Smashed avo toast is the poster child of food trends. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
Like the catwalks of Milan or top hits on the radio, food – like any other art form – is subject to the vagaries of fashion. In the last 50 years we’ve adopted the flavours of many different cuisines and learned all about the sous vide from Masterchef. But as we’ve taken on new trends, we’ve also lost some classic dishes that deserve to take their place in the sun, and on the menu, once again.
Ever since Bill Granger made avocado on toast, the ubiquitous symbol of a bourgie millennial brunch (and the subsequent symbol of our inability to buy a house), cafe menus across the continent have never been the same. The smashed avo has stayed the course but in the meantime we’ve waved off trends of sun-dried tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar across every other plate, and everyone has stopped pretending to like kale chips.
But where – I ask – are the English muffins? Eggs benny on sourdough is all well and good, but a proper English muffin is a thing of beauty. When did jaw-breaking sourdough toast become the default for all breakfasts? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sourdough tragic, but there are times we just want something soft, preferably dripping with butter.
The classic steak tartare has enjoyed a resurgence on menus around Canberra. Photo: Pew Pew Studio.
Vintage entrees such as Scotch eggs and steak tartare have been making a well-deserved comeback with zhuzhed up flavour combinations and fusion ingredients, but where are the prawn cocktails? I’d like to see what some of Canberra’s most creative chefs could do with Marie Rose sauce, not to mention the endless possibilities of presentation.
Just imagine the influx of influencers clamouring for a shot of some delightfully kitsch glassware heaped with plump prawns, vivid greens and whatever twist you’ve given the dish. Let’s get maximalist with starters: it’ll be freak shakes all over again, but freakier.
And while we’re talking prawns: if I’m shelling my own seafood then a courtesy bowl of lemon-spiked water is absolutely necessary. We can’t expect flimsy paper napkins to do the job of what is, essentially, a small bath.
The Hyatt knows how to make the prawn cocktail a thing of beauty. Photo: Supplied.
The wine industry too is subject to flights of fancy and consumer preference. On-trend wine snobs once turned their noses up at a buttery over-oaked Kath and Kim Chardy but you’re more likely to get a complex and zippy contemporary chardonnay. Elsewhere on the drinks list digestifs are having a moment, and some of the most creative cocktails are the non-alcoholic ones. Consensus in the office is that we also need to get rid of the $13 schooner, but that just brings us back to the excise tax debate…
Steak frites are well and truly on brand at ModAus joints, preferably pre-cut on an impressively large platter with a generous spoon of cafe du Paris butter (shout out to The Inn). But if we’re getting carnivorous, then let’s do it right and eat the whole beast: where are the pickled tongue sandos, unctuous beef cheek ragus and tripe? Hell, let’s add some kidney to that steak! There’s a heck of a lot more to enjoy about a cow than just the prime cuts, and in order to be responsible meat eaters we shouldn’t waste a single thing.
I have a half-formed theory that the rise of boutique gelato shops is causing a drop in the number of restaurant desserts. I call it The Messina Effect. I’m guilty of this too. Instead of lingering after dinner with another drink and a dessert to share, I often pop down the road to enjoy a cone of something cold. Make a little space for dessert and relive the thrill of cracking into a perfectly caramelised brûlée, or watching the flow of gooey goodness from a chocolate lava cake (I’m reliably informed you can get them at Dominos but I have a gourmet image to uphold).
Some food trends deserve to stay in the past – I’m looking at you aspic – while others are just waiting for their moment in the spotlight. But if you want tuna mornay or devilled eggs anytime soon you might need to ask mum for her recipe and recreate the memories at home.
What old-school dishes would you like to see back on menus?
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