Spudhole to debut at 2024 Parramatta Lanes food festival

Food lovers are poised to fill their plates at a blockbuster Parramatta food festival where an event debutant is set to supercharge spuds and deep fry desserts.

Comedian, Mahmoud Ismail (left) will debut Spudhole at the 2024 Parramatta Lanes food festival. Picture: Supplied

Spuds are set to shine thanks to a comedian-turned potato entrepreneur who is debuting at the blockbuster Parramatta Lanes food festival, tipped to draw more than 180,000 food lovers to the CBD.

Mahmoud Ismail, who leveraged his online presence to launch his carb-loaded street food business, Spudhole in July, will churn out loaded potatoes on the roof of the Eat Street carpark at the four-day event, starting October 23.

The former engineer smashed out between 1000 and 1500 spuds, slathered with beef brisket and popcorn chicken, on one night of the Penrith Festival last month.

Calculations indicate that figure will double at the bumper Parramatta event.

“The brisket’s the bestseller,’’ Ismail, 27, said.

“It’s basically like beef brisket and it’s the marinade and it’s very juicy, and when you pour it over the cheese, the cheese melts, and the brisket sauce is very flavourful,’’ he said.

Beef brisket and popcorn chicken spuds.

“It has a bit of a kick to it, and it’s very tender.’’

The dish is crowned with coleslaw and offered alongside the equally mouth-watering popcorn chicken.

“We say it’s better than KFC,’’ Ismail said.

“It’s crunchy and seasoned very well so we put the popcorn chicken on top of the potato and load it with the gravy.’’

The carnival food continues with desserts.

Ismail will unveil his dessert pop-up Fry Hole, alongside Spudhole at Parramatta Lanes.

Scotland is renowned for its deep fried battered Mars bars, but it was a visit to Fish Fish Ed Square, at Edmondson Park, which inspired Ismail to supercharge the chocolate and Oreos instead of going down the acai-saturated market.

“I think it’s one of the best things I’ve ever had and I thought ‘how is this not a thing?,’’ he said.

Beef brisket loaded potatoes are headed for Parra.

The bars and biscuits are coated in a pancake-like batter to provide a soft shell and laced with icing sugar and ice cream.

Not only will the Bass Hill potato buff make his professional foray at Parramatta Lanes but will visit the event for the first time.

Ismail is, however, a regular diner at Church St restaurants on a Saturday night and enjoys the buzz.

“It’s busier than the city,’’ he said.

“Parramatta these days is like a CBD of its own and people flock from everywhere to Parramatta.’’

Hunter & Barrel is part of the event.

Spudhole has been a success at four Sydney festivals.

“I looked at what was happening overseas and in the UK,’’ Ismail said.

“I used to watch this man called Spudman. People were going crazy over potatoes and I thought how hard could it be to do it in Sydney, and I didn’t want to follow the other trends, I didn’t want to do acai.

“In every form, I eat potatoes almost every day.’’

Parramatta Lanes – which pumped more than $1.5m into the local economy last year – hosts 16 sites with more than 70 food stalls and over 100 performers on eight stages across Church, Phillip and George streets as well as Centenary and Parramatta squares.

KOI Dessert Bar returns to the 2024 Parramatta Lanes food festival.

Ismail’s fellow comics Rob Shehadie and Tahir are rolling out the Mr Whippy van and serving choc tops at George St.

Comedians Tahir and Rob Shehadie.

KOI Dessert Bar will return with its luxe offerings for its ninth year, with owner and MasterChef graduate Ronald Poernomo rolling out new creations along with the classics.

Many Parramatta businesses including Mamak, Nick and Nora’s, Baba Ghanouj, LilyMu, Gelato Messina and Smoky Cravings are joining the party.

To quench your thirst, spectacular cocktails and drinks will be whipped up thanks to Willo, Criniti’s, Alex & Co, Lone Star and Hunter & Barrel.

Parramatta Lane starts from 5pm each night October 23-26.

Originally published as Spudhole to debut at 2024 Parramatta Lanes food festival