Nope… they don’t make concrete there or really hard ice-creams!
Outdoor dining at The Glen shopping centre in Glen Waverley, Victoria offers a selection of restaurants, from Mediterranean to American, Italian to Asian… so much to choose from and such a lovely atmosphere, especially on a balmy Autumn evening. Typical of Melbourne’s weather, 28 degrees C one day, 14 degrees C the next.
Betty’s Burgers and Concrete Co is very cool indeed. We sat outside and watched the world go by, kids giggling and playing blind-chasey on the nearby grassy patch and others just out for an evening meander. We were told that we’d have to choose from the menu and then go up to the bar to order… which we did. We had our little buzzer at the table and when the other half decided to disappear for a bit, of course the buzzer went off. The super-friendly waiter then popped over and offered to pick up our meals for us instead, given I was sitting at the table alone. Impressive. However, coming from a restaurant background myself, I am super-critical when it comes to dining out and service and would expect that if you’re paying premium prices for food that the service level should match. So, yes, the waiter offering to collect our food was nice, but in my opinion, should’ve been done that way anyway.
Tasty onion rings, fries (with the skin still on the spuds.. yum) and one big burger and mine – the burger without the bun – just wrapped in lettuce. Avocado was on offer too but didn’t make it to my plate. Otherwise, it was totally sufficient and totally yummy. Pigging out on fries and onion rings meant that a big carb fix with the addition of a burger bun just wasn’t necessary. The concrete factor was about how they prepared the ice-cream. We didn’t indulge as we were so full from the burgers, but gees… it was tempting!
One thing they could do differently is add cushions to the backs of the chairs – those wire frames are hard on your back and the threaded ‘sides’ to the chairs look great, but just not necessary. If you’re not on the small side and have hips that lend themselves to booths more than chairs, then you might find rope imprints in your thighs afterwards.
Besides all that – very clean, great service, good food and a lovely atmosphere… and not overly priced either. You could easily start with an appetiser and one restaurant, a main meal at another and dessert at another again. Lots to choose from and that smell of the charcoal grill is rather lovely too.
These offcuts are new and unused and by using them means that in a small way, we’re all contributing to saving the planet, one apron at a time.
So, you’ve got an exhibition in mind and you’re ready to apply right? They’re asking you for an artist statement and you’re wondering how on earth you write something like that? Ok… maybe you’ve written a few already and are still not sure whether it’s the right thing… or you’ve done an online search on how to write an artist statement.
Entrance to Ancient Artist Museum – San Bao (© Deanna Roberts 2017)
One thing I discovered at a restaurant in San Bao was the drink Wang Lao Ji. It’s not everybody’s favourite thing but it was certainly mine. I was ever so pleased to find out I could buy it back in Australia at the local Asian supermarkets! It’s also apparently for calming the body’s changes in temperatures and restoring body balance and ‘climatic normality’. I really enjoyed it with most of the food I ate anyway.
When we say be prepared for anything… well… yes… there may still be the odd restaurant that serves dog. How its all served I don’t know. I have never been game enough to try, nor do I intend to. I’m not even sure how many of those restaurants still exist but if you spot a cage of dogs outside the front of a restaurant, well… you can draw your own conclusions. I’ve also heard that restaurants serving dog are now banned in the major cities (maybe a rumour?) but how far that rule has reached I cannot say. Ask around. It may or may not be your thing, but it’s worth checking either way. There are certainly lots of different ways that we do things, regardless of what country you’re from, we all have our customs and our preferred cuisines. It just comes down to what you’re prepared to try and how your taste buds are going to react. Having someone who speaks and reads the local lingo though, is definitely worthwhile.
In comparison there’s also the hot pot concept where you share a table with a group of friends and have a hotplate and hot pot directly in front of each of you. Decide between yourselves what fresh ingredients you’re going to order and plates of fresh hot pot items will arrive for you to share around and make up your own concoctions.
