Westie eats goss 18/10/17

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As in life, so be Footscray – i.e. change is a constant.

Taking shape on Hopkins Street is this dumpling joint.

Unlike Dumplings & More, a few doors along, this one appears to have Scottish ancestry.

 

 

The long-standing convenience shop on the corner of Leeds and Paisley streets is no more.

Coming in that space soon will be Impasto, dedicated to pizza, pasta, parmas – and pastries and coffee in the mornings.

One of the three partners involved, Mitch, tells they’ll be mostly after the commuter and passer-by trade.

 

 

Around the corner on Irving Street, and next to Thien An, a premises that has seen a handful of businesses come and go in recent years without making much of an impression is undergoing another makeover.

 

 

On Nicholson Street, down towards the university, one Footscray’s veteran Ethiopian restaurants, Harambe, is no more.

I’m told the new crew setting up shop here is also of African persuasion and that their plans include a bar.

Food, too?

I will find out!

 

 

On Macaulay Road in Kensington, what once housed Korean establishment Frying Colours will soon be unveiled as Kensington Food Hall.

The fit-out has advanced considerably since this photo was taken, going by their Facebook page, though no details yet on the offerings.

I’m told the new place shares management with Local Folk, around the corner on Epsom Road.

 

 

Directly opposite on Macaulay, stalwart pub Hardimans has closed its doors.

According to this story on the Pubtic website, the place has been bought by Open Door Pub Co – and they have massive plans for the site, including a thorough renovation that “will embrace a contemporary Art Deco feel, two new bars, a much larger kitchen including an artisan woodfire pizza oven, large ground floor garden area partially covered and heated, stage area, and an outdoor terrace and two function rooms on the first floor”.

 

 

Also in Kensington, on Bellair Street and next to Fruits of Passion, Saigon In Me has opened.

 

 

With its compact list of Vietnamese faves, this will – I suspect – do the locals nicely.

 

 

On Racecourse Road in Flemington, Korean place Gogi Gogi has closed and the windows are sealed over, presumably pending another incarnation.

I’m guessing, too, that manage here will still be with I Love Dumplings, a few doors along.

 

 

At Central West shopping centre in Braybrook, soon to arrive will be The Braybrook Stn, offering a breakfast and brunch line-up.

 

 

Centre management tells me it’ll take up some of the currently boarded-up space directly opposite the Commonwealth Bank branch.

 

 

Now open in Sunshine Plaza is this no-frills operation offering a mix of Burmese and Thai food.

 

 

Mind you, you can also get their takes on dishes from a broader Asian catchment, as well.

 

 

This fine specials board offering of a rich pork curry did me good for lunch at a cost of $10.

The chicken broth was nice and peppery!

 

 

In Cairnlea, in the multi-use building adjacent to the shopping centre, a new Vietnamese/Chinese place has opened.

Sadly, we missed the opening night on-the-house banquet at Kim Huong.

But we hit it a few days later for lunch with the Urban Ma and her kids, so can verify that they’re doing a fine, bargain-lunch job with the likes of …

 

 

… broken rice with pork chop and …

 

 

… crispy skin chicken with wonderfully nutty, chewy “red rice”.

 

 

At Williams Landing Shopping Centre, Montezauma’s has opened since this fit-out photo was snapped.

Judging by the review and photos at the Point Cook Dining Facebook page, Tex-Mex fans will want to check it out.

54 thoughts on “Westie eats goss 18/10/17”

  3. Not sure about the marketing ploy calling the place McDumplings – I did wonder, until it was pointed out the “My Dumplings” reference at the top of the sign.Hope it will be good – I do miss Annie (and her awesome dumplings) from 1+1 Dumplings though.

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      • been to Somali eats,wonderful restaurant.a Lebanese friend once told me he had Yemeni lunch in flemington, probably was referring to house of mandi,can’t think of any Yemeni place in Flemington yo my knowledge!

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      • Confirmed a Lebanese friend was talking about house of mandi.also said it’s open late after 11pm but Wednesdays is closed,I’ll give it ago sounds great place for family night out on weekends!

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  8. Recently moved in flemington,best decision.our young daughter loves the rice from New Somali kitchen and it’s what other inner city lacks! jazira pizza is as fabulous too.warning,limited parking around jazira pizza!.

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  9. James, also Wayo is good home-style Japanese and the kebab house goes good, too. The Somalian things amazes me – apart from the more cafe style Somali Eats, New Somali Kitchen and deli Afro, there are a handful of other places but very people appear to have noticed!

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    • Wayo and these somalian are true example of how home-style aunthetic in modern vibe can be unforgettable dining experience!.you are right there some somalian haven’t been noticed, but i did checked in sahra’s kitchen they are buffet style cafe with mostly retired Somali men wanting to kill time presumably.

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    • tried Curry cafe canteen before in northcote.don’t know if same owners,very excited to see curry on racecourse.must try soon also.I’m mixing things,but it’s good to be in this hood!

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    • so true before but I think today is little different, most Somali cafes in flemington has mix bag customers,I see even sahras kitchen the notorious Somali old men tea place is slowly changing!. The house of Mandi which was once notorious Somali boyz cafe (east African restaurant) is now the faces of all Flemington.

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  10. Home-style cooked to perfection.very generous portions and light on pocket is truly art of Somalian experience. On top of plenty portions,they do free refill on rice and pasta! The kebabs are good too.a true western hospitality/generosity we discovered since we arrived!

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    • Your local is La Tortilleria – authentic Mexican, but Bennie and I weren’t overly impressed last time we were there (about six months ago).
      I think one of cafes on Pin Oak Crescent does some lightish Latin stuff – maybe empanadas? Can’t remember the name.
      Tuesday night cheapo tacos at the Reverence Hotel.
      There’s taco truck in Newport we’re hoping to hit soon.
      Los Latinos in Maidstone is fine.
      But we REALY REALLY love Latin Foods And Wines in deer Park 0 check it out!

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      • Three is a lot happening this part of melbourne that I didn’t give credit when in Fitzroy! Its new world discovery,diversity of food and it’s people of the west.

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      • Yes, well, my thoughts on that are well known: If you live on the other (wrong) side of town – and the only news you get of westie food doings is from the HS, Age, Timeout, Broadsheet, Urbanlist et al, and even bloggers – you will be getting only a very small, extremely NARROW vision of what happens here.

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      • It might be the diversity gap between westie and the rest of melbourne.it appears we used to get handpicked news from westie unfortunately.the westie is truly the world. my teenagers are overjoyed moving to flemington,no two weekends with same cuisine for them,lucky buggers!

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  14. kenny the other side news hunters need education.for example expensive means good cafe,cheap means bad cafe outside westies!,but in westie that can’t be applied ,there are plenty cheap good cafes with quality food!. other side needs more education.my first visit to new somali kitchen,the owner gave us a soup and banana before the meal,we told the owner we didn’t order this and he said nah its free! in fitzroy its unheard of! family of 4 costed less than $60!!

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    • The pyramid – with fine dining at the top and scruffy cheap eats and street food at the much wider base – is so familiar and common that it is rarely questioned. Truth is, it’s just one construct of many possibilities. It’s not fact; not a foundational truth handed down to Moses. But, of course, it suits those who benefit from it – in terms of status, influence, readership, sponsorship, clicks etc – to perpetrate the idea that it is some sort of gold-standard, immutable law. It’s a bit like the old medieval pecking order of God, kings, lords, knights, guilds and serfs. Ha!

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      • if one thing my teenagers learn from me is ,if the plate,tables and chairs are Gold and the meal don’t match in portion/quality don’t return to that place! .we loving the west thank you!

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      • digesting this comment,truth is it’s not always about food is it?This comment created debate in my family circle,but we are all thankful and appreciate the west perspective.we often take trip to westie from Malvern&leave with big smile full tummy

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  15. it was fasting month for them that time,but i don’t think they do soups normally new somali kitchen.workmates told me the new somali eats and other somali cafes do have free soups most of the time!.

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      • my son educated me about the banana thing, he said dad you must put abit of banana and abit everything else on plate on you mouth at once,that is somali experience! i was actually doing it wrong,taking one piece at a time,swallowing it separately.it actually tasted better when its mixture before it lands on your tongue.my cheeky son tells me this after a week haha better a year later

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      • made all sense why they eat with their hands traditionally,impossible to carry all salad,meat,rice and banana with spoon! my son is genius haha

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    • James if you like Yemeni and Somali food,try the house of mandi restaurant not far from New Somali kitchen,just few blocks down from it.

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  16. saint lucent cafe makes very good coffees ,high quality one,there are amazing quality eats in west,sometimes too often overlooked but outside news.more dialogue helps.

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  17. we love the community feel in west,people are friendly,even out media kenny weir has time and patient to respond to his locals concerns.win win win haha!

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