Taste Trail - POP-UP FOOD REVIEW

by A. Tablehopper

Grounded – 13a Blackall Street, Woombye

I am an ‘average joe’ who enjoys good food, not a food critic by profession, so excuse my lack of fancy terminology! I have not been paid to promote anyone – I am simply sharing my opinion on the hinterland eateries I visit, for their service/ambience and presentation/flavour.

Grounded is a substantially-sized for a café, with seating outside, throughout the building in nooks and little rooms, and in the large garden at the back. There are lots flowering plants bringing pops of colour, wooden floors and neutral tones complete the vibe of this rather trendy-looking venue.

My companions, two neighbours/friends, joined me, and we sat in a welcoming room at the rear overlooking the garden. While the space would be an asset at times, it also means that when it’s not full, the atmosphere doesn’t ‘buzz’ – so if we suggested one thing, it would be, get some MUSIC through the whole place! (I heard later that this sometimes happens, but it needs to be there every day.)

Onto the food. A fantastic selection, plenty of variety and originality, and every plate we saw coming out made us wish we had more stomachs (and money) to order a few meals!

I went for the Lebanese Eggs (v) (GFO) - tahini and garlic yoghurt, chickpeas, toasted almonds, with two poached eggs and grilled flatbread. (There is the option to add lamb.)

It was absolutely delicious, full of rich flavour and warmth, and transported me to the Mediterranean where I have enjoyed dishes like this in the past. The portion size was just right, and the presentation was perfect for the dish – rustic and inviting.

One of my neighbours had a sweet tooth that day, so she decided to go for the Brioche French Toast with seasonal mixed berries, white-chocolate yoghurt, vanilla gelato and lemon curd. It looked substantial and went down well, although she said the lemon curd was a bit overpowering and could’ve been left off the dish.

My other neighbour tried the Okonomiyaki, which looked sensational. This is a Japanese savoury pancake topped with Wasabi mayo, bulldog sauce, a fried egg and bonito flakes.

You can also add crispy pork belly to this dish, if you feel like it. It was real comfort food, apparently, incredibly filling with warming flavours and a hint of fish from the bonito flakes, which actually worked!

All these were washed down with Milo milkshakes, coffee and tea, and we left feeling replete and definitely appreciating the value for money of our meals. Oh, and the service was friendly and no big wait time for our meals - so all in all, a great experience!

One of the staff shared that the chef has just proudly introduced his Grandma’s Filipino noddles breakfast, with poached egg, pork, spring onions and bonito flakes, called All Day Lola’s Breakfast, so we will certainly be back to try it!