Overdosa – Pop-Up Food Restaurant Awesomeness!

Overdosa

Overdosa Menu

Inside Overdosa

Close up of the Food

Overdosa

Cooking at Overdosa

Making of the Dosa

Variety of Chutneys

Funky Chairs at Overdosa

Drinks at Overdosa

Lentil Poppers

THE DOSA’s

Overdosa is a mobile Dosa stand located in Rose Street in Fitzroy and the brain child of Kunal Khanna and Tyson Savanahl. These two best friends came up with the idea after travelling through Asia and Latin America and encountering amazing street food provided by street vendors, and realising that this type of food culture scene was missing in Melbourne.

Overdosa is currently located at Monttani Vintage Cycle Warehouse on Rose Street and is only available on weekends from 11am until sunset (until mid December). When N and I went on a Saturday evening there was people working on bicycles and it great to watch whilst we waited for our Dosa’s. There is also a table tennis table available which further adds to the chilled out and funky factor. There was quite a crowd which was seated in front of the marquee style pop-up restaurant – this is where you order the Dosa’s and can watch them cook them right in front of you. The seats are cute little rattan chairs with colourful sequin cushions that are typically Indian and were quite comfortable. There are also crates and colourful ottomans that can be used as tables.

Going with the simple and chilled out theme – the menu is based in the same fashion. On the menu there are three different types of Dosa’s to choose from – Classic Potato Masala, Smoky Eggplant with Peas, and Spicy Tamarind Pumpkin – all for a price of $9. You do not only get the dosa but a tangy and zesty salad together with your choice of chutney – there are four different types – Hot Chilli, Classic Coconut, Mint & Coriander and Curd & Dill. Additional there are little snacks which are called Poppers that are made of Lentil and come with your serving of Chutney. There are 8 pieces and is a bargain for $5. There is a different selection of drinks which you select from an esky (further adding to the vintage vibe) – flavours include Mango and Lime. The boys really do meet the bill of serving cheap, authentic, accessible and delicious street food.

A Dosa is an Indian savoury crepe which is made from fermented rice and lentil batter and made on a custom made hot place until they are golden and crispy. They are then stuffed with the selection that you choose, before being served on a Thali – a circular metal plate which has segments for the salad, chutney and Dosa.

I ordered the Spicy Tamarind Pumpkin and N got the Classic Potato Masala, and we both got the Hot Chilli Chutney. Let’s start with the Hot Chilli Chutney which was actually quite hot and tasted like a spicier Tabasco sauce and was really delicious. Now onto the Dosa’s – The Spicy Tamarind Pumpkin was really yummy! The combination of the tamarind and pumpkin mixture worked so well together and paired with the crispy and perfectly cooked Dosa really was great. N’s Potato Masala was also really delicious and the potato’s were soft and perfect flavoured. The Zesty Salad was Carrots and Coriander together with a tangy dressing and was refreshing.

We also ordered the Lentil Poppers and paired this up with the Mint & Coriander Chutney. The Mint & Coriander Chutney is really delicious and it’s a pity that I didn’t get to try out the other chutneys, but if the two that I tried is anything to go by, they will be just as tasty! The Poppers are little chunks of deliciousness and you find yourself being able to down them really quickly. They are served fresh and hot straight from the frying pan.

I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent at Overdosa and the guys who run the place are really cool and friendly to chat to. Definitely check this place out – it really does have the yummiest Dosa in Melbourne. They will be at this Fitzroy location till Mid December. You can find them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/OVERDOSA), Instagram (dosaloving) and Twitter (dosaloving) as well.

Rating : 4.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – 3 different types of Dosa’s – Classic Potato Masala, Smoky Eggplant with Peas, Spicy Tamarind Pumpkin as well as Lentil Poppers
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Funky, Chilled Out, Relaxed and Fun!
Service: Friendly, Welcoming and Fun
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
https://www.facebook.com/OVERDOSA
50 Rose Street, Fitzroy
Tel No: 0413 102 914

Opening Hours:
Saturday & Sunday: 11am to Sunset
(until Mid December after which you can find them at Summer Festivals)

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Boney – Where The Old Pony Was

Tofu & Mushroom Hot Diggity Dog – Roasted Roots, Fresh Shoots & Sichuan Sauce

Menu Outisde Boney

Entrance to Boney

Boney

Potato Skins

Snapper Burger – Salad Greens, Bread and Butter Pickle

Snapper Fillet – Green Mango, Lemongrass and Peanuts

Chocolate Brownie, Roasted Rhubarb & Walnut Crumble

Desserts at Boney

Jaffa Mousse & Vanilla Mascarpone

Pistachio’d Pav, Stone Fruit Compote & Cardamon Cream

I was initially struck by the interesting name of the place and wanted to check out both the food and the venue – hence my visit initially to Boney.

Boney is a new venue for music, dancing and dining and resides in the location of the bar that used to be named Pony. Boney comes to you from Camillo and Daniel Ippoliti who are also responsible for such places as Revolver Upstairs, Cookie and The Toff in Town. Boney is a welcoming and intriguing place and the food is quite delicious and the menu varied that after the first time there I had to come back and check out quite literally everything else on the menu!

The original structure has been retained – although downstairs there is now a kitchen and the old furnishings have been replaced. There is a glow of red neon lighting throughout the venue which matches perfectly with the solid black walls. This was done in order to keep a Rock’n’Roll vibe as said by the owners. Upstairs will be turned into the venue’s intimate band room where live independent artists and DJs can perform (7 nights a week). In keeping with Pony’s trend – there will still be the infamous 2am live performance slot.

As you approach the venue, on the outside walls you are greeted by a large menu where you can have a read about the food you can order. Just from reading the menu there are so many options and varieties that you often can spend a long period of time deciding what you want to order. I certainly had that issue. There are many dishes for vegetarians as well which I think is fantastic! The menu is designed and crafted by Karen Baston and there is food available for Lunch, Dinner or Take-Away. Together with the standard menu, there is a selection of daily specials – two per day – one for lunch and one for dinner. The Menu has some smaller snack like dishes to start with and then progresses on the menu to the larger dishes and ends with sides and of course finishing with the Boney Sweet Spot.

The first time around I ordered the funkily named Tofu & Mushroom Hot “Diggity” Dog – which is vegetarian version of a hot dog – and I was impressed! When it comes out the filling inside the hot dog is quite colourful against the white backdrop of the plate. The tofu and mushroom “hot-dog” is separate and is encased in like a filo pastry and is very tasty – I always love the combination of tofu & mushroom. The flavours work well with the colourful ingredients – being tomatoes, peppers and finished with a chilli sauce. Really quite delicious. We also ordered a side of Potato Skins which were amazing! They were seasoned to perfection and coupled with sour cream have to be one of my favourite potato skin places. This is a great dish to just snack on as a bar snack if you have just come here for drinks. (I did have dessert the first time I went here but I will come back to that =p)

The next time around I came I ordered the Snapper Fillet with Green Mango, Lemongrass and Peanuts. Once again this was a colourful dish with the glossy snapper fillet sitting atop of the Thai inspired salad which consisted of the peanuts, lemongrass, green mango and many other things such as bean shoots, cucumbers, carrots, red onions. The snapper was cooked superbly and was moist and had been flavoured well to match the Thai flavours of the salad. It really did feel like a healthy dish which packed a punch. G ordered the Snapper Burger which came with Bread & Butter Pickle. When the burger came out it did look impressive and she wasn’t sure how to eat it as it was quite huge. There was of course the snapper burger, and layers of tomato, pickle and salads encased in buns. G said the burger was tasty and the snapper burger different to anything she has had before.

Now onto the desserts – the menu for desserts had changed since the first time I had been there but sounded just as great. The first time around I had the Chocolate Brownie, Roasted Rhubarb & Walnut Crumble. The Chocolate Brownie was absolutely to die for and came served warm – it was filled with rich chocolate gooeyness! The Roasted Rhubarb complemented the bitterness of the chocolate and added a tang to add depth to the dish. It really was delicious. This wasn’t there unfortunately the next time I went back, so that time I ordered the Pistachio’d Pav, Stone Fruit Compote & Cardamon Cream. I must admit this dessert wasn’t as good as the Chocolate Brownie, however it was an interesting tasting dish. The Pav was crunchy and literally melted in your mouth and I really did love the cardamon cream – the spiciness of the cardamom really did complement the stone fruit compote. As a whole the dish worked really well and it is definitely a dish to try. G ordered the Jaffa Mousse & Vanilla Mascarpone which was just as delicious. I did get to try this dessert as well and it was quite rich tasting and definitely one for chocolate and jaffa lovers. The Vanilla Mascarpone was a great addition to cut through this richness. Next time I really do want to check out the Ginger & Lemongrass Creme Brulee. Boney has created three really great desserts.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Boney – both times that I went there – it is a shabby chic venue that really has a personality and fantastic food that really is up there with the best of them. All this whilst staying casual, cool and funky. Definitely check it out whether it be for some casual drinks and snacks or a catch-up / hang out with some easy to eat and tasty food.

Rating : 4.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – Refer to http://boney.net.au/menu/ – consists of Small and Larger dishes as well as Dessert. There is also a Special Menu with dishes depending on what time and day it is.
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Funky, Chilled Out and Just FUN!
Standout Dish: Tofu & Mushroom Hot Diggity Dog….and their desserts!
Service: Fantastic and Attentive. They are super friendly and helpful as well when you have a tough time deciding what you want to eat and believe me you will!
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://boney.net.au/
68 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Tel No: 9662 1026

Opening Hours:
Monday to Wednesday: 12:00 pm – 3:00 am
Thursday: 12:00 pm – 5:00 am
Friday to Saturday: 12:00 pm – 7:00 am
Sunday: 5:00 pm – 5:00 am

Madras Banyan Tree – Tasty Indian!

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Madras Banyan Tree has relocated from Brighton right into the city – located on King St. It serves Southern Indian cuisine and serves authentic Andhra, Kerala,Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Chettinadu in the eloborate menu.

The owner Suresh Chakravarthi, who was previously a Tamil comedian and TV game show host, also explains that you will find no pork or beef on the menu, and they also use only halal meat. Goat is only available on certain days and can also cook up Paya which is the south’s famous goat trotter curry.

There are also many vegetarian dishes available such as deep-fried marinated cauliflower, firm doughnut-like vadai or plump little idli rice-flour cakes. And there’s seafood such as scallops, calamari or prawns deep-fried and spiced.

Desserts include the favourites such as gulab jamoon, kulfi ice cream and payasam rice pudding.

On this lunchtime – I ordered the Roti Thali which comes with 3 pieces of roti with a selection of two meat curries – I chose Lamb Curry and Butter Chicken. Both the curries had their plus points. The Lamb Curry was cooked with the addition of chilli and the gravy was thick and delicious. The Butter Chicken had the creaminess and thick texture that you would expect from that type of curry. The Roti was made really well and tasted just as good. There was butteryness to it yet it was quite light to eat – you just wanted to keep eating more & more.

Check out Madras Banyan Tree for great tasting Indian food that doesn’t really cost that much!

Rating : 3.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – A huge selection of Southern Indian cuisine – including Andhra, Kerala,Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Chettinadu
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Casual and Relaxed
Service: Friendly and Helpful
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
169 King Street, Melbourne
Tel No: 9670 1551

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: Open for Lunch
Thursday to Saturday: Open for Dinner