Spudbar

So I said to my friend “there’s a new Spudbar opened up on Little Bourke St”. Before I got the chance to extend an invitation for her to join me, she had propped herself up at one of the wooden tables and placed her order.

Spudbar on Little Bourke opened just two weeks ago, part of a small family of outlets serving up piping hot potatoes with a combination of remarkable toppings. Either select from the menu or choose your own adventure. I challenge you to make it past the menu though. Matt Wilkinson of Pope Joan and Bishop of Ostaia fame is co-owner and has designed the menu, so what you are getting comes from experience (Matt was a long time customer of Spudbar before he saw the light and bought in.)

Asking for a recommendation (because I can never choose) I was told the Moroccan Chicken ($11.90) was a winner. This is something I wouldn’t normally go for; I was wearing bubblegum jeans and hyper-colour t-shirts when the first potato bars came out; back then it was all about the baked beans or tuna and sweet corn. I’m eager to try out a taste of the exotic atop a nightshade.

I went for a sweet potato (now at no extra charge), a sweet orange mash of vitamin goodness. The Moroccan chicken and chorizo ragu was beautifully spiced – there was nowhere near enough chorizo but the big chunks of free range chicken make up for it. Then, get this – there are peas on there! Oh, how I love a good pea and these were super fresh and perfectly cooked. Then came spinach, grated carrot and a huge dollop of creamy cooling yoghurt sprinkled with Spanish onion.

I was reminded why I often eat lunch alone, appearing white-hot rude when all talking ceases so I can savour every bite of my bowl. But that’s OK, my vegetarian friend was in the same boat – she had the red lentil dahl with mixed grains ($8.20) – the choices for vegetarian folks are enough to sway any carnivores decision. Take all look at the salads too. Beautiful.

The owner told me that they have been off-the-hook busy every single day. I didn’t believe him as we were the only ones there at 11.45am. By the time we left it was a mosh pit of hungry (healthy looking) punters and we had to fight to get out.

We are living in exciting times, my friends if this is the sort of quality produce that is being dished up to office workers in CBD.

Watch the productivity soar.

SPUDBAR
398 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
9602 3841
Mon – Thurs 11.30am – 6.30pm
Fri 11.30am – 5.30pm
Sat 11.30am – 4.30pm
Website:spudbar.com.au
Facebook: facebook.com/SpudbarHQ
Twitter: @Spudbar