4 August 2015

Best of Canberra taste off - Hangover food

| Bec Cuzzillo
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Last week I put the call out for Canberra’s best hangover food and the results did not surprise me.

Apart from the one vote that came in for a steaming bowl of pho from Pho Phu Quoc, for the most part, everyone seems to agree that the best hangover food is something a little bit salty and a lot greasy. Whether it’s a bacon and egg roll, a burger, a kebab or some hot chips, the votes came in and the consensus was clear.

But while we can pretty much all agree on the type of food, where to get it from is a little more unclear. Votes came in for a number of places around Canberra and the region, including the Central Cafe in Queanbeyan, Elk and Pea in Braddon, Fox and Bow in Farrer, Lava in Phillip, Cafe Cherry Beans in Gungahlin and even for trusty ol’ McDonalds.

However, there were only two places that got more than one vote each and that was Wattle Snack Bar in Phillip and California Cafe in Mawson. So this weekend my partner and I set out to find the best food for the morning after a big night out.

While I appreciate the sentiment that I should have been hungover to legitimately do this taste off, I’m unfortunately a) not that committed to research, b) do not want to put myself through that pain on purpose and c) do not want to spend my Friday night drinking cheap alcohol. Relying on past experience and painful memories will have to do this week.

Wattle Snack Bar

First up, we went to Wattle Snack Bar in Dundas Court in Phillip. With serious country town vibes, this little snack bar tucked away in Phillip is unassuming and hangover friendly. We got the bacon and egg roll with barbeque sauce and it was pretty good. At $6.50, the bun was warm, soft and fresh, the bacon was well cooked and the sauce was generous. Everything you could want after a big night on the town.

California Cafe

Next we tried California Cafe at the Mawson shops. Set up like a 1950s American diner, the menu is enormous with more than 15 different styles of burger and big serving sizes to match. For a fair comparison, we got the “Cali Roll” with egg, bacon, American cheese, mayo and piri sauce. For $7.00, it was yum – the cheese and sauces were real good, I’d say a little bit better than Wattle’s, but on the flip side, the bacon wasn’t quite up to the Wattle standard.

Overall, deciding who makes the better hangover food between Wattle Snack Bar and California Cafe is a tough call. The thing is, when you’re hungover, you probably aren’t going to be too concerned with the small stuff. In my experience, it’s all about greasy, salty food and the speed at which it can be delivered to your table.

With plenty of greasy options, quick service and quiet atmospheres, both of these places are going to hit the spot the morning after. So this week, I’m awarding a tie for Canberra’s best hangover food.

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Not that committed to research. I’m still laughing at that one 🙂

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