a wonderful meal - I fully approve of your choice - and would love to try it in a bahn mi too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kari - given the excellent of the noodle bowl I would love to try the satay tofu in the bahn me
DeleteBanh Mi is my current craze -- I bought a cookbook called "The Banh Mi Handbook" with a basic plan for assembling the sandwiches and recipes for fillings. So this sounds like a very neat little place to eat!
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Thanks Mae - I haven't had many bahn mi - though I read about some great ones in Melbourne - but the idea of making it at home seems like a lot of work - probably easier once you get into the swing of it - hope you are enjoying some from your book
DeleteTofu satay in a bahn mi sounds like exactly the sort of lunch I'd love! I'd be intrigued to try the popcorn - sounds like an interesting addition to the meal.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joey - the popcorn was fun an I think I would have enjoyed it more with a little less sugar - wonder if it comes with the banh mi too
DeleteThat is a good looking bowl! It looks filling and I love hearing of places that are simple and have a quick turnaround yet still manage good food.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I would have found the popcorn too sweet, but I don't like the idea of spice on it ;)